writing exercise try to write a short humor piece. it can be fictional or non-fictional. essay by...

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Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

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Assignment Description To complete this assignment, use the guidelines on p. 63 of your textbook and compose a critique of your peers’ drafts. For each critique, you will introduce the draft, summarize its main points, assess and respond to the author's presentation, and offer conclusions about the effectiveness of the analysis. Remember to speak as specifically as possible about the draft, quoting from it when necessary. Your critique will be words in length. The elements of the draft you should address include: Text for analysis/Thesis: Identify the writer's thesis and then evaluate it for effectiveness. Determine whether the writer has selected a particular text to analyze and whether or not the thesis indicates that the writer will complete a rhetorical analysis of the text. Discuss whether the thesis is specific enough and of appropriate scope for this analysis. Explain why or why not, and provide suggestions for the writer to help improve the thesis, if necessary.

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Page 1: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Writing ExerciseTry to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Page 2: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Peer CritiqueThe Art of Balance

Page 3: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Assignment DescriptionTo complete this assignment, use the guidelines on p. 63 of your textbook and compose a critique of your peers’ drafts. For each critique, you will introduce the draft, summarize its main points, assess and respond to the author's presentation, and offer conclusions about the effectiveness of the analysis. Remember to speak as specifically as possible about the draft, quoting from it when necessary. Your critique will be 400 - 500 words in length. The elements of the draft you should address include: • Text for analysis/Thesis: Identify the writer's thesis and then evaluate it for effectiveness. Determine whether the writer has selected a particular text to analyze and whether or not the thesis indicates that the writer will complete a rhetorical analysis of the text. Discuss whether the thesis is specific enough and of appropriate scope for this analysis. Explain why or why not, and provide suggestions for the writer to help improve the thesis, if necessary.

Page 4: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Cont.• Quality and Specificity of Analysis: Evaluate the writer’s analysis. Does the writer select specific rhetorical elements of the text to discuss? What are these elements, and what does the writer have to say about them? Does the writer seem to effectively analyze, or does the draft read more as a summary or paraphrasing of parts of the text being analyzed, or does the writer end up arguing about the content, rather than the structure and presentation of the text? • Overall Essay Structure: Comment on the overall structure of the essay. For example, explain in detail whether or not the paragraphs are presented in a logical and persuasive way. Does the writer provide a clear introduction, body and conclusion? Does each paragraph begin with a clear topic sentence and transition into the next paragraph? Provide examples that are particularly effective or areas that need more improvement.

Page 5: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

What is a peer critique?an article or essay criticizing a literary or other work; a detailed evaluation; a reviewWhere do we find critiques?

Academic WritingResearch papers-critique sources in order to establish their usefulnessPosition papers-stake out a position by critiquing other positionsBook reviews-combine summary with critiqueEssay exams-demonstrate understanding of course material by critiquing it.

Workplace WritingLegal briefs and arguments-critiquing previous rulings or arguments made by opposing counselBusiness plans and proposals-critique other, less cost-effective approachesPolicy briefs-communicate failings of policies and legislation through critique

Page 6: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

What it is NOTSummaryNot your opinion about the topicNot a chance to put the person down

Page 7: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

By giving a peer critique, you can help improve the:

FOCUS by providing feedback on what you understand the author to be saying so that the author can clarify if necessarySOUNDNESS by evaluating strengths and weaknesses in the argumentation and evidence, and by providing well thought-out challenges and objections to claims.STRUCTURE by helping the author clarify the ordering of her thoughts.DEPTH by suggesting other evidence, alternate perspectives, or implications for the author to consider.STYLE by helping the author identify places where voice, mechanics, and other stylistic elements work, and where they do not.

Page 8: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Things to do to get ready for a critique

Take it seriouslyKnow the assignmentIntend to be constructiveFamiliarize yourself with the pieceMake notes on the paperUnderstand the piece before critiquing it, or at least understand what it is you don’t get

Page 9: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Guidelines for writing critiques:

Introduce the passage under analysis, the author, and state the author’s main argument and point(s) you intend to make about it

Include background material: explanation of why the subject is of current interest; reference to possible controversy surrounding the subj; account of the circumstances it was written under; reference to the intended audience of the passageSummarize the main points, making sure to state the author’s purpose for writing

Page 10: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Guidelines Cont.Assess the presentation: evaluate the validity of the author’s presentation, as distinct from your points of agreement or disagreement.

Comment on the author’s success in achieving his or her purpose by reviewing three or four specific pointsIs the info accurate?Is the info significant?Has the author defined terms clearly?Has the author used and interpreted the info fairly?Has the author argued logically?

Page 11: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Cont. again…Respond to the presentation

With which views do you agree?Disagree?Discuss your reasons why you agree/disagree-try tying these reasons to assumptions-both the author’s and your own

Page 12: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Yep. Cont. again…Conclude about the overall validity of the piece-your assessment of the author’s success at achieving his or her aims and your reactions to the author’s views.Remind the reader of the weaknesses and strengths of the passage

Page 13: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Example UnusThis analysis is based on “Do You Speak American” by Robert McNeil. The argument and thesis is that McNeil uses word choice, tone, and use of appeal to credibility and emotion to address controversial questions regarding American English. This thesis seems to set up a rhetorical analysis well and allows the reader to prepare for what should come next. First in the analysis discusses the appeal to credibility. It starts with the purpose of the appeal to credibility. I would expect for the examples of appeal to credibility to be next but I am unable to find them, they should come after the description of the element to read more smoothly. . It goes on to talk about some other dialects then to who McNeil is addressing and gives examples of how. This is part of the rhetorical elements but it is not introduced in the thesis, if it were then this would be effective. Towards the end, the analysis talks about appeal to emotion. I do not see anything specifically related to word choice or tone, although they are mentioned as rhetorical elements in the introduction. This analysis has too much summarization and paraphrasing and not enough analysis of the work. I think the analysis could be better organized because it seems to be scattered and it is hard for me to follow. The introduction and conclusion seem effective but the body could use work to match with the introduction and conclusion; or the body could be left alone but change the thesis, introduction and conclusion to match the body paragraphs. More transition sentences are needed to make the analysis read more smoothly. I think that the ideas are there and are good but just need to be structured differently. Also, it is important for this to be an analysis and not summarize and paraphrase.

Page 14: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Example numero duaeThe author of the work is Mujica but I do not know the name of the work for it is not stated. There is no introduction, which makes it hard for me to understand what I am looking for and what the thesis is and makes it difficult to effectively do this critique. I believe that the argument has to do with the U.S. taking action to have an official language. I see a lot of summarization, paraphrasing, and quotes from the article but I do not see much of an analysis. It needs to focus more on who this is addressed to, why it is important, who it is important to and why the author chose the rhetorical elements he did to prove his point. I am unable to find any rhetorical elements specified, even in the conclusion.

Page 15: Writing Exercise Try to write a short humor piece. It can be fictional or non-fictional. Essay by David Sedaris

Remember:CONSTRUCTIVE criticism; tone is everythingInclude all the points listed hereMake sure to point out strengths as well as weaknessesInclude organization; this is still an essayDon’t use first person