August ECA Runner-Up for Best Article

Congrats to Jenni A. for being runner-up for this month’s Editors’ Choice Award for Best Article! Here’s the article and the analysis:

• Keyword: dentist
• Country: Canada
• Vertical: dentist

Links:

• painful
• dentist-our client

Analysis

Authority:

The author demonstrates in-depth knowledge about tooth decay and root canals by detailing the tooth decay and root canal processes. Most people know that forgetting to brush your teeth leads to the erosion of the enamel. But this article gives the reader the play-by-play of what’s really going on with your teeth. And the sports analogy the author uses makes this information fun and easy to follow.

Readability:

The sports analogy starts in the title and continues throughout the introduction, headings, and all the way to the conclusion. It’s not overwhelming—the reader still gleans plenty of useful information about tooth decay and root canals—but it carries the piece. It adds interest and helps the transitions flow smoothly. The reader gets sucked into the analogy and the personification of tooth decay, allowing him to learn valuable information while being entertained.

Organization:

The content delivers on the promise of the title. It could be argued that the title should contain more of a promise about what the article will discuss. However, the reader knows from the title that the article will be about root canals and its relationship to tooth decay. The introduction sets up this relationship nicely, the body of the article supports the controlling idea, and by the end the reader clearly understands the connection between tooth decay and root canals.

Grammar:

Immaculate.

Use Value:

The article transcends the reader’s expectations. Not only does the reader find out how tooth decay may lead to a root canal, he also discovers how he can prevent tooth decay. The author does not hit the reader over the head, either, or use overly-basic or simplistic phrases like, “brush your teeth.” Instead, he uses subtle hints like “just sits there waiting for you to forget to brush” to clue the reader in. Of course, after reading the terrifyingly graphic description of tooth decay playing dirty, the reader feels compelled both to brush his teeth and to encourage his friends and family to follow suit.