Class talk:ENG112 - Section 36 - Fall 2007/homework

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Day 2: Thursday, 6 September

Reflection: What did this essay make me rethink or reconsider that I may not have thought about before? What impact did it have on my thinking about key ideas? e.g., “Before reading this essay I had assumed X, but now I see Y.”

Conversation: What might my experiences add to the argument? How might they revise or alter the author’s ideas to be more accurate to what I know and think? “While I agree with X, it seems to me it’s even more complicated than the author recognizes.”

Rhetorical Analysis: How effective was the essay for its intended audience? What was its purpose? Did it work? Where did the essay succeed or fail most obviously? e.g., “Although I ultimately agree with what the author argues, I don’t think he was successful in getting his point across to his intended audience. I would have been much more easily swayed if the essay had done X”

Strength of Argument: Did the author support his or her argument? Where did he fail to develop his thinking? Where did she lapse in logic? Could the author’s own argument be turned against him/her? e.g., “My agreement or disagreement aside, it’s important to see if the author can actually objectively support his/her views. Since he/she does not, the argument is both flawed and should not influence others to change their opinions.”

from Possible Ways Of Responding To A Text