Andrew Thomas 3/23 in-class writing

1) Reading like a writer differs sharply from any other reading I do in that I would rarely read for style in a different context. If I am reading for any other class I am reading almost exclusively for content. I am reading solely to isolate and understand the points that the authors are trying to make, not to understand the style or methods the author is using. Any effort devoted to analyzing the writing itself, as you would reading like a writer, would largely be missing the point of the reading and a waste of energy.

2) When I am writing I notice that I often try to concentrate on formality. I often try to be continence of things such as my use of contractions and the sophistication of my vocabulary or grammar. I feel that the various levels of formality of my writing is important to how effectively it is received and how credible it appears.

3) I felt that this essay had a very specific audience and made a noticeable effort to connect to it. It was clearly aimed at a younger, college aged, audience. The author makes it clear that he is well educated and it is at least strongly implied that he is a highly proficient writer. However, he is writing down to us, the vocabulary and grammar is unsophisticated and his style in informal, making use of contractions and a first person perspective. Further, he makes references to things such as Facebook, which are relevant specifically to his intended audience. He also uses quotes, not from experts, but from other students of similar age and education to his audience. I feel that writing to specific audiences is an interesting writing technique and is something I would like to include in my future writings.

4) I feel that you can gain a better understanding of the context of a work by looking up the date it was published, as well as understanding the history of the author. It helps to know basic things about the author such as his or her nationality, gender, education, or age. It further helps to understand the major events that may have occurred during the authors’ lifetime that might have influenced his or her perspectives.