Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Scott Haraway-Response Questions to "Reading Like a Writer"
1. Reading like a writer is very different than reading for other classes. When RLW, I have to read every word and read specifically for the how the words were used. When reading for other things like an Economics or Calculus class, I am reading for the content and information within the words, not the words specifically. I can also skim and skip over words to read faster, since I am just reading to pick out certain information and key dates or points.
2. I think the most obvious choice I make in my writing is the tone in which I write. If I am writing an academic research essay, I would take a much more formal approach. However, if I were writing a feature or editorial article for a newspaper, I would write more casually with the intent of entertaining the audience. The reader notices this immediately because of the diction used, like personal pronouns, colloquialisms, and other writer’s license tricks.
3. I think I would most likely use highlighting, because it is easiest to go back to and readily identify the words or excerpts that are important. I think it would be best used in highlighting specific diction that shows a specific tone and level of formality.
4. You can learn about the context before reading text by looking up the author and his or her background. Also, you can look up the text itself and specifically see when it was written. Even just reading the back of the book is sometimes a great way to get an insight into the context of the book.
Josh Goetz In Class 1
1. “Reading Like a Writer” is similar to the reading that I did last quarter in my writing class. My teacher asked us to focus on the audience and the purpose of the author when we were reading. Most of the reading that I did for that course was online articles which I did not print out. I have not done a lot of writing while reading in previous classes.
2. I try to connect myself to my audience and try to include the audience in my argument. By using things that I have in common with my audience I try to relate to them to open them up to my argument.
3. The author of this article emphasizes main points by separating them from the rest of the paper. “I came to realize that all writing consists of a series of choices.” This statement is its own paragraph. By doing this he portrays the importance of this realization. The author uses examples very well by using the Obama quote and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages that this quote contains.
4. The genre of the text and its chosen audience are often signals of the context of the piece that can be discovered even before starting to read. The title can introduce the work and give the reader a quick idea of the topic and sometimes the stance that the writer will make.
2. I try to connect myself to my audience and try to include the audience in my argument. By using things that I have in common with my audience I try to relate to them to open them up to my argument.
3. The author of this article emphasizes main points by separating them from the rest of the paper. “I came to realize that all writing consists of a series of choices.” This statement is its own paragraph. By doing this he portrays the importance of this realization. The author uses examples very well by using the Obama quote and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages that this quote contains.
4. The genre of the text and its chosen audience are often signals of the context of the piece that can be discovered even before starting to read. The title can introduce the work and give the reader a quick idea of the topic and sometimes the stance that the writer will make.
Prawira Oka: In- class 1: RLW Questions
1. 1. The article teaches us to identify the choices an author makes in their writing and how these choices influence their writing. By questioning the author’s word choice and motivation behind writing a piece we can understand how we can integrate the desired methods into our own writing in order to achieve the desired results. This is significantly different from the way I read for my other classes because as a biochemistry major who takes predominantly science and math classes, most of the information provided is absolute and objective with little room for the author to introduce their opinions.
2. 2. My identity as a writer stems for the choices I make with respect to my writing style. A common attribute of all my academic pieces is the intention to deliver a clear massage in a succinct manner. What I hope readers identify through my written work is my objectivity and reliance on facts to get my point across to the audience.
3. 3. What I noticed in this essay is the author’s use of rhetorical questions and his conscientious effort to connect with the audience on a personal level. Through his effective use of rhetorical questioning, the points he shares are well emphasized. The infusion of personal experiences into his piece is how he attempts to connect with his readers on a personal level.
While I do not have prior experience in using these strategies, it would definitely be an interesting experience to do so. I believe that one’s growth as a writer can only be achieved by developing several distinct writing styles as opposed to being confined to a singular one. I plan to introduce the use rhetorical questioning into key sections of my piece, to either dissuade or persuade the audience into making a particular decision. I would also be open to including personal experiences in my writing to try and develop a personal rapport with the reader.
4. 4. Some of the ways to learn about the context of a text prior to reading it is to do background research on the topic covered. One should also analyze their individual stand/view on the topic and try to understand why others may not share the same viewpoint. By going through these steps, one would be able to more effectively analyze and comprehend the text being read.
