Alexander Fredrickson- RLW In-Class 1

1. How is “Reading Like a Writer” similar to and/or different from the way(s) you read for other classes?

When you are reading for other classes, you read “for content or to better understand the ideas in the writing”, however when you are attempting to “read like a writer”, you “carefully examine the things you read, looking at the writerly techniques in the text in order to decide if you might want to adopt similar (or the same) techniques in your writing.” In its simplest form, reading like a writer causes you to analyze the effectiveness of the writer’s diction, syntax, ethos, pathos, logos, and other rhetorical devices.

2. What kinds of choices do you make as a writer that readers might identify in your written work?

If readers were to analyze my writing, they would find a conscious choice of tone, diction, and sentence structure that corresponds to the tastes of my intended audience. When I write, I always keep my intended audience in mind as well as the mindset that they will most likely be in when they begin to read my piece. By doing this, I can play off of the emotions and preconceived notions that the reader most likely will already have in order to strengthen the ethos, pathos, and logos of my writing.

3. Is there anything you notice in this essay that you might like to try in your own writing? What is that technique or strategy? When do you plan to try using it?

Personally, I am very much interested in the particular way that the author is constantly thinking about his/her target audience. The idea of focusing on certain passages and analyzing the rhetoric within in order to consider the techniques used by the author is not something that I typically consider while reading a piece. I could definitely consider my audience more in my writing as well as the rhetorical strategies used by THIS author (his interesting use of ethos, pathos, and logos) more when I write.

4. What are some of the different ways that you can learn about the context of a text before you begin reading it?

There is many a technique that one can use in order to determine the exact context of a piece before they begin to read it. The reader should ask themselves what the intended audience is, what genre the piece falls in to, as well as the purpose of the piece. This will help the reader (you) to better understand the structural techniques use in the piece allowing you to better understand the overall message of the piece.

How to Read Like a Writer

1. "Reading Like a Writer” is quite different than from reading in other classes. Reading you might do in other classes usually is performed in order for you to absorb information from the writing. It is meant to be a way to merely read the writing in order to get a better understanding of the content or ideas in the writing. However, when you do Read Like a Writer, you are involving a method of trying to figure out how the piece of writing was actually put together by the author by analyzing his or her techniques that they may use in their writing. Then you need to question why the author used those techniques in the writing. From questioning why the author used a particular structure in the writing, to why the author used certain words in the writing. Finally you need to look at the most important choices the author may make in their writing, and look to see what different ways the author could have gone with the writing and how it could affect the readers.

2. Readers might identify to the choices that I make as a writer. I might use the choices in my writing that would be based on the audience to whom I am writing to. This would affect the tone, sentence structure, and style that I would use in my writing.

3. I did like the technique that Bunn used when he wanted to ask the two questions about knowing the purpose of the piece of writing as well as knowing who the intended audience is for this piece of writing while reading. Asking these questions while reading my articles, did help me when we had to decipher the author’s rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos in my readings in order to make a persuasive argument in their favor last quarter. This is a technique I also hope to use in our upcoming papers when we do have to research and find appropriate articles for our topic.

4. If you want to better understand a piece of writing, it is essential in order to learn about the specific context of the text. At first before even reading the actual writing itself, you can learn a lot about the text from the title. The title can help you define the tone of the piece as well as the author’s intended audience. It would be also quite helpful to look up the author and research his personal history and preferred genre in order to get a sense of the context of the piece of writing.

Alison Benedetti, In-Class RLW

1) "Reading Like a Writer" is very different from the readings I typically do in school. Since I am a science major, the only purpose of reading our class material is for information, without concern as to strategies that the author uses or reasons why one paragraph is in front of another. Science textbooks have no purpose, other than data and information, so learning how to read like a writer was something that I never learned how to do well. Being able to read like a writer is definitely something I would like to improve in.

2) I try to follow the basic writing structure of introduction-body-conclusion papers. This can be easily identified in my written work because I tend not to branch away from this structure at all. I also try to be somewhat humorous in my writing, because I have the fear of boring my readers. I still have yet to identify whether or not this is a beneficial tactic to incorporate in my writing. If I am writing an argumentative paper, I always like to establish the main argument early and often, another characteristic that can be easily defined in my work.

