Audience, occasion, purpose 


Who is the primary audience for this argument? 
What is the occasion for the article or speech? 
What is the writer’s purpose?

Issues and claims


What are the issues central to this writer’s position? 
How does the writer support his claims? 
What types of evidence does the writer provide?

Values and assumptions 


Which of the writer’s values influence this postion the most? 
What assumptions does the writer make about the audience for this argument? About society? 
How closely do the values of the writer match those of the audience?

Organization, style, and tone


How would you characterize the tone of this article? Serious? Aggressive? Meek? etc.
Where in the article does the writer state her position? 
Characterize the conclusion of the article. What is its effect?