Full

BOOK:
DEVELOPMENTAL
READING (LUMEN)
Book: Developmental Reading (Lumen)
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This text was compiled on 07/07/2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/developmentalreading/
1: Success in Reading
1.0: Overview
1.1: Assignment - Exploring Google Drive
1.2: Assignment - Submit WordPress URL
1.3: Assignment - Literacy Narrative
Index
2: What It Means to be a Good Reader

2.1: Overview
2.2: What Type of Learner are You?
2.3: Discussion Board - VARK Learning Questionnaire
2.4: Assignment - Pre-Reading Strategies
2.5: Assignment - Improving Writing with Literacy Narrative
3: Active Reading
3.1: Overview
3.2: Active Reading
3.3: Assignment - Active Reading in Action
3.4: Assignment - Improving Vocabulary
3.5: Discussion Board - Views of Writing
3.6: Assignment - Writing Process
4: Reading to Understand
4.2: Discussion Board - Reading Difficult Material
4.3: Discussion Board - Academic Writing
4.4: Assignment - Writing a Summary
5: Reading to Respond
5.2: Making Connections
5.3: Assignment - Making Connections with Us and Them
5.4: Writing a Reading Response
5.5: Assignment - Reading Response Us and Them
5.6: Assignment - Reading Response Student Choice
5.7: Discussion Board - Reading Response Feedback
6: Critical Reading
6.1: Overview
6.2: Reading Critically
6.3: Making Inferences
6.4: Propaganda
6.5: Discussion Board - WWII Propaganda Posters
1
6.6: Assignment - Critical Reading of an Essay
6.7: Discussion Board: Critical Reading of an Essay Feedback
Index
7: Rhetorical Analysis
7.1: Overview
7.2: What is Rhetorical Analysis?
7.3: Assignment - Rhetorical Analysis and Media
7.4: Developing a Rhetorical Analysis
7.5: Assignment - Backpacks vs. Briefcases
7.6: Assignment - Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad
7.7: Discussion Board - Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad Feedback
8: Reflection and Portfolio

8.1: Overview
8.2: Portfolio Part I - Reflection
8.3: Portfolio Part II - Best Work
8.4: Portfolio Part III - Post-Course Plans
8.5: Assignment - Organize and Submit the Portfolio
Index
Glossary
Book: Developmental Reading (Lumen) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
2
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Learning Objectives
After successfully completing this module, you should be able to:
Create and share a WordPress blog URL for publishing classwork.
Operate Google Drive applications.
Analyze an author’s work for purpose.
Explain current attitudes about writing and reading.
There’s a saying, “You won’t know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been.” At this point in your life you are
on a path to somewhere, but what is that somewhere? And where are you on the path—leading or following?
1.0: Overview
Index
Thumbnail: https://pixabay.com/photos/glasses-r...acles-1246611/
1: Success in Reading is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Front Matter
TitlePage
InfoPage
1
integrated.

1.0: Overview
In his TED Talk, Derek Sivers discusses why it’s important to have leaders, and why it’s even more important to have followers.
How to start a movement | Derek Sivers
How to Start a Movement. (Derek Severs via TED @ http://youtu.be/V74AxCqOTvg).

Part of being successful, whether as a leader or follower, is preparation.
In this module, you will prepare for success in the course by exploring the technology you’ll come to use often in the class, as well
as prepare yourself for future success in life by expressing what your definition of success means to you.
1.0: Overview is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1.0.1 https://human.libretexts.org/@go/page/19500
In this assignment, you will explore and familiarize yourself with the robust suite of software called Google Drive.
Over the last few years, Google has developed some handy products students may find quite useful in college. In this course, you
will use Google Drive to develop your assignments as well as collaborate with your peers. The best thing about Google Drive is it’s
free, easy to use, and compatible with other desktop applications.
Most students are familiar with Microsoft Office, but in order to utilize Office, you have to pay for the software (about $100) or
have access to it (via a campus computer). Another issue is accessing, saving, and backing up files. Many students find Google
Drive a simple, efficient, and effective alternative to Microsoft Office because anything you create in your Google Drive is
accessible on any device with an Internet connection. Also convenient is Google Drive autosaves every few seconds, so you never
have to worry about losing content in your file.
Directions
1. Create a Google Gmail account (if you don’t have one already).
2. Visit the Google Drive About page for an overview.
3. Review this screencast about the assignment.
4. Access your Google email account.
5. Click Google Drive
6. Click Create
7. Choose Drawing
8. Create a drawing
9. Click Untitled Drawing and name the drawing
10. Set the Share settings of your Google Drawing to “Anyone with the link”
11. Copy your Google Drawing’s URL
12. Log in to the online course and access the course message tool
13. Paste the URL of your Google Drawing in a message to the class and click send
14. Then paste the URL in the assignment submission on this page
15. Open at least two classmates’ messages, click on their drawing links, and write a short message back to the person about what
you thought about their drawing.
16. The credit for this assignment will not be in Grades until it is added by the instructor.
Grading
Points: 20
Submitting: a website URL
Exploring Google Tools KEEP
Criteria Ratings Points
Google Student completed Google Drawing Student did not complete Google Drawing
15 pts
drawing 15 pts 0 pts
Messaged
Google Student messaged Google Drawing Student did not message Google Drawing
5 pts
Drawing to 5 pts 0 pts
Class
Operate Google
Drive
Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
applications for 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
self and group
activities
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
1.1: Assignment - Exploring Google Drive is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
This course utilizes WordPress, which is a blogging tool free to anyone with a WordPress account. One of the reasons you will use
WordPress to publish your work is so you retain ownership of it can easily share it with the world. In this exercise, you’ll create
your WordPress account and share your blog URL.
Directions
1. Visit the WordPress sign up page to create your WordPress account.
2. Take some time to explore WordPress.
3. Create your WordPress blog home page.
4. Submit the URL of your blog to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 10
Submit Word Press Blog URL KEEP
WordPress Student submits URL Student does not submit URL

