Guided Reading

By
Maria Gonzalez mgonzalez147@email.itt-tech.edu 14237249
Associate of Science degree in Network Systems Administration

EN 1320 Composition I

ITT Technical Institute – Clovis, CA

October 11th, 2013
Chapter 9 (Writing Today, pp. 171-196) 1. What is the purpose of a commentary?
Commentaries are used to express opinions on current issues and events, offering new and interesting perspectives that help readers understand the world in which they live. It is to convince readers to agree with you and, perhaps, to change their minds. 2. What is the basic organizational pattern of the commentary? * A topic based on current events or current issues. * An introduction that immediately engages the reader by clearly announcing the issue under examination, the writer’s thesis, and the angle he or she will take on this topic. * An explanation of the current event or issue that reviews what happened and the ongoing conversation about it. * An argument for a specific position that includes reasoning, evidence, examples, and observations. * A clarification that qualifies the argument, avoiding the tendency to overgeneralize or oversimplify the topic. * A conclusion that offers an overall assessment of the issue, highlights its importance to readers, and looks to the future. 3. What are strategies for inventing the content of your commentary?
You should begin by listening, understanding; listen for what is not being said, or was is not being pursued. Have knowledge of what you’re going to talk about by doing research via internet, books, magazines and newspapers. 4. Which sources do you consult to gain information about what others know?
A successful commentary needs to be built on a foundation of solid research. Goal is to figure out what others are saying and where their support comes from. See if the support comes from online sources, print sources or empirical sources. 5. What are strategies for organizing and drafting your commentary?
The introduction always remember that your readers will be interested in what you have to say only if you offer them something new and interesting that they had not considered before. State your purpose and state your main point or thesis statement.
Explain the Current Event or Issue you should explain what has happened already and summarize the ongoing conversation about that event. Give enough background to remember the event if they are familiar with the issue or event. Show your readers that you understand the conversation and that you are able to see more than one side.
Support Your Position by looking at your notes and identify the strongest two to five major reasons why you believe you are right about this issue. Do not include everything you have collected in your notes just pick the best.
Clarify Your Position by showing that you are aware of the complexities of the issue. Clarify argument by pointing out that new information or events might alter your ideas and approaches to the topic. Clarification will only need a paragraph depending on the length of your commentary.
The Conclusion should be your final words that leave readers with a clear statement of your position and a sense of your commitment to it. Restate thesis or point using stronger words, reemphasizing the importance and end with a memorable anecdote, figure of speech or turn of phrase. 6. What should writers do to choose the appropriate style for their commentary?
The writer should get in to character, imitate a well-known writer, and leave an impression of what type of sound, appearance and voice tone they want to give the reader. 7. How do writers use similes, metaphors, and analogies in drafting commentaries?
By making the unfamiliar seem more familiar as well as give the benefit of adding a visual element to an argument. 8. What do writers use to design their commentary?
They pay attention to the medium and what is possible in that medium. Appear in larger documents, Web sites, newsletters, newspapers, and magazines. As well as the attention to the place where the commentary is likely to appear, include photography and add pull quotes to emphasize important points. 9. Respond to Question 3 under “Talk about This” on p. 195. Instead of completing this question as a group assignment, respond individually in the space provided.
I personally really do not know a person that whose participation in a discussion almost always results in discomfort, negative feelings, or anger. But one person that does come to mind is my only brother. His sort of attitude towards discussions that he does not agree with the first reaction is to ignore the discussion. On the other hand if the discussion gets too much for him he gets protective, offensive, and if you’re not agreeable with what he says his anger just boils and then he explodes. Sometimes I would just avoid talking to him but then feel awful so I would just go ahead and converse with him despite his attitude toward any discussions no matter what genre is being discussed. Disregarding it would be the best thing to do with a person who has a state of mind for themselves telling themselves that they are always right about everything to my thought it is just a waste of time trying to give them new information trying to change their mind about any type of discussions or thoughts. Because people like that are what I called are hard-headed people. 1. They get offensive. 2. They ignore the discussion in matter. 3. They get irritated. 4. They play/joke around the issues. 5. They change the subject once they feel uncomfortable about the discussion.
Chapter 15 (Writing Today, pp. 358-364) 1. What are the steps you should follow when researching a topic? * Define a research question and hypothesis * Develop a method for answering that research question * Gather results * Discuss those results * Draw conclusions and/or recommendations 2. What is the purpose of an introduction?
