Assignment for Reading Responses

Part of learning how writing works involves learning to read like writers. Writing is always a remix of other writings that the writer has read, analyzed, and broken down to use for her or his own purposes, which means good writers are good readers, analysts, summarizers, and remixers who can read something, understand its overall point, purpose, and underlying reasoning, and then explain and use it in writing. This is why we will learn about writing by reading writing scholarship, which will give us plenty of practice with reading and writing skills. (I hope you leave this class as practiced and critical readers who can understand and breakdown the reasoning behind everything you read.) To help us practice these skills, I will ask each of you to write up written responses to each class’s reading that includes each of these elements:

·       A summary of each reading that explains what the authors are trying to do (purpose), who they are trying to do it to or through (audience), what their overall point is (argument), and the underlying reasoning they use to try and prove that point (reasons). The objective here is to make this summary as brief, yet complete, as possible. To help you, you could use the following paradigm: “In his/her/their article ____(’Title’)_______, _____(Author(s))______ attempt(s) to ______(purpose & audience)___. He/She/They argue(s)________(Overall Point)______ because _______(reasons)________." Writing such summaries will allow you to practice breaking down a reading in order to understand not just what it says, but how what it says leads to what it is attempting to do. Texts (written, visual, audio, etc.) attempt to do things to readers, and reading analytically involves not just being able to list down everything the text says, but to be able to explain what it tries to do. Good summary does not list (first it says x then y) what a document says but instead explains what it tries to do.

·       After the brief as possible summary for each reading, I will ask you to put the reading in conversation with other readings we have read during the semester. Which readings is this one similar to? Which readings does it differ significantly with about major ideas? This work should help you improve your ability to synthesize (put together into an overview summary) the conversation among different texts. This work requires you to begin to map or sort texts into groups of similar ideas and to articulate how the various groups or regions differ from each other generally and not just at the level of individual texts.

·       After your summary and synthesis work, 1) Type up the results of any pre-reading exercises Writing about Writing asks you to do, 2) Type thorough and thoughtful responses to the specified questions from Writing about Writing or about readings from Readings on Writing as indicated on the schedule/blackboard.

·       Finally, add a paragraph on your own thoughts about the reading: Was it interesting? Why? Do you think it will be helpful to you? Why? How do the ideas compare to your own experiences? Do you agree or disagree? Why? Etc.

To get credit for responses, your response needs to include each of these elements and show that you made a thoughtful effort to complete each part. All responses will be posted on your individual blog before the class meeting in which we are discussing the reading at hand. Late responses will not be accepted.