10 pts
Blog URL 10 pts 0 pts
Create and
share a
WordPress blog Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
URL for 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
publishing
classwork.
TOTAL POINTS 10 pts
1.2: Assignment - Submit WordPress URL is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this activity, you will create a Literacy Narrative, publish your work on your WordPress blog site, then copy and paste the URL
of your WordPress post into the submission window. If you have not signed up for your WordPress account, visit Submit
WordPress URL for directions.
Directions
1. Develop a 500–700 word Literacy Narrative in a Google Doc.
A literacy narrative is the story of how you learned something significant about yourself as a reader and writer.
Think about the following:
What is your current attitude toward reading/writing?
What are your beliefs about yourself as a reader/writer?
What happened in the past to make you have that attitude or those beliefs?
What experiences were most significant?
To help you create your Literacy Narrative:
Review Alexie’s “Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” (be sure to read the second web page to finish the essay).
And consider the following:
your family’s attitude toward reading/writing;
your own reading/writing experiences in and out of school;
what you remember about learning to read/write;
what successes or failures you have had connected to reading/writing;
a particular book that had an impact on you;
your reading/writing strengths; and
your reading/writing weaknesses.
2. Copy and paste the final version of your Literacy Narrative to a new WordPress blog post.
3. Submit the URL of your blog post to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 50
Literacy Narrative KEEP
Ideas: focused, original Proficient Developing No marks

10 pts
perspective on the topic 10 pts 9 pts 0 pts
Organization: structure
Proficient Developing No marks
enhances ideas and aids in 10 pts
10 pts 8 pts 0 pts
understanding
Voice: appropriate,
engages the reader, and 5 pts
5 pts 4 pts 0 pts
compelling
Word Choice: creates vivid

pictures, powerful, 5 pts
5 pts 4 pts 0 pts
energizing
Sentence Fluency: words

and phrases flow together 5 pts
5 pts 4 pts 0 pts
when read aloud
Conventions: standard
writing conventions used, 5 pts
5 pts 4 pts 0 pts
few errors
Presentation: finished
piece is easy to read, 5 pts
5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
polished

500–700 Word Count 5 pts
5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Does not meet

Explain current attitudes Exceeds expectations Meets expectations
expectations 0 pts
about reading and writing. 0 pts 0 pts
0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 50 pts
Contributors
CC LICENSED CONTENT, SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTION
Literacy Narrative. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State College.
Project: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
1.3: Assignment - Literacy Narrative is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Back Matter
Index
1 https://human.libretexts.org/@go/page/63824
Index
I P
inference propaganda
6.3: Making Inferences 6.4: Propaganda
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
2: What It Means to be a Good Reader
Learning Objectives
Distinguish individual learning styles and interpret learning strategies for success.
Describe the reading process used by proficient readers to comprehend text.
Identify topics, main ideas, and supporting details in texts.
Apply strategies for improving writing responses.
Some might think of good readers as those for whom reading seems to come easily—the students who always make good grades in
English and high scores on standardized reading tests. What is interesting, though, is even the best readers struggle when reading
texts-the difference is good readers know how to struggle successfully. They read actively, think critically, apply various
comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading, recognize when they don’t understand what they’re reading, and know
strategies for repairing meaning. In addition, just as practice in sports, for example, improves an athlete’s performance, so does
practice in reading. In essence, the key to being a good reader is to practice good reading strategies.
2.1: Overview
Thumbnail: https://pixabay.com/photos/reading-bookworm-man-books-1246520/
2: What It Means to be a Good Reader is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
2.1: Overview
Take a moment to listen to a poetry recitation by Lamont Carey called “I Can’t Read” from HBO’s Def Poetry series:
Lamont Carey (I Can't Read) HBO Def J…

J…
What Type of Learner are You?
It is your first day in a new apartment and you decide to buy a new desk for your college
studies. You drive out to the furniture store and find a decent yet affordable desk to purchase. You and the salesperson strike up a
conversation about the rising cost of higher education, and the salesperson offers you a deal on the desk if you agree to buy it
unassembled. You figure with the savings you could buy a new pair of those ridiculously expensive (but oh so stylish!) headphones
that you MUST have. You agree to buy the desk unassembled, borrow some tools from the handyperson next door, break out a little
elbow grease, and haul the desk unassembled and still boxed into your apartment.
So what do you do next?
Do you open the box, find the written assembly instructions, and get to reading?
Do you open the box, find the diagram assembly instructions, and analyze the pictures?
Do you open the box, throw out the instructions, and start putting the desk together?
Do you wait for your roommate to get home and discuss an assembly “plan of attack”?
Do you do a combination of the aforementioned?
Or do you just call someone else to do it for you?
Most of the time we concentrate on what we are learning rather than how we are learning it. Yet, to get the most out of our learning
experiences, we need to be aware of and engage in the actual process of how we are learning.
Learning how we learn is important for our success in college and beyond. Unfortunately, no single method of learning guarantees
our success—we must find the methods that best suit our learning for ourselves.
Contributors
CC LICENSED CONTENT, SHARED PREVIOUSLY
Desk-CRW_8337. Authored by: Anton Olsen. Located at: https://flic.kr/p/4uaTMf. License: CC BY-NC: Attribution-
NonCommercial. License Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 2.0 Generic
2.2: What Type of Learner are You? is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
One of the ways to understand how we learn best is to complete an inventory of our learning styles. For this exercise, you will
utilize the VARK Learning Questionnaire, complete an inventory of your learning style, review the inventory results, and discuss
whether the inventory was spot on or way off for your learning style.
Directions
1. Visit the VARK Learning Styles Inventory.
2. Read each statement and answers and click on the answer(s) that most apply to you. You may click more than one answer and
there are no right or wrong answers.
3. Submit your results by clicking the OK button.
4. Review your VARK results by clicking on the underlined learning style for a list of learning strategies recommended for your
learning type(s).
5. Copy and paste the learning strategies recommendation into a Google Doc.
6. Develop first in your Google Doc a discussion post that addresses:
Which area(s) of learning were you strongest in? Does this surprise you?
Describe the Intake, SWOT, and Output Study Strategies suggested for your Learning (this will make sense to you once you
complete the questionnaire and review the results).
What are three of the SWOT (Study WithOut Tears) strategies you might like to try? How do you think it will aid you in
studying?
Do you think this questionnaire helped you learn more about how best you learn? Why or why not?
7. Copy and paste your post in the discussion.
8. Review your classmates’ posts.
9. Respond to your classmates’ posts about the knowledge you gained from the inventory.
Grading
VARK Learning Questionnaire KEEP
Primary Post Student addresses all directions; meets the Student addresses some of the Student 10 pts
200 word count; and posts on time directions, and/or posts under does not
10 pts 200 words post
5 pts 0 pts
Secondary Post Student thoughtfully responds to 2 Student thoughtfully responds to Student 10 pts
classmates’ primary posts, meets the 100 1 classmate’s primary posts, does not
word count for each response, and posts and/or does not meet 100 word post
on time count 0 pts
10 pts 5 pts
Distinguish individual Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