The purpose is to set a “context” for the body of the document. It tells readers your topic, purpose, and thesis statement. Along with providing background information on your topic and stress its importance to readers. The introduction ranges from one small paragraph to several paragraphs. 3. What is the purpose of the body paragraphs in a composition?
Presents a “content” of the document by providing the facts, reasoning, examples, quotations, data, and anything else needed to support and prove thesis statement. 4. What does the conclusion add to the composition?
Conclusion reestablishes the context for the document by restating your main point or thesis, restating why your topic is important to your readers, and offering a look to the future. As well should be very brief at least one paragraph minimum. 5. How do you go about completing a basic outline?
You start by deciding which genre you are going to use, as well start an outline of listing your major sections that will appear in your document. 6. What is a writer’s block and how can writers overcome it?
Writer’s block is when you are having trouble coming up with information to write about in a document or even just unable to come up with any ideas, thoughts or opinions. To overcome writers block consider the following: * Lower your standards while drafting * Talk It Out * Change How and Where You Write * Use both Sides of Your Brain * Write an e-mail * Talk to Your Professors * Go to the Writing Center * Stop Procrastinating 7. Respond to Question 2 of “Talk About This” on p. 363 of Writing Today in the space provided.
Yes, I actually have waited the last minute to do a paper for school weather it was in high school or even in college. Doing so as waiting for the last minute I would not get a great grade for that paper. What I would do differently to deserve a better grade would be obviously not wait the last minute. What I would do is once I got the assignment start on it right away get my feet wet a little bit and work on it little by little all the way until it was do and use the tutors and any help offered at school to get a great grade.
Chapter 21 (Writing Today, pp. 425-438) 1. What are the key features of a narrative? How are narrative organized?
Describes a sequence of events or tells story in a way that illustrates a specific point. They can be woven into just about any genre as well as used to summarize or describe what you are analyzing. Also can be used to recreate events and give historical background on a topic as well to organize the entire text.
They are organized by: * Setting the Scene * Introduce a Complication * Evaluate the Complication * Resolve the Complication * State the Point 2. What are the key features of a descriptive paper and how is it organized?
The key features are that descriptive papers often rely on details drawn from the five senses- seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting. Must strive to present an organized and logical description if the reader is to come away from the essay with a cogent sense of what it is you are attempting to describe. 3. How do writers use figurative language in the writing of descriptions?
The idea behind using figurative language is to describe something as accurately as possible and to create an image and a sense of surprise or delight in the reader's mind. 4. What is the purpose of a definition essay?
It states the exact meaning of a word or phrase, definition explains how a particular term is being used and why it is being used that way. 5. What is the purpose of classification? What steps must a writer use to classify items or concepts?
Classification allows you to divide objects and people into separate groups so they can be discussed in greater depth. It is a single paragraph and can be used to organize an entire section.
These are the following steps: * List everything that fits into the whole class * Decide on a principle of classification * Sort into major and minor groups 6. How is negation used in writing?
By you explaining something by telling what it is not. 7. How is division used in writing?
Division is used in writing by dividing the subject into parts, which are then defined separately. 8. What is the purpose of the cause-and-effect essay?
To help explore causes and effects is a natural way to discuss many topics and to narrow down your choices. 9. What is the purpose of a comparison-and-contrast essay? What are some common uses for comparison and contrast in writing?
It allows you to explore the similarities and differences between two or more people, objects, places, or ideas.
Most common uses are to describe something by comparing it to something else, or to show how two or more things measure up against each other. 10. In the space provided below, respond to Question 4 in “Try This Out” on p. 438 of Writing Today.
Five major causes in local neighborhood school: * Materials given at school. * Transportation to and from school. * Teacher/Parent communication. * Food services. * Physical education required.
Two major causes: * Not enough money donated, raised or spent on materials for students to use for activities. * Teacher/parent communication is miscommunicated because not right sources to be reached no internet or not even a phone to be called with notification of the student progress.
Two major effects: * The effects of no money available is students miss out on different opportunities of learning other ways besides books and teacher just teaching. * Miscommunication is effected by withholding special needs kids require in school to be successful, not able to keep in touch with each other letting know what is going on in school with the child progress.
I would say yes people would agree for the fact everyone cares about how their child is taught and well taken care of in school for the eight-hours away from home. Knowing that they are getting the best education they deserve provided by the school.