Corey Walkovitz - In Class 1: RLW Questions
RLW Discussion Questions
1. Reading like a writer is extremely different from reading in the normal sense. When you read like writer, you are not looking for celebrity gossip or sports updates or overall information. Reading like a writer requires you to analyze the techniques that the author has used to get his/her point across. This could be looking at word choice, sentence structure, tone, or specific elements such as quotes, that the author chose. It requires you to dissect the piece they are reading to understand the choices that the author made and why he/she made those choices.
2. There are many different elements that you could use in order to be identified by a reader. One of the major elements is your tone. This shows your attitude towards the subject. If a reader knows how you feel about the topic you are writing about, they are more likely to connect with you and see your point. A person could also choose to use long, drawn out sentences and be known for that. These elements help connect with the audience and make the point come across better.
3. I liked how the reader goes back to help the reader understand what he is saying. He introduces an idea and then goes in depth to make sure his point is not being confused. The author also used lots of questions to cause the reader to wonder and think about an idea before it was introduced. I would like to use these in my writings to help connect with the audience. I would try to use it in pieces where I am making an argument to help cause the reader to understand what side of the argument they stand on.
4. There are many different things you can do to learn about the context of the piece before you start to read. First you can look at what it is that you are reading. If you are reading from a magazine, then you can look at what magazine it is to determine the specific audience and the topics that would be covered. For instance, if you were reading from an ESPN magazine, then the context would have to do with sports and be written for male sports fans. If you are reading for a specific class, the context it most likely given, as it would deal with what you are studying. You can also look online to look up background information about the author or book to help understand why a certain piece is being written.
James Howe: In-class 1, RWL
1. How is “Reading Like a Writer” similar to and/or different from the way(s) you read for other classes?
RLW is similar to the ways i read in other classes because you are somewhat critiquing the piece as i have done before. It is different mainly by the questions that you ask yourself while reading. When using RLW you are analyzing the text to find the context, the audience and the purpose, then looking at the specifics to see if the techniques they are using are working to fulfill the situation.
2.What kinds of choices do you make as a writer that readers might identify in your written work?
Every choice, from your title to the style, you make when writing your paper should be identified by the reader in your work. The first and most obvious part that the reader will identify is the context that you have chosen. The reader should also be able to identify your purpose, intended audience and anything else related to your rhetorical situation. Your voice should be easily identified by the reader along with the style, like whether you chose to use formal or informal language throughout the text. Next the reader will be able to identify specific techniques used to fulfill the purpose and expand on the 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?
I like how the author is well aware of the audience but more specifically he is aware of what his audience is looking for in his reading. I would like to be able to have this deep understanding of my writing, the people who are reading it and what they are thinking as they are reading it. I also like the organization of this article, it is very easy to follow and it keeps your attention by presenting questions that the reader may be asking themselves then answering them in a clear and precise way.
4. What are some of the different ways that you can learn about the context of a text before you begin reading it?
Some ways you can find the context before reading it is look to see where the text is posted. Or look at who the author is and what their normal stand on issues. Next, the title of the article can give many hints about what you are about to read, giving you a good idea of what you are about to read.
RLW is similar to the ways i read in other classes because you are somewhat critiquing the piece as i have done before. It is different mainly by the questions that you ask yourself while reading. When using RLW you are analyzing the text to find the context, the audience and the purpose, then looking at the specifics to see if the techniques they are using are working to fulfill the situation.
2.What kinds of choices do you make as a writer that readers might identify in your written work?
Every choice, from your title to the style, you make when writing your paper should be identified by the reader in your work. The first and most obvious part that the reader will identify is the context that you have chosen. The reader should also be able to identify your purpose, intended audience and anything else related to your rhetorical situation. Your voice should be easily identified by the reader along with the style, like whether you chose to use formal or informal language throughout the text. Next the reader will be able to identify specific techniques used to fulfill the purpose and expand on the 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?
I like how the author is well aware of the audience but more specifically he is aware of what his audience is looking for in his reading. I would like to be able to have this deep understanding of my writing, the people who are reading it and what they are thinking as they are reading it. I also like the organization of this article, it is very easy to follow and it keeps your attention by presenting questions that the reader may be asking themselves then answering them in a clear and precise way.
4. What are some of the different ways that you can learn about the context of a text before you begin reading it?
Some ways you can find the context before reading it is look to see where the text is posted. Or look at who the author is and what their normal stand on issues. Next, the title of the article can give many hints about what you are about to read, giving you a good idea of what you are about to read.
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