learning styles to interpret 0 pts 0 pts meet
learning strategies for expectations
success. 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
2.3: Discussion Board - VARK Learning Questionnaire is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
This assignment about pre-reading strategies is a class activity using a Google Docs spreadsheet.
Directions
1. Review the grading rubric as listed on this page.
2. Access the Google Doc spreadsheet.
3. Add your first and last name to a row in the Google Doc.
4. Using the Internet, conduct a search for Pre-Reading Strategies.
5. Find 3 useful Pre-Reading Strategies webpages and copy and paste the URLs into your row of the Google Doc.
6. Choose 3 Pre-Reading Strategies (either the ones you picked and/or others added by classmates) from the spreadsheet to
practice using in your other classes.
7. Write a paragraph of at least 100 words describing the 3 Pre-Reading Strategies you will practice.
8. Add this paragraph to the Pre-Reading Strategies Google Doc (be sure to include a word count).
9. Practice using the strategies in your other classes.
10. Write a paragraph of at least 100 words summarizing your experience with using the 3 Pre-Reading Strategies.
11. Add this paragraph to the Pre-Reading Strategies spreadsheet (be sure to include a word count).
12. The credit for this assignment will not be in Grades until it is added by the instructor.
Grading
Points: 30
Submitting: nothing
Pre-Reading Strategies KEEP
Describe the
reading process
used by
proficient 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
readers to
comprehend
text.
Student
identified 3 Full marks No marks
10 pts
pre-reading 10 pts 0 pts
strategies
Student
discusses how
they will Full marks No marks
10 pts
practice 3 pre- 10 pts 0 pts
reading
strategies
Student
summarizes
experience of Full marks No marks
10 pts
using 3 pre- 10 pts 0 pts
reading
strategies
TOTAL POINTS 30 pts
2.4: Assignment - Pre-Reading Strategies is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this assignment, improve your Literacy Narrative using feedback from the instructor.
Directions
2. Review Grades for feedback on your Literacy Narrative. The feedback will highlight topics for you to develop in your writing.
3. Create a report in a Google Doc detailing the following:
The area(s) at issue to develop in your writing (as noted in the Literacy Narrative feedback).
Conduct Internet research for this issue (at least 3 sources and copy and paste the URLs into your Google Doc)
Summarize your research into a 100 word paragraph.
Copy and paste your original Literacy Narrative into your Google Doc below the summary you completed.
Revise your Literacy Narrative in the Google Doc using the knowledge you gained from writing the report.
4. Set the share settings of the Google Doc to “Anyone with the link.”
5. Submit the URL of your Google Doc to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 50
Improving Writing with Literacy Narrative KEEP
Evidence
student has
Full marks No marks
reviewed 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
feedback in
grades
Student
selected an
issue to Full marks No marks
10 pts
improve in 10 pts 0 pts
their Literacy
Narrative
Summary of
research
regarding the
Full marks No marks
issue is 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
included (with
URL
references)
Original
Literacy
Narrative is Full marks No marks
10 pts
pasted below 10 pts 0 pts
summary of
research
Student revises
Literacy
Narrative with Full marks No marks
10 pts
respect to the 10 pts 0 pts
issue as
identified
Apply
strategies for
improving 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
writing
responses
TOTAL POINTS 50 pts
2.5: Assignment - Improving Writing with Literacy Narrative is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
3: Active Reading
Learning Objectives
Apply effective reading strategies used by proficient readers before, during, and after reading text.
Explore attitudes about academic writing.
Explain the elements of the writing process.
Proficient readers use a variety of strategies before, during, and after reading to help them comprehend and appreciate written texts.
In this module, we will learn about reading actively and recursively and also apply a variety of strategies to improve vocabulary,
which is an essential foundation for reading comprehension.
3.1: Overview
3.2: Active Reading
Thumbnail: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-...-book-2898870/
3: Active Reading is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
3.1: Overview
Review this video discussing before, during, and after reading strategies.
Active Reading Intro
3.2: Active Reading
One of the greatest challenges students face is adjusting to college reading expectations. Unlike high school, students in college are
expected to read more “academic” type of materials in less time and usually recall the information as soon as the next class.
The problem is many students will spend hours reading and have no idea what they just read. Their eyes are moving across the
page, but their mind is somewhere else. The end result is wasted time, energy, and frustration . . . and having to read the text again.
Although students are taught how to read at an early age, many are not taught how to actively engage with written text.
Active Reading is applying reading strategies before, during, and after reading a text with the overall objective of increasing
comprehension (understanding what was read) and recall (remembering what was read) to save time and effort.
The Secret is in the Pen

One of the ways proficient readers read is with a pen in hand. They know their purpose is to keep their attention on the material by:
predicting what the material will be about
questioning the material to further understanding
determining what’s important
identifying key vocabulary
summarizing the material in their own words, and
monitoring their comprehension (understanding) during and after engaging with the material
Annotating a Text
Review this video about “Learning How to Annotate” to develop active reading strategies:
Reading Journal
Review Oberlin College and Conservatory’s “Keeping a Reading Journal” page.
And Dustin Wax’s “Keep an Academic Reading Journal” to develop reading comprehension strategies.
Contributors
Active Reading. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer . Provided by: Chadron State College.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED CONTENT
Learning how to Annotate. Authored by: Gale Shirey. Provided by: Southwestern Michigan College. Located at:
http://youtu.be/zy45es1HyO0. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
3.2: Active Reading is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this activity, you will demonstrate how to apply active reading strategies to texts.
Directions
2. Review the strategies listed on the Active Reading page.
3. Choose two texts from other classes to apply the active reading strategies.
4. Apply the Annotate a Text strategy from Active Reading to one of the texts.
5. Apply the Reading Journal strategy from Active Reading to the other text.
6. Create a digital file (take a picture or scan) and upload the image(s) to your computer
7. Submit the image to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 40
Submitting: a file upload
Active Reading in Action KEEP
Annotate a Text Strategy Excellent Developing No annotated 20 pts

Application of Application of text
Strategy Strategy 0 pts
20 pts 15 pts
Reading Journal Strategy Excellent Developing No reading 20 pts

