Coursework Biology major NotreDame

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Warnock, Shailyn English 1030 Fall 2014 McNeil September 13, 2014

1. Pre-reading can tell us: 

Who’s the author

Purpose of the work

The cultures that influenced the authors work

The author main concerns he focuses on

The larger conversations within the text

2. To annotate a text is to take notes and leave comments or an explanation of what you read and what you wrote down. When you annotate a text you should remember to: 

Underline key points and any thesis statement

Note your insights

Respond to the author


Avoid the temptation to underline or comment too much

3. The 9 “patterns”: 

Using the chronological order pattern is for describing a historical event or something that happened to you, like writing a list. If in your text you’re going to write an autobiography you’ll use chronological order to list things from beginning to end.

Using spatial order pattern is for when you are giving information or descriptions of places and things.

Using classification pattern is for when describing a handful of things, the author would classify everything to lessen the time spent describing each thing one by one.

Using claim/support pattern is for when you propose a proposition throughout your text you have to support the claim you made and why.

Using problem/solution pattern is for when the text focuses on an argument and the problems listed that need to be solved.

Using statement/response pattern is for when you quote or paraphrase an argument and then respond to it later.

Using cause/effect pattern is for when the author presents a cause and later describes the effects of that cause.

Using narrative pattern is important for writing because it makes and or illustrates points.


Lastly, using comparison/contrast pattern is for when you’re comparing to different views and contrast in, pretty straight forward pattern.

4. The five element: 

Emotional appeals- usually use images to depict the powerful emotional appeal to support an idea, because usually when we read why something is bad we don’t have an emotional response unless we see a picture.

Symbolism- adds more effect and flavorful meaning; it conveys ideas through symbols whose physical forms only suggest their ultimate meaning.

Visual irony- is basically to state the obvious and depict it as a duh but mocking the idea.

Motifs- are patterns of images that mirror and comment each other.

Composition- this is used to contribute to the work’s meaning; used in all and any visual text.

5. The five things for critically reading: 

Think about your own perspective- when reading taking into concern about you own personal experiences such as; culture, family, friends, and tour experiences in the world.

Understand the author’s perspective- as a reader we should approach the text with respect and skepticism and an open mind.


Determine how the argument works- as a critical reader we should study how the arguments the authors make work by finding the main points and supporting points.

Evaluate the support for a claim- there isn’t a wrong or right way of supporting a claim but readers should choose the best appreciate evidence.

Think about underlying assumptions- comes after the author states the claim, the job of underlying assumptions is basically reading between the lines discovering what the author is saying or assuming.


1. Reading for the gist is to just read for the main point; speed reading, while conversant reading is to be able to talk about the reading conversationally with people and answer question. 2. To become conversant you need to learn to speak the language of the text and treat the reading as a physical as well as a mental activity. 3. Transparent theory of language assumes the meanings of words are obvious and self- evident while constitutive theory of language supports that what we see as reality is shaped. As the book sates “failure to arrest attention on the words themselves causes readers to miss all but the vaguest impression of the ideas that words constitute” this is how it affects reading. 4. Sympathetic reading is when you’re giving the reading the benefit of the doubt; reading with the grain. 5. The goal of critique is not to pass judgment but try to put the pieces into some kind of perspective. 6. Types of critique:


7. We focus on individual sentences because it’s the best way to remember what you read and have ideas about. 8. The techniques that can help with focus is; pointing, using quotations, and paraphrasing. 9. Passage-based free write helps us with the ability to be able to learn what we read, improve our reading comprehension. Its goal is to help us better ourselves at finding things to say about the text we read. 10. The pitch- what the piece wishes you to believe The complaint- what the piece is reacting to or worried about The moment- the historical and cultural context within the piece is operating. The pitch is important because every reading is an argument. The compliant is important because understanding someone else’s writing is to figure out what seems to have caused the person to write the piece in the first place. Lastly, the moment is important because it’s our job to not only attempt what the piece says but also where it’s coming from. 11. Uncovering assumptions is a critical part of reading because it gives you insight into the root, the basic givens that a piece of writing has assumed true. 12. Reformulating binaries is to discover that binary has not been named adequately and that another formulation of the opposition would be more accurate. Also, it values both sides of the binary. Lastly, it discovers that the two terms of binary are not really so separate. Complicate binary is to discover evidence that unsettles it and formulate alternatively worded.


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