3) As a writer, putting myself in the reader’s shoes (something I’ve never really done before) would probably be beneficial to the overall outcome of my work. Thinking ahead, before the writing production process, considering the targeted audience and building the contextual and rhetorical strategies around the basis of that particular audience would also be something that would better my writing. I would be able to do this by further investigating my topic and arranging the text in the way that would most appeal to the audience.

4) Being able to identify the author’s purpose for writing, as well as their intended audience are two ways to easily learn about the text before reading it. Knowing the historical context or basic background of a piece of writing would also help improve the understanding of the text before it is read.

Learning to Read Like a Writer. In-class 1 Kelley Murray

1. Reading like a writer calls for one to pay more attention to the author and his/her choices in the development of the text rather than focusing on the information given in the text. This style differs the way I read in other classes because I am looking at the creation of the text and analyzing it rather than what is discussed.

2. I choose to connect with my readers through my use of diction, tone, and voice. I think that choosing an audience is as important as choosing a topic. Although I do not like to "exclude" potential readers, I think that the best way to connect with a reader is through targeting the appropriate audience for the topic.

3. The author of “Reading Like a Writer” effectively employed the use of the rhetorical devices. I like to use ethos, logos, and pathos in my writings, too. Depending on the context of my writing, I focus on using emotional, logical, and/or credible appeals to better connect with my audience.

4. In order to gain a better understanding of a text, it is very beneficial to understand the context surrounding it. Questioning the author’s purpose and identifying the writing’s intended audience can be helpful in the comprehension of a text. Looking at the text’s genre and background information are also ways of learning about the context before actually reading the text.

Olivia Anton in-class 3/24

Discussion on how to write like a scholar:
1. "Reading like a Writer" suggests that you take more time in evaluating the context of the text rather than summarizing the main points, which is what I am accomustomed to in my other classes. I am a science major and relay more on main points rather than constructional beauty of the sentences. In fiction and other pleasure books, I look at the main ideas unless the reading is older and the language grips my attention. In books like Jane Eyre I look at the specific qualities of the characters and their purpose in the writing.

2. I look to use personal stories and quotes to try and grip the reader at the beginning. I also use rhetorical strategies to express my main points and convince the reader.

3. I liked the way the writer expressed himself in the article incorporating his students' suggestions into his writing and his formal writing that expressed the complexity of the subject.

4. The context of a text can be gathered before the reader begins through the title; through this you can determine the main point and genre. To gather more information about the writer's style looking at past work and the history of the writer would develop the writer into a more personal character that the reader could relate to. The reviews would also be a way to look at how other people have felt about the text.

3/23 in class assignment 1 RWL

1. 1.Reading like a writer is different from the way I read for other classes, because in other classes I am purely reading for information. I am not going through my readings and analyzing words and phrases the author used. I am also not asking myself questions throughout my reading. I am simply reading for information.

2. 2. The biggest choices that you can make as writer is that the readers take notice of is your word choice. Your word choice sets the stage for which audience your targeting as well as the tone of your paper.

3. 3. I like the idea of constantly questioning what audience the author is targeting and what the purpose of this piece is. I also like the idea of highlighting certain passages and then examining the techniques the author tried using. During my next assigned reading I could use these strategies to avoid confusion and get a better understanding of the reading.

4. 4.To know information about a paper before you actually read it, you can examine the genre that it was written for, and the audience it was intended for. Another clue that will tell you about the reading is the purpose of the article.

Chris Martin In-Class 1

1. Q: How is "Reading like a Writer" similar and/or different from the way(s) you read for other classes?
One of the major differences between reading like a writer and the way I’ve read previously is the importance of rereading material. In other classes I used the skim method often to locate a central point or idea. A definite other difference is the specific label of genre, in other classes, we were somewhat allowed to drift between different types of writing. Some similarities RLW carries with the way I’ve read before relates to editing papers or reading comprehension sections on tests. Those methods as well as RLW involve rereading and perusing for central arguments in a body of work. And though I haven’t done it so often, the analysis of the paper mimics RLW.

