Classwork for Tuesday, March 11th

I'm really sorry I have to cancel class today, particularly since we only meet once per week. I really would be there if I could. I'm giving you a couple of assignments for you to post on your blog by Thursday at 2 p.m. in lieu of what we would have done in class today.

1. Discuss the readings-
Based upon the readings for today, "What is an Academic Paper" and "How to Write Consistently Boring Literature", look at both of them from an analytical viewpoint. How are they analyzing, or discussing, the same issue. What components work and don't work in each of them. How do they each address audience? What effect does the overall design or structure have on each piece? Post your answers on your blog.

2. Complete Grammar Activities-
On the main blog, read the following handouts: 1. Active vs. Passive Voice and Cliches and 2. Parallelism and Adjectives. Then complete the following worksheets: 1. Active vs. Passive Voice Worksheet and 2. Parallelism Worksheet
Post the results on your blog.

3. Complete the Analysis Skills Activity-
To do this, choose from one of the two texts to analyze, and answer a few, or all, of the questions provided. Then, find one or two people outside of the class to analyze the same piece, asking them the same questions you answered. On your blog, post the questions' responses as well as your take on the similarities or differences between your responses and others'. For example, how does their take on the text differ from yours based solely on mindset? Since you're aware you're writing an analytical piece, you're looking at it from that perspective, but your roommate may examine it from a different angle.

Here are the two texts:

The Red Wheelbarrow ~ William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white chickens.

New York Senator Hillary Clinton on being compared to her husband:
"I want to be judged on my own merits. I don't want to be advantaged or disadvantaged. I'm very proud of my husband's administration. I think that there were a lot of good things that happened and those good things really changed people's lives....And, you know, it did take a Clinton to clean after the first Bush, and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush."
-From the Democratic Debate on January 31st, 2008

Questions:
1. What is your initial response to this?
2. Why do you react the way you do? Is it an intellectual reaction or an emotional reaction?
3. How does this text work? What are its components? How is it organized?
4. What does the author/creator want the audience to believe, feel, or do?
5. What would you say its thesis is?
6. What genre does it fit into? Or does if defy genre labeling? In what ways?
7. How do you know what you know about this object?