Application of Application of journal
Strategy Strategy 0 pts
20 pts 15 pts
Apply effective reading strategies used by proficient Exceeds Meets expectations Does not meet 0 pts
readers before, during, and after reading text. expectations 0 pts expectations
0 pts 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 40 pts
3.3: Assignment - Active Reading in Action is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
Vocabulary is an important part of reading comprehension. The more we read, the more vocabulary words we will recognize. In
fact, the best way to develop a rich vocabulary is to read widely and frequently.
Proficient readers also use strategies for dealing with unfamiliar words. They continue to build their vocabularies through effective
use of:
the dictionary
context clues, and
common prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
For this activity, you will choose a text for another class and apply vocabulary strategies (chosen from your Internet research) to 10
words from your reading selection.
Directions
2. Using Internet resources, research strategies for improving vocabulary related to dictionary, context clues, and common
prefixes/suffixes/roots.
3. Choose a substantial (5 pages or more) reading from another class.
4. Cite the reading source using either MLA or APA formatting (use WriteCite to assist you if needed).
5. Select 10 vocabulary words from the reading.
6. Apply the vocabulary strategies to the 10 words.
7. Create a matrix schedule (similar to the one below) in a Google Spreadsheet.
8. Set the Google Spreadsheet share permissions to “Anyone with the link.”
9. Submit the URL of your Google Spreadsheet to your instructor.
Example Matrix Schedule for Improving Vocabulary in Google Spreadsheet
Grading
Points: 45
Improving Vocabulary KEEP
Sentence from Reading with Vocab Word 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

words words words words words words words
10 pts 9 pts 8 pts 7 pts 6 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Dictionary Strategy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

Context Clues Strategy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

Prefix/Suffix/Root Strategy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

APA or MLA Citation of Reading Selection Correct citation Incorrect or no citation 5 pts
5 pts 0 pts
Apply effective reading strategies used by Exceeds expectations Meets Does not meet 0 pts
proficient readers before, during, and after reading 0 pts expectations expectations
text. 0 pts 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 45 pts
3.4: Assignment - Improving Vocabulary is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
Reading and writing go hand-in-hand. Generally speaking, proficient students don’t read without writing, and don’t write without
reading. The two processes although not the same are intertwined and in many ways dependent on the other.
For this discussion, take time to consider how you feel about writing, what kind of writing do you do, and how you approach
academic writing assignments.
Directions
1. Review “I Hate Writing”:
I hate writing
2. Develop first in your Google Doc a discussion post that addresses:

How do you feel about writing? what do you enjoy? what do you hate?
What emotions surface when you are assigned academic writings for your classes?
What other types of writing do you do?
How would you describe your process of writing?
What did you think about the “I Hate Writing” video?
Do you agree or disagree with the claims made in the video “I Hate Writing”?
Did the video cause you to think differently about writing?
5. Respond to your classmates’ posts about how they feel about writing and whether there are similarities or differences with your
views.
Grading
Views of Writing KEEP
Primary Post Student addresses all directions; meets the 200 Student addresses some of the Student 10 pts
word count; and posts on time directions, and/or posts under 200 does not
10 pts words post
5 pts 0 pts
Secondary Student thoughtfully responds to 2 classmates’ Student thoughtfully responds to 1 Student 10 pts
Post primary posts, meets the 100 word count for classmate’s primary posts, and/or does not
each response, and posts on time does not meet 100 word count post
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Explore Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

attitudes about 0 pts 0 pts meet
academic expectations
writing. 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
Contributors
I Hate Writing. Authored by: T.R. Johnson. Provided by: Tulane University. Located at: http://youtu.be/NvIYAcUGJDU.
License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
3.5: Discussion Board - Views of Writing is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
The writing process is different for every person and for every writing type, but there are common steps that are important to
practice. Generally, the writing process consists of:
Prewriting (the early planning stages often as mindmapping, brainstorming, freewriting)
Organizing (developing logical order)
Drafting (creating the paper and demonstrating the recursive or “circling back” nature of writing)
Revising (conforming to Standard Edited English and style formatting, such as MLA and APA, for most academic writing)
Publishing (the final version that is submitted)
For this assignment, you will create a summary of the writing process from a proficient writer’s perspective in a Google Doc.
Directions
2. Answer the following questions in a Google Doc:
1. Locate a source that defines the WRITING PROCESS. Copy and paste the URL in the submission window. Then describe
the writing process using your own words.
2. Locate a source that describes PREWRITING. Copy and paste the URL in the submission window. Then use your own
words to define prewriting.
3. Locate a source that describes ORGANIZATION as part of the writing process. Copy and paste the URL in the submission
window. Then use your own words to define organization as it pertains to the writing process.
4. Locate a source that describes DRAFTING as part of the writing process. Copy and paste the URL in the submission
window. Then use your own words to define drafting as it pertains to the writing process.
5. Locate a source that describes REVISING as part of the writing process. Copy and paste the URL in the submission
window. Then use your own words to define revising as it pertains to the writing process.
6. Locate a source that describes the RECURSIVENESS as it pertains to writing. Copy and paste the URL in the submission
window. Then use your own words to describe what the recursive nature of writing means to you.
3. Copy and paste your final answers into a new WordPress blog post.
Grading
Students identify URL addresses for each stage of the Writing Proficient Developing No marks 5 pts
Process 5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Students summarize the source of each stage of the Writing Proficient Developing No marks 5 pts
Process in their own words 5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Student demonstrates understanding of the recursive nature of Proficient Developing No marks 10 pts
writing 10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Explain the elements of the writing process. Exceeds Meets Does not meet 0 pts
expectations expectations expectations
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
3.6: Assignment - Writing Process is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
4: Reading to Understand
Learning Objectives
Apply reading strategies when reading difficult material.
Identify how to avoid plagiarism and how to cite sources.
Create a summary of a text.
The foundation of all reading experiences is comprehension. Even when we’re reading for pleasure and entertainment, we must
first be able to comprehend the writer’s meaning before we can enjoy or appreciate his or her story or style. Proficient readers
understand that all texts don’t give up their meaning easily and vary their reading speed and strategies according to the demands of
each individual text. Proficient readers monitor their comprehension and apply fix-up strategies to repair meaning when it breaks
down. Summarizing a text is one of the most effective strategies for monitoring comprehension: when you can accurately
summarize what a text is saying, you can be assured that you have understood its meaning.
Thumbnail: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-rea...-book-2861797/
Contributors
Introduction to Reading to Understand. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by:
Chadron State College. Project: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
4: Reading to Understand is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
After reviewing the study strategies about reading difficult material, engage in a discussion with your classmates about reading
strategies.
Directions
1. Review the material in the Study Guides and Strategies for Reading Difficult Material page.
2. Develop first in a new Google Doc a discussion post that addresses:
the ways the reading strategies you have used before worked for you and/or didn’t work for you,
which new reading strategies you learned about that you might use to help you understand difficult text,
why you think the new strategy will assist you,
which reading strategies you learned about that you might recommend to a friend, and
how you might change a reading strategy you learned about to better fit your needs.
5. Respond to your classmates’ posts about the strategies they found useful and whether or not you might use those strategies to
understand difficult material.
Grading
Reading Difficult Material KEEP
200 word count; and posts on time directions, and/or posts under 200 does not
10 pts words post
5 pts 0 pts
Secondary Post Student thoughtfully responds to 2 Student thoughtfully responds to 1 Student 10 pts
classmates’ primary posts, meets the 100 classmate’s primary posts, and/or does not
word count for each response, and posts on does not meet 100 word count post
time 5 pts 0 pts
10 pts
Apply reading Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