2. Q: What kinds of choices do you make as a writer that readers might identify in your written work?
Personally, my use of amplified voice and word choice coins my writings. I use those techniques to identify my point, as well as distinguish myself as a writer. Another aspect of my writings is the use of basic quantitative textual based research. I feel as though this bolsters my paper, and exemplifies that I know the numbers surrounding the topic. And finally, a reader may notice my attempts to connect the ideas mentioned in the beginning of the paper to the end.

3. Q: Is there anything you notice in this essay that you might like to try in your own writing? What is that technique or strategy? When do you plan to try using it?
A definite idea I’d use in my writing is the increased focus on audience. The idea behind it is being knowledgeable of whom you are speaking to, and to know at what level is best to convey your point. I believe this is exceptionally useful when giving speeches or presentations. Instead of speaking above or below an audience’s level, this technique allows you to include or involve every audience member.

4. Q: What are some of the different things that you can learn about the context of a text before you begin reading it?
There are many techniques that are useful before you actually read an article to provide context to how it was written. You could ask yourself about the intended audience, the genre, or the purpose of the paper to gain clues as to the context of the paper. These questions help to shed light onto what how the paper was actually constructed, therefore allowing you to understand it even better.

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.

In Class 1- Rosen

RLW Discussion Questions

1. “How to Read Like a Writer” brought up very different ways of reading a piece of writing than how I read for other. “Reading Like a Writer” deeply analyzes pieces of writing in a different way. Reading like a writer makes you analyze details like word choice, flow, and especially tone. When I read for other classes, I usually read for the purpose of gaining the information within the text, rather analyzing the actual writing. When reading like a writer, one tends to notice and/or criticize the use of specific words or phrases much more than normal.

2. As a writer, one has many choices that you can make in order to convey a message. I think the most distinguishable aspect of a persons writing is their tone of voice. Tone of voice can make or break a piece of writing. If the tone of voice is more appealing to the audience, the message or information can be conveyed much more effectively. Also, the word choice of a writer is a very identifiable aspect of a piece of writing. If one reads like a writer, one can question the word choice and decide if the phrase or word was placed in the most effective manner.

3. When reading “How to Read Like a Writer” I noticed a couple of examples that could be applicable in my writing. The writer of “How to Read Like a Writer” uses personal examples to help support the argument and make the essay more powerful overall. Also, a very unique point the writer touched on is single sentence paragraphs. Initially, I thought the idea would be very ineffective and look like a very primitive piece of writing. However, once I came to my senses, I realized how powerful that one sentence could be.

4. Prior to reading a piece of writing, it is very helpful to gain some knowledge on the context of the piece and the author. Researching the authors purpose prior to the can be very insightful. Also, while researching this, one can gain a gage of the audience the author is aiming to. One can easily locate information about a piece or an author on the internet.

Mike Ness In Class 1

1. When reading for other classes the content of what is being writing is way more important than the writing style itself. In every other course I'm taking I don't read what is required of me in the context of reading like a writer. I read the content to obtain facts or to reflect on the idea the writer is trying to demonstrate. For example when reading my "History of New York City" book my sole objective is to gain the knowledge of what happened in New York at a certain time and perhaps what those events led to or what led to the events themselves. I don't read the book and ask myself questions like what style is the writer utilizing nor do I feel the need to pick apart every sentence.

2. Reflecting on my own writing which is a difficult thing to do in and of itself I realize that I sometimes use too many similes or metaphors as a catalyst to get my point across. Other writers may also realize when reading my writing that I sometimes don't make my point clear. I find myself sometimes getting off topic and this makes the reader wonder what my initial point was.

3. This essay somewhat made me realize the importance of genre. What I would like to do is become excelled in every genre and when someone experienced in writing reads my work can make a clear distinction immediately on what genre I'm attempting to portray. As the student "Mike" in the essay says, when he is reading certain genres he looks for symbols within the writing as cues to understand the writing better. I would like to be able to understand and use the symbols specific to every genre to better my writing. I think that the better one understands genre the better they could make anything they write.

4. The best way to obtain the context of what you are reading is to have some background knowledge on the writing. Therefore to obtain the context you must obtain background knowledge. You must ask the appropriate questions such as why the author is writing what he's writing and who is the author trying to attract to this specific piece of writing.

