Assignment #10

 
English 101: Introduction to College Writing – Spring 2013

Assignment 10: making preliminary observations about an academic essay

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1.     Re-read Sarah Stein’s essay. As you read, take notes on a separate sheet of paper, noting what you find surprising, interesting, confusing, difficult, striking or noteworthy. For example, you might note any interesting choices Stein makes regarding genre, style, arrangement, or design. Additionally, you might also note other strategies, key terms, distinctions, or questions you see Stein using or asking. As well as taking notes, mark these places in the text. This will help you participate in class discussions in response to Stein’s essay.

2.     Based on your reading of the essay, your notes, and our class discussion, what questions do you still have about this essay? Create a blog post and title it Assignment 9. Formulate one or two questions for you and your colleagues to pursue in class discussion and post these on your blog.

3.     Next, write a brief summary of Stein’s essay. Your goal is to write a through yet succinct summary of her essay. Imagine an audience who has never read this before: what do they need to know to understand it as you do?

4.     Finally, given your understanding of the text, write a few paragraphs that explore the following questions:

·      Why do you think Stein might have wanted to research and write this essay?

·      What do you think she might have hoped readers would feel, think, or do while and after reading it?

·      What makes you think that? Include the passages from Stein’s essay that inform your answers.

5.     Publish this post. Bring the required course texts to our next class.