strategies when 0 pts 0 pts meet
reading difficult expectations
material. 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
4.2: Discussion Board - Reading Difficult Material is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
For this discussion, review “What is Academic Writing” by L. L. Irvine, then
Directions
1. Print and annotate the chapter “What is Academic Writing” by L. L. Irvine.
2. Develop first in a new Google Doc a discussion post that addresses:
What are your thoughts about the essay “Writing Spaces” by L. Levin Irvine?
What did you learn about the nature of argument and analysis in college writing tasks?
What do you think about Irvine’s advice about the common types of writing assignments college writers might expect to
encounter?
What are your personal writing experiences with academic writing? Tell us about a positive academic writing experience
and a negative academic writing experience that stand out for you.
5. Respond to your classmates’ posts about what they thought about Irvine’s chapter as well as the writing experiences they’ve
accrued thus far.
Grading
Academic Writing KEEP
200 word count; and posts on time directions, and/or posts under 200 does not
10 pts words post
5 pts 0 pts
time 5 pts 0 pts
10 pts
Apply reading Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

strategies when 0 pts 0 pts meet
reading difficult expectations
material. 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
4.3: Discussion Board - Academic Writing is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
Proficient students understand that summarizing, identifying what is most important and restating the text in your own words, is an
important tool for college success.
After all, if you really know a subject, you will be able to summarize it. If you cannot summarize a subject, even if you have
memorized all the facts about it, you can be absolutely sure that you have not learned it. And, if you truly learn the subject, you will
still be able to summarize it months or years from now.
Proficient students may monitor their understanding of a text by summarizing as they read. They understand that if they can write a
one- or two-sentence summary of each paragraph after reading it, then that is a good sign that they have correctly understood it. If
they can not summarize the main idea of the paragraph, they know that comprehension has broken down and they need to use fix-
up strategies to repair understanding.
Summarizing consists of two important skills:
1. identifying the important material in the text, and
2. restating the text in your own words.
Since writing a summary consists of omitting minor information, it will always be shorter than the original text.
How to Write a Summary

A summary begins with an introductory sentence that states the text’s title, author and main thesis or subject.
A summary contains the main thesis (or main point of the text), restated in your own words.
A summary is written in your own words. It contains few or no quotes.
A summary is always shorter than the original text, often about 1/3 as long as the original. It is the ultimate “fat-free” writing.
An article or paper may be summarized in a few sentences or a couple of paragraphs. A book may be summarized in an article
or a short paper. A very large book may be summarized in a smaller book.
A summary should contain all the major points of the original text, but should ignore most of the fine details, examples,
illustrations or explanations.
The backbone of any summary is formed by critical information (key names, dates, places, ideas, events, words and numbers).
A summary must never rely on vague generalities.
If you quote anything from the original text, even an unusual word or a catchy phrase, you need to put whatever you quote in
quotation marks (“”).
A summary must contain only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions, interpretations, deductions
or comments into a summary.
A summary, like any other writing, has to have a specific audience and purpose, and you must carefully write it to serve that
audience and fulfill that specific purpose.
Directions
1. Download About Mothers and Other Monsters.
2. Choose an essay from the book.
3. Using the information above, write a summary of the essay in a new Google Doc.
4. Copy and paste your chapter summary to a new WordPress blog post.
5. Submit the URL of your WordPress blog post to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 50
Writing a Summary KEEP
Proficient Developing No text chosen

Text chosen 5 pts
5 pts 4 pts 0 pts
Introductory
Proficient Developing No intro sentence
Sentence: Title, 10 pts
10 pts 4 pts 0 pts
Author, Thesis
Written in
Proficient Developing From the text itself
Student’s Own 10 pts
10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Words
Includes Main Proficient Developing Missing or too many details

10 pts
Points of Text 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Does Not
Include Proficient Developing Includes opinions
5 pts
Student’s 5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Opinions
Summary about
Yes No
1/3 of original 5 pts
5 pts 0 pts
text
Standard Edited Few or no errors Errors, but meaning is intact Errors affect understanding
5 pts
English 5 pts 4 pts 0 pts
Create a
summary of a 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
text.
TOTAL POINTS 50 pts
Contributors
Writing a Summary. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State College.
4.4: Assignment - Writing a Summary is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
5: Reading to Respond
Learning Objectives
Analyze a text for purpose and intended meaning.
Analyze a text for text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.
Participate in a peer discussion of literature.
Create a Reader Response to text.
Proficient readers read not just to understand and question but also to respond. In fact, response is a major component of most
college-level reading assignments: your professors expect you to interact more deeply with texts, to engage with their ideas, to
agree with some ideas and disagree with others, to be able to “talk back” by formulating and explaining your own position. When
you respond to a text, you show that you have understood it, but even more importantly, you show that you have connected with it
and made it your own.
Thumbnail: https://pixabay.com/photos/study-law...learn-2746004/
Contributors
Introduction to Reading to Respond. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron
State College. Project: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
5: Reading to Respond is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
Can you connect with the what you are reading? Can you imagine yourself in it? Does it remind you of things from your life?
The process of reading is when a person reads text and their inner voice makes connections between the words, and their life and
prior knowledge. The more closely the reader connects to the text, the higher the level of comprehension.At times connecting is
simple. At others, especially when the text is not in an area that the reader has background knowledge, comprehension is difficult.
To be a better reader, think about how the story relates to your life.
Connecting with Text