Reed K: RLW Response

Reading like a Writer is very different from reading in my last class because I had to analyze the content. Analyze not how words are put down on a paper but what they mean. For example, we read articles on Lady Gaga and Superman and we had to read to find the authors point, thesis, and define his argument. RLW is more like reading to see how the argument is laid out. How and where the fence is built not which side of it you are on.

Choices I make as a writer that readers may notice is tone. I create tone by word choice and by using “a disgusting display of power” rather than “a misunderstanding of his role in office,” will be taken entirely different by a reader. It establishes personal bias and or motives by allowing subjective words to sway the readers mind to the writers. Subjectivity is something that readers notice.

The introduction paragraph, personal anecdote, was a very good move on the writer’s part. It really pulled me into the piece, and to apply last writing class, established perfect ethos. Everything he said was believable because of his experience reading word by word and by bringing us there it really pulls us in emotionally and logically. I’d use it in a case where a personal anecdote would be helpful…for example I wouldn’t use it in a serious essay. Something more casual than grave or formal.

A couple different ways I can learn about the text before reading it is looking for the authors purpose for spending hours on this article, whether he/she wants us to hop a fence or become enlightened in a news topic. Also knowing the target audience is huge because a paper that may not make sense to an American may make perfect sense to a Brit. Target audience helps understand the underlying purpose of the essay and where the author is going.

Kelsie Cage: in-class Style Writing

1. When reading a textbook for a class it is usually in order to gain textual information and facts. I tend to skim through the chapter first to see what the key word are in the chapter and see if I can come up with what the main concepts are and what the author is trying to teach through his/her writing.

When I am reading a novel and trying to understand the work, I usually will write in the margins of the novel and circle things that stand out to me. It may be a metaphor, a certain concept, or diction that is used to convey meaning; these concepts help me to understand the overall meaning as well as details. However, I don’t usually read word-for-word and try to understand why those words make me feel a certain way and how they individually make up a sentence that stands for a bigger meaning.

2. I tend to be very descriptive and detailed in my writing. I like to use different styles of figurative writing and express my opinion through bold diction.

3. I’m not sure if there is yet…I feel like one cannot just change their style of writing overnight so I have not really thought about if I would like to attempt to use this style of writing. It is an interesting way of reading/writing but I’m not sure if it’. I enjoy reading pieces of work and learning from the style in which the author conveys his/her ideas. I improve my writing by reading the works of a variety of different authors.

4. I have found it helpful to look at the year it was published/written so one can get a sense of the time period the book was written in. Reading about the author and his/her history may help to understand why they wrote what they did and it may help with figuring out details and the underlining meaning of a work.

Martin Corral March 23, 2011 In-Class Writing

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

1. Reading is commonly used to find out information, however, in RLW, reading is used to learn about the writer, and the way in which the piece was constructed. This method involves the questions “Why?” ,“How?” and “Who?” more than the usual “What?”

2. While sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and organization heavily impact the way I write, the most easily identifiable characteristic of a piece that anyone compiles is their ethos. This voice sets the style of a writer and helps to identify the writer’s piece.

3. Due to the title, the most noticeable element in this piece is the writing style. The author writes to be read, it is a simple text, where he describes how to read like a writer. The effect is that his own text is read in this fashion, the style, elements, and fashion in which he writes is heavily observed and analyzed. This is a technique that I would like to carry over to many other pieces of literature.

4. The context of a piece is vital to its impact. For example, in RLW, the author has a clear and simple tone, which helps to convey his message to a large audience. This is the same reason why newspapers separate their text into miniature paragraphs; it keeps the reader involved and makes them believe that what they are reading is less intimidating than a massive block of text. This is why, by analyzing the context of a piece before reading it you can tell the target audience.

Kevin Boutilier in class 1

1. Reading like a writer encourages a different view on the written material. Instead of simply reading and taking in information, this text encourages readers to question the writer’s every decision. Doing this can lead to a better understanding of the text, and the message the writer was trying to convey. Reading like a writer also encourages the reader to be aware of his or her own response to the text. It is important to note how you reacted to the text, and what the writer did to inspire this emotion or thought.

2. When writing, it is important to keep in mind the audience of your text. This will influence important decisions such as word choice, sentence structure, tone and style. When I write I try to use a style that is consistent with what I am trying to say and who I am saying it to.

