The first sentence of the piece could well be seen as the thesis, with the information after this statement making up the support. In fact, signal phrases such as "as in," "for the most part," and "it is also true," allow the reader to easily grasp that this passage is written in a scholarly tone. In direct opposition to what one would expect, Jamal does not include a call to action or a biased viewpoint, which would color the tone much differently. Instead, Jamal formats his tone to speak directly about the conditions in the prison, allowing readers to understand that his purpose is to inform instead of persuade. By using this scholarly tone, Jamal accomplishes several goals. First, he acknowledges the reader's intelligence and sovereignty, implying that he knows that the reader will make his or her own decisions with the facts, and does not need to be insulted...
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