Prose Analysis: Good and Bad Writing.

Bad Writing
Sample One (The Individual): This sample is ineffective because it overuses rhetorical questions. Some of these rhetorical questions are so long and complex they are no longer effective as rhetoric and just alienate, confuse, or bore the reader. The paragraph seeks to explain ethical relativism, yet introduces the concept abruptly, without proper introduction. The paragraph lacks a sense of balance and introduced concepts aren’t fully explained.

Sample Two (This Change): This paragraph is overcomplicated. Rather than sounding professional or sophisticated, the paragraph comes off as cold, corporate, and unintelligible.

Sample Three (Science): The question this paragraph seeks to answer is not phrased well. With such a poor starting point, this paragraph cannot be developed effectively.

Good Writing
Sample One (Fish): This sample makes effective use of imagery and description. The paragraph is well developed in a chronological manner that is pleasing to read. The subject of this paragraph, the capelin fish, is described in such detail that extensive research and background information is evident. However in the description of the fish, the narrator is not overly-complex or technical, instead choosing to make a work of prose that is both enjoyable and informative.

Sample Two (Colours): Despite using the American spelling of coulour, this piece of prose is very effective. The paragraph is well developed from the beginning, sparking the interest of the reader with a fantastic quotation from another writer. The thesis is then proposed, being drawn from ideas in the introduction. The thesis is then proven using scientific explanation. This style is used very frequently, but rarely to the effect this writer has demonstrated.

Sample Three (Machine): This is the first piece of prose that we have encountered so far that makes use of many rhetorical questions and is still very effective. The questions are simply worded and relate to each other so the reader does not become confused or frustrated. Furthermore, these questions are interspersed between some very impressive prose, which makes the reading all the more enjoyable.