Readers should concentrate on their inner voice and connections.
Visualize. Picture yourself in the story and think about how the setting and characters look.
Focus on the characters. Compare them to yourself and people you know.
Put yourself in the story and think about how would react, and how you reacted when you were in a similar situation.
Look at problems. How do they compare to problems you have faced?
Ask yourself questions as you read. Think about how the story relates to your life, and things that you know.
When reading nonfiction, think about ways the information relates to what you already know.
If you are reading a book, and don’t connect with it, ditch it and find one where you can make connections.
Here are the start to connections.
Text-to-Self
This is similar to my life . . .
This is different from my life . . .
Something like this happened to me when . . .
This reminds me of . . .
This relates to me . . .
When I read this I felt . . .
Text-to-Text
This reminds me of another book I’ve read . . .
This is similar to another thing I read . . .
This different from another book I read . . .
This character is similar/different to another character . . .
This setting is similar/different to an other setting . . .
This problem is similar/different to the problem in . . .
Text-to-World
This reminds me of the real world . . .
This book is similar to things that happen in the real world . . .
This book is different from things that happen in the real world . . .
Contributors
Making Connections. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State College.
Reading Strategies, Making Connections. Authored by: Mr. McGuire. Provided by: The Reading Workshop. Located at:
http://www.thereadingworkshop.com/2011/10/reading-strategies-making-connections.html. License: CC BY-NC-SA:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
5.2: Making Connections is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
After reviewing the Making Connections page, actively read David Sedaris’s Us and Them, practice annotating the text, and
practice making connections with the text.
Directions
2. Review Making Connections.
3. Print and annotate David Sedaris’s Us and Them.
4. Open a new Google Doc, title it with your First Name, Last Name, and Making Connections with Us and Them.
5. Set the Google Doc share permissions to “Anyone with the link.”
6. Copy and paste the sentence stems below into your Google Doc.
7. Practice making connections with Us and Them by completing the sentence stems in your Google Doc.
8. Submit the URL of your Google Doc to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 30
Argument Final KEEP
Text-to-Self Proficient Developing No connections

10 pts
connections 10 pts 6 pts 0 pts
Text-to-Text Proficient Developing No connections

10 pts
Text-to-World Proficient Developing No connections

10 pts
Analyze a text
for text-to-self,
text-to-text, and 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
text-to-world
connections
TOTAL POINTS 30 pts
5.3: Assignment - Making Connections with Us and Them is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
A reading response asks the reader [you] to examine, explain and defend your personal reaction to a reading.
You will be asked to explore:
why you like or dislike the reading,
explain whether you agree or disagree with the author,
identify the reading’s purpose, and
critique the text.
There is no right or wrong answer to a reading response. Nonetheless, it is important that you demonstrate an understanding of the
reading and clearly explain and support your reactions.
Write as an Educated Adult

When writing a reader response write as an educated adult addressing other adults or fellow scholars. As a beginning scholar, if you
write that something has nothing to do with you or does not pass your “Who cares?” test, but many other people think that it is
important and great, readers will probably not agree with you that the text is dull or boring, but they may conclude instead that you
are dull and boring, that you are too immature or uneducated to understand what important things the author wrote.
Criticize with Examples

If you did not like a text, that is fine, but criticize it either from principle (it is racist, or it unreasonably puts down religion or
women or working people or young people or gays or Texans or plumbers, it includes factual errors or outright lies, it is too dark
and despairing, or it is falsely positive) or from form (it is poorly written, it contains too much verbal “fat,” it is too emotional or
too childish, has too many facts and figures or has many typos in the text, or wanders around without making a point). In each of
these cases, do not simply criticize, but give examples. But, always beware, as a beginning scholar, of criticizing any text as
“confusing” or “crazy,” since readers might simply conclude that you are too ignorant or slow to understand and appreciate it!
Mention the Title, Author, Main Thesis

First of all, be sure to mention the title of the work to which you are responding, the author, and the main thesis of the text, using
correct English for the first paragraph of your paper.
Connect to the Text

Then, try to answer ALL of the questions below. Remember, however, that you are writing an essay, not filling out a short-answer
worksheet. You do not need to work through these questions in order, one by one, in your essay. Rather, your paper as a whole
should be sure to address these questions in some way.
What does the text have to do with you, personally, and with your life (past, present or future)? It is not acceptable to write that the
text has NOTHING to do with you, since just about everything humans can write has to do in some way with every other human.
How much does the text agree or clash with your view of the world, and what you consider right and wrong? Use several quotes as
examples of how it agrees with and supports what you think about the world, about right and wrong, and about what you think it is
to be human. Use quotes and examples to discuss how the text disagrees with what you think about the world and about right and
wrong.
What did you learn, and how much were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this text, if at all? Did the text
communicate with you? Why or why not? Give examples of how your views might have changed or been strengthened (or perhaps,
of why the text failed to convince you, the way it is). Please do not write “I agree with everything the author wrote,” since
everybody disagrees about something, even if it is a tiny point. Use quotes to illustrate your points of challenge, or where you were
persuaded, or where it left you cold.
How well does the text address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the world? How does it address
things that are important to your family, your community, your ethnic group, to people of your economic or social class or
background, or your faith tradition? If not, who does or did the text serve? Did it pass the “Who cares?” test? Use quotes to
illustrate.
What can you praise about the text? What problems did you have with it? Reading and writing “critically” does not mean the same
thing as “criticizing,” in everyday language (complaining or griping, fault-finding, nit-picking). Your “critique” can and should be
positive and praise the text if possible,as well as pointing out problems, disagreements and shortcomings.
How well did you enjoy the text (or not) as entertainment or as a work of art? Use quotes or examples to illustrate the quality of the
text as art or entertainment. Of course, be aware that some texts are not meant to be entertainment or art: a news report or textbook,
for instance, may be neither entertaining or artistic, but may still be important and successful.
To sum up, what is your overall reaction to the text? Would you read something else like this, or by this author, in the future or not?
Why or why not? To whom would you recommend this text?
Contributors
Writing a Reading Response. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State
College. Project: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Authored by: Owen M. Williamson. Provided by: University of Texas El
Paso. Located at: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/readerresponse.htm. License: CC0: No Rights
Reserved
5.4: Writing a Reading Response is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this assignment, practice creating a Reading Response essay with David Sedaris’s Us and Them.
Directions
2. Review the Writing a Reading Response page.
3. Print and annotate David Sedaris’s Us and Them.
4. Open a new Google Doc, title it with your First Name, Last Name, and “Reading Response with Us and Them.”
5. Set the Google Doc share permissions to “Anyone with the link.”
6. Practice writing a reading response with Sedaris’s Us and Them in your Google Doc:
In the first paragraph of your reading response, mention the title, author, and main thesis of Us and Them. Then connect to the
Text by answering:
What does the text have to do with you, personally, and with your life (past, present or future)?
How much does the text agree or clash with your view of the world, and what you consider right and wrong?
What did you learn, and how much were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this text, if at all?
How well does the text address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the world?
What can you praise about the text? What problems did you have with it?
How well did you enjoy the text (or not) as entertainment or as a work of art?
To sum up, what is your overall reaction to the text?
7. Copy and paste the final version of your essay to a new WordPress blog post.
8. Submit the URL of your blog to your instructor.
Grading
Points: 80
Reading Response Us and Them KEEP
First line
includes title, Proficient Developing No reference to text
10 pts
author, main 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
thesis
Connect text to Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
you and life 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Connect text to
view of Proficient Developing No connection
10 pts
world/right and 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
wrong
Learned from Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
text 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Connect text to
what is Proficient Developing No connection
10 pts
important to the 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
world
Praise/Problem Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
s with text 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Enjoy/Not Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
Enjoy 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Overall Proficient Developing No connection
10 pts
reaction 10 pts 7 pts 0 pts
Analyze a text
for purpose and Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
intended 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
meaning
Create a Reader
Response to 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
text.
TOTAL POINTS 80 pts
Contributors
Reading Response Us and Them. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron
How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Authored by: Owen M. Williamson. Provided by: University of Texas El
Paso. Located at: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/readerresponse.htm. License: CC0: No Rights
Reserved
5.5: Assignment - Reading Response Us and Them is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
For this assignment, create a Reader Response about a text of your choice.
Directions
2. Choose any text to read.
Feel free to find a text at one of these free reading sites:
BookRix
10 Wonderful Short Stories to Read for Free Online
10 More Wonderful Short Stories to Read for Free Online
Classic Short Stories
Free Audio Books
3. Review and utilize the strategies listed on the Making Connections and Writing a Reading Response pages.
4. Create a Reading Response of the text of your choice in 400–600 words in a new Google Doc.
5. Copy and paste your Reading Response Student Choice in a new post on your WordPress blog.
Grading
Points: 100
Reading Response Student Choice KEEP
First line
includes title, Proficient Developing No reference to text
10 pts
author, main 10 pts 2 pts 0 pts
thesis
Connect text to Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
you and life 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Connect text to
view of Proficent Developing No connection
10 pts
world/right and 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
wrong
Learned from Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
text 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Connect text to
what is Proficient Developing No connection
10 pts
important to the 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
world
Praise/Problem Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
s with text 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Enjoy/Not Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
Enjoy 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Overall Proficient Developing No connection

