Rachel In-class 1 Discussion Questions on How to Read Like a Writer

1. “Reading Like a Writer” is different from the ways I read for other classes, because when I am reading for other classes I read to retain the information and understand what I am reading rather then reading to learn how to become a better writer.

2. When I write a formal or informal essay, I usually focus on the tone, the sentence structure, the argument, my target audience, and how I want my piece of writing to affect my audience. By taking into account who my audience may be, I can then decide how to form my argument so that I am clear and understood by my readers.

3. The author of the essay “How to Read Like a Writer” brings in many examples of good writing into his essay but telling us how to become good writers. Not only does he give examples and direct quotes from students who have tried this type of reading, but also he brings in examples of his own. When a writer brings in personal examples it not only supports his or her argument, but it adds to the power of the essay. The author of this essay also begins with a story and draws in the audience with detail this is a technique to get the reader interested and ready to read. I would like to try both of these techniques to better improve my writing to entertain the audience.

4. Before reading any text, there are ways to learn about the context of the text before beginning to read it. Some questions you may ask yourself before reading any piece of writing are do you know the author’s purpose for this piece of writing? And who is the intended audience to the piece of writing? When you begin to read the article you can begin to ask yourself more questions.