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Writing in Response to Reading using Not Ignorant, Not Helpless by Lorraine Ali. Think like a professional writer. Writers use rhetorical skills to construct meaning. Rhetoric : speech or writing that communicates its point persuasively.
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Writing in Response to Reading using Not Ignorant, Not Helpless by Lorraine Ali
Think like a professional writer • Writers use rhetorical skills to construct meaning. Rhetoric: speech or writing that communicates its point persuasively. • Youare capable of producing publishable prose: Prose: writing or speech that is ordinary or matter-of-fact, without embellishment. • Critical thinking and writing about a certain global condition is a measure of a pluralistic, democratic and tolerant society. You are contributing to democracy by creating an open discussion. • It is important to identify what the central debate is. • A composing process, consisting of prewriting, drafting and revision is the best way to approach the creation of a successful essay.
Prewriting: This begins when you read critically and respond to an essay. Prewriting occurs when you take notes, underline important passages, annotate [add explanatory notes to a text] 1. Who is your audience? Primary audience [me]: who expects clear ideas and grammatical correct prose. Secondary audience: people who need to be informed about the topic. 2. What is your purpose? To tell a story, describe, inform, argue. Know your purpose in advance. 3. What is your thesis or claim? This is your controlling idea or assertion [statement that something is true]. 4. How will you design your essay? Complete an outline, notes, visual diagrams to help you draft your essay.
Drafting. This is when you begin writing. Be sure your essay has a beginning, middle and end • Does the title capture the reader’s interest? • Does the opening paragraph/sentence “hook” the reader, contain a thesis or claim? • Do all body paragraphs support the thesis? Do they have topic sentences? • Does the body hold together? Is the essay unified with transitions flowing from sentence to sentence? • Is your critical thinking the best you have? • Do you have a strong and effective conclusion?
Revision: What you have written is NOT your final product • Is the essay long enough? • Is there a clear thesis? • Is the purpose of the essay clear? • Is the essay organized? • Are the sentences grammatically correct and sufficiently varied in structure? • Do you have evidence to support your claim?
Know • Know exactly what you want to say. • Know exactly your purpose in writing. • Know exactly how you want to inform. • Know exactly how to logically communicate your point. • Know exactly what you are writing about!
What to write? • How would you overturn or qualify a stereotype about Muslim women or American women? • What ideas about America and world culture does the author want the audience to learn from reading the text? • Write from your own moral authority on a certain subject relating to religion, gender ,or American or world culture.