3. I will pay more attention to how I react to readings, and what the author did to provoke that reaction. With this information I will hopefully be more successful in my own writing.

4. Before reading a text it is important to note where the text is appearing and who wrote it. Knowing what magazine, newspaper, or web site that an article came from can offer valuable information about biases or credibility the author has.

Mark Meziere -- In Class Assignment #1

1) Reading like a writer involves much more questioning and analyzing than reading for other classes requires. When reading like a writer you must constantly be wondering why the author choose to use this word or begin with that sentence. Reading for other classes usually only involves gathering the information from the text and interpreting it using your previous knowledge.

2) As a writer, I like to draw my audience in right form the start. If writing a research paper I will almost always either start with a quote or an astonishing fact which pulls the audience in. I will then continue to layout what I am going to talk about without giving away too much detail. I also like to have plenty of information to back myself up using strong argumentative words.

3) As I read this essay I was constantly asking and thinking to myself why the author choose to do this or why the author choose to do that. The author kept referring back to and almost repeating about how authors make choices for certain reasons, word to word and sentence to sentence.

4) If you evaluate something you are going to read before reading it you can find out who the essay is directed towards. This is important to know because the author is going to try his or her hardest to appeal and cater to a certain audience rather than to the general public. You are also able to gather a little information from the title alone. The title should give a good hint to what the essay or article is going to be about and could also provide the author's view on that topic.

Hoa Vo in-class response

1. I’ve never tried, at least most of the times, to find out the author’s intended audience before reading the piece. My last quarter though, my professor urged me to write for a specific audience and I also had to choose the context of the essay. So I see a similarity between RLW and the works which I’ve completed last quarter. The differences are that RLW is more specific in terms of its analysis. I didn’t particularly pay a lot of attention to techniques that I used in my writing. Also, RLW encourages you to analyze the format of the essay which I think is very helpful.

2. I have my own distinct dictions and rhetorical strategies which the audience could identify in my works if I write about something. I think I’m quite a technical writer so the reader could see many logos in my writing. I don’t use many personal examples in my writing; I think it’s something that I need to work on.

3. I like the specificity of this essay. Everything, even the small words that you choose, has to serve a purpose. You have to be conscious about your own position and your audience when you write something also. I’ll try to apply this to my writing as early as I could. I’ll try to be more mindful about my purposes and my use of words.

4. You’ll try to research the time and conditions the work was written. You also want to find out who the author is and what his intended audiences and purposes are. Understanding the biography of the author and the historical context the book might be written in could also help a lot with the analysis. Also you can read the summary of the certain work.

Parker Roe - "In-Class 1"

WRIT- 1133 - 37

March 23, 2011

1. How is “Reading Like a Writer” similar to and/or different from the way(s) you read for other classes?

In my junior year of High School I was taught English by a man named Andrew Baker who ultimately changed the way I looked at school entirely. He has had the most profound influence on my academic career out of any teacher I have encountered. The main thing I took away from his class that year is that it I need to question everything. Everything happens for a reason, and as a reader and writer, whether in the classroom or not, it is imperative to ask questions. “Reading Like a Writer” conveys the same principle, the importance of asking questions, which in fact serves as an overarching theme throughout the entire piece. All in all this work deeply resonates with me and is harmonious with my view, or perhaps what I would like to be my view, on reading and writing; I don't always question everything, but I sure mean to.

2. What kinds of choices do you make as a writer that readers might identify in your written work?

I tend to gravitate towards longer, more complex sentence structures encompassing parallelism and antithesis quite often. I also like to use alliteration and repeating sounds throughout my work for emphasis and fluidity. I don’t think I do these things on purpose but I always notice them myself as I am in the process of drafting. I guess it’s an unconscious action that is simply natural at this point. I do sometimes make references to wildly different ideas that relate to what I am discussing in my piece but are unique and sometimes a little too abstract. Metaphors, allusions, and imagery is highly valued in writing, at least I believe so, and are crucial tools in developing an argument.

3. Is there anything you notice in this essay that you might like to try in your own writing? What is that technique or strategy? When do you plan to try using it?