10 pts
reaction 10 pts 3 pts 0 pts
Standard Edited Errors detract from meaning/no

Proficient Developing
English/Writing post 10 pts
10 pts 3 pts
conventions 0 pts
Finished piece
easy to read, 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
polished
Analyze a text
for purpose and Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
intended 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
meaning
Analyze a text
for text-to-self,
text-to-text, and 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
text-to-world
connections
Create a Reader
Response to 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
text
TOTAL POINTS 100 pts
5.6: Assignment - Reading Response Student Choice is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
After completing your Reading Response Student Choice, post your WordPress blog URL of the reading response and engage in
discussion to gain feedback on your work.
Directions
1. Once you have completed the Reading Response Student Choice, copy and paste the URL of your WordPress blog URL of
the analysis into a new post in this discussion. You do not have to complete a Primary Post in the forum.
2. Review your classmates’ Reading Response blog posts.
3. Respond to your classmates’ posts discussing the following:
how well the assignment addresses the connection between the text and the classmate,
two things you liked about their reading response,
whether or not the reading response makes you want to review the student choice of text, and
one suggestion for improving the reading response.
Grading
Primary Post Student addresses all directions; meets the 200 Student addresses some of the Student 10 pts
word count; and posts on time directions, and/or posts under 200 does not
10 pts words post
5 pts 0 pts
Secondary Post Student thoughtfully responds to 2 classmates’ Student thoughtfully responds to 1 Student 10 pts
primary posts, meets the 100 word count for classmate’s primary posts, and/or does not
each response, and posts on time does not meet 100 word count post
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Participate in a Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

peer discussion 0 pts 0 pts meet
of literature. expectations
0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
5.7: Discussion Board - Reading Response Feedback is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
6: Critical Reading
Learning Objectives
Describe the main point, evidence, and assumptions of a text.
Make inferences to comprehend a text’s meaning.
Identify propaganda techniques in text.
Compose a critical reading paper of a contemporary work.
Critically respond to classmates’.
Although understanding is the foundation of all reading experiences, it is not the ultimate goal of most college reading assignments.
Your professors want you to read critically, which means moving beyond what the text says to asking questions about the how and
why of the text’s meaning. Reading critically means reading skeptically, not accepting everything a text says at face value, but
wondering why a particular author made a particular argument in a particular way.
6.1: Overview
6.4: Propaganda
Index
Contributors
Introduction to Critical Reading. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron
Thumbnail: https://pixabay.com/photos/books-library-education-literature-768426/
6: Critical Reading is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
Front Matter
1
6: Critical Reading
integrated.

6.1: Overview
Proficient readers often ask “what if?” questions to help them read more critically:
What if the essay had started a different way?
What if the author had included different evidence?
What if the author had drawn a different conclusion?
The skills we use to for critical reading and writing are related to the skills we use for critical thinking.
Review “The Power of Critical Thinking” by Maria Mamah and consider the following:
What did you think about the video?
Did you watch it with a critical mind?
Did you question it?
Did you accept everything the woman said or did you wonder about why she made her arguments the way she did?
The Power Of Critical Thinking
The Power Of Critical Thinking. Authored by: Maria Mamah. Provided by: Corvinus University of Budapest. Located at:
http://youtu.be/Hd4KrUH8Ky4. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
Contributors
Introduction to Critical Reading. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron
American author John Steinbeck wrote in his last work The Winter of Our Discontent:
A story has as many versions as it has readers. Everyone takes what he wants or can from
it and thus changes it to his measure. Some pick out parts and reject the rest, some strain
the story through their mesh of prejudice, some paint it with their own delight.
When you read critically, you read not only to understand the meaning of the text, but also to question and analyze the text. You
want to know not just what the text says, but also how and why it says what it says. Asking questions is one key strategy to help
you read more critically. As you read a text critically, you are also reading skeptically.
A critical reader aims to answer two basic questions:
1. What is the author doing?
2. How well is the author doing it?
What is the author doing?

To answer “what is the author doing?” begin by carefully examining the following:
What are the author’s claims (a claim is what the author says is true)?
What is the evidence (evidence is what the author offers to support what they say is true)?
What are the assumptions (assumptions are what the author says is true or will happen without giving any support)?
It may be helpful to try to see the argument from different angles:
How else could the author have written this piece?
What other kinds of evidence could have been used?
What difference would that other evidence make?
How has the author constructed his or her argument?
How well is the author doing it?