One of the main ideas discussed in this essay is that every word, individually, has a reason for being where it is in the piece. I feel as if sometimes my diction is not as spot on as I’d like, and perhaps part of this is simply broadening my vocabulary, but in part, I believe a major part of this is revision processes. After reading this piece I realize that I need to scrutinize every single word I write, after the fact, and in the midst of drafting. Word choice will make or break an argument and “Reading Like a Writer” demonstrates that truth very effectively. In addition, I want to start talking in more abstract voices and to different audiences. Sometimes I tend to get rather one-dimensional, especially when writing analytically.

4. What are some of the different ways that you can learn about the context of a text before you begin reading it?

Gaining knowledge of a text before diving into it will only increase the effectiveness of one’s “dive” and understanding of the piece by the time he is done reading it. Knowing the purpose of he piece, or the intended audience is extremely beneficial to one’s overall understanding of the concepts being discussed. Style is a huge component as well; if you are familiar with an author’s style before reading a specific piece, it can help in perceiving of the context. Getting to know the author’s persona, although hard to do without a little devoted research, is also highly beneficial in grasping of concepts and ideas.

Kevin Frey in class 1

1. In most classes I read purely in an attempt to find the information that I need to complete the class. However in reading like a writer I examine how the text I am reading is put together and why it was put together that way. By reading this way I have a better understanding for how the author of that text uses language and words to affect the audience, in this case, my classmates and myself.

2. When I am writing I tend to like to follow a set path of information, i.e. an intro, body, and conclusion. This way I guide the reader through the paper and make points in an order that I want to focus on. Much of my writing is school related so I use in text quotes from other authors that are then cited at the end of my composition.

3. One technique I noticed that author using was how he changed the format of the paper consistently throughout the paper. These changes in fonts, paragraph styles, and language kept my attention and in some cases helped put emphasis on a point he was making. I can remember many a time when I’ve been reading a book or paper and had to put it down because of how bland the writing appeared on the page. I might try to use this technique when I write an argumentative paper, that way I keep my audiences attention and make my points stronger. Another technique I might use in my writing is using personal experiences in my life to make a point to a reader or guide the reader to the point of the paper.

4. I would say standard research about an author or a topic prior to reading a paper or book would give you a better understanding about why the piece was written and who the person is that is writing it. Outside experiences also play a large role in how people construct ideas so if the piece is something that could be experienced it might be a good idea to try it prior to reading someone else interpretation of it.

Zach Baca Assignment #1

1. Reading like a writer is different than reading for material by making the reader ask questions of the text while reading. The way that this is different is because reading for material is just reading the text for the face value. Reading like a writer is dissecting the writing while reading then at the same time questioning the actual words in the text as well as asking specific questions about the words used while reading. The similarities of the reading techniques are obvious, they are both looking for information in a text.

2. The choices made by the writer include word usage, which audience that I am trying to reach. Also, the reader of my writing would notice what genre of literature they are reading.

3. I like the way that when the author quoted someone he indented the entire paragraph. That was useful to me because it makes the writing easier to read. I might like to try that for the interview assignment.

4. The title would be a good start. There is also a lot that can be learned by the location of the writing this could determine genre as well as audience for the piece of writing. There is also the question of purpose, why is the writer even writing the piece in the first place.

B. Wilson In-class 1

1. “Reading Like a Writer” requires one to examine the ways of presenting information rather than the information given. In most classes the information is more important to glean from the reading than the writing style. Frequently classes assign large amounts of reading due around the same time forcing the students to pick the most important section of the reading to focus on and skim the rest. To examine style and organization in writing requires paying more attention to formatting choices the author made in order to discover ways to improve one’s writing.

2. I use personal examples in my writing as a way to connect with my audience rather than becoming some distant commentator on boring facts. My favorite writing tool is humor. If you can make people laugh, they are more likely to appreciate reading your work, remember something from what they read, and want to read more of your work.

3. I like the suggestion for quotes use as a starting point for an essay. Using a quote lends credibility and ethos to your writing and establishes a possible direction for the essay. I may not begin with a quote immediately, but rather in the first or second paragraph so that the quote is more integrated with my thoughts and attempts to convey my point. The quote will give support to my thesis rather than acting of its own accord.

4. Reading an abstract/summary of a text, reading an author biography, and reading about the time period surrounding the publishing of the text are all different ways to learn about the context of a text before reading it.