To answer “how well is the author doing it?” consider the following questions:
How effective is the introduction? Why might the author have started the piece with this paragraph?
Are the main ideas supported by solid evidence?
What evidence does the author use? Is it effective? Useful? Can you think of other evidence?
Is the author biased or neutral? How do you know?
Does the conclusion effectively tie the argument together? Could you draw a different conclusion from this evidence?
What kind of language is used? How would you describe the author’s style?
How is the piece organized?
Asking Questions
Asking questions of a text helps proficient readers:
Predict what a text will be about
Identify confusing parts of the reading
Clarify what confused them
Develop a response to the text
Understand the author’s purpose for writing a text
The easiest way to develop questions about a text is to be aware of your thinking process before, during, and after reading.
What did you wonder about before you started reading?
What did you think the text might be about?
What questions did the text raise in your mind as you read?
What seemed important or surprising?
What were you wondering about when you finished reading?
What did the author hope to accomplish in writing this text?
Did he or she achieve that purpose?
What remains unresolved in your mind?
Contributors
Reading Critically . Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State College.
6.2: Reading Critically is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
Making inferences is a comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to “read between the lines,” make connections, and draw
conclusions about the text’s meaning and purpose.
You already make inferences all of the time. For example, imagine you go over to a friend’s house and they point at the sofa and
say, “Don’t sit there, Cindy came over with her baby again.” What could you logically conclude?
First, you know there must be a reason not to sit where your friend is pointing. Next, the reason not to sit there is related to the fact
that Cindy just visited with her baby. You don’t know what exactly happened, but you can make an inference and don’t need to ask
any more questions to know that you do not want to sit there.
Practice Making Inferences

Imagine you witness the following unrelated situations—what can you infer about each one?
1. You see a woman pushing a baby stroller down the street.
2. You are at a corner and see two parked cars at an intersection, and the driver in back starts honking his horn.
3. You are walking down the street, and suddenly a dog comes running out of an opened door with its tail between its legs.
For the first, you probably came up with something simple, such as there was a baby in the stroller.
For the second, you might have inferred that the first car should have started moving, or was waiting too long at the corner and
holding up the second car.
For the third, you could reasonably guess that the dog had done something wrong and was afraid to get punished.
You do not know for 100% certainty that these inferences are true. If you checked 100 strollers, 99 times you would find a baby,
but maybe one time you would find something else, like groceries.
Making Inferences as You Read

To make inferences from reading, take two or more details from the reading and see if you can draw a conclusion. Remember,
making an inference is not just making a wild guess. You need to make a judgment that can be supported, just as you could
reasonably infer there is a baby in a stroller, but not reasonably infer that there are groceries, even though both would technically be
a “guess.”
When you are asked an inference question, go back over the reading and look for hints within the text, such as words that are
directly related to the question you may be asked (such as for a multiple choice test) or words that indicate opinion.
Here is an example:
Hybrid cars are good for the environment, but they may not perform as well as cars that
run only on gasoline. The Toyota Prius gets great gas mileage and has low emissions
making it a good “green” option. However, many people think that it is unattractive. The
Prius also cannot accelerate as quickly as other models, and cannot hold as many
passengers as larger gas-fueled SUVs and vans. Compared to similar gas-fueled options,
hybrid cars also cost more money up front. A new hybrid car costs almost $3,500 more
than the same car configured to run just on gasoline.
Which of the following can you infer from the passage?
1. hybrid cars are more dangerous than other options
2. Toyota is making a lot of money from the Prius
3. cars that use gasoline are going to destroy the environment
4. hybrid cars may not be the best choice for everyone
All four answers are about hybrid cars in some way, but none of the answers can be found directly from the text. Read through and
see what hints you can find from the text.
You will notice right away that there is nothing about car safety in the passage at all, so you can eliminate choice 1.
Choice 2 is implied: if the car cost $3,500 more than other cars, then Toyota would be making a lot of money by selling the car. But
is it the most reasonable conclusion? To be sure, you need to go through all of the answers—don’t just stop when you find one that
looks okay.
You may think that choice 3 is true. After all, people want to make hybrid cars because they believe that emissions are contributing
to environmental damage, but this is not mentioned in the paragraph. Even if you think it is true, the answer has to be supported by
the text to be the correct answer to the problem.
Choice 4 could be inferred from the text. If a person had a large family, was short on money, or needed a car that could accelerate
quickly, then a hybrid might not be the best choice for them.
Now compare choice d with the other possible answer, choice 2. Now you are thinking choice 2 might not be as good an answer
because you don’t know how much it costs Toyota to make the cars, and you don’t know how many they sell, so you can’t
reasonably infer that they are making a lot of money!
Choice 4 has to be the correct answer.
Inferences: Reading Between the Lines

Check out this video “Inference” by blumeanie07 that discusses a useful strategy to help you when making inferences while
reading.
Inferencing
Contributors
Making Inferences. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State College.
Inference. Authored by: blumeanie07. Located at: http://youtu.be/HWK2_Ookrok. License: All Rights Reserved. License
Terms: Standard YouTube License
6.3: Making Inferences is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
6.4: Propaganda
Propaganda is a way to deliver a message that appeals to the emotions instead of presenting solid evidence to support a point. It is
used by advertisers, salespeople, and politicians who may lack adequate facts to persuade people to support their point of view.
Governments may use propaganda to rally support and influence people for a specific agenda, such as war. Part of being a critical
reader is the ability to recognize these propaganda techniques.
Beyond Words
Being a critical reader extends far beyond paragraphs of printed words. Images can be read critically too. Some of the most
common types of propaganda are found in images and videos.
Review the types of propaganda and examples below while thinking about the following:
Who is the creator of these images?
Why were they created?
Who is the target audience?
What biases are they portraying?
What is the perspective of the creators?
Bandwagon
This form of propaganda presents the idea that “everybody’s doing it” so you should “jump on the bandwagon” and do what
everyone else is doing too.
In this ad, “everyone”— or 20 million people plus the elderly man—are playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, so to be with
everyone you should play the game too.
Red Herring
A type of “logical fallacy,” this form of propaganda presents data or issues that, while compelling, have nothing to do with the
argument. This ad argues that parents should control what their children learn in school, but what children are learning in school
really has nothing to do with the issue, which is whether or not to legalize gay marriage.
Yes on 8 TV Ad: It's Already Happened
Glittering Generality
This form of propaganda applies emotional words to a product or idea that presents no concrete argument or analysis. This John
McCain political ad applies the words “reform, prosperity, and peace” to the “McCain for President” campaign.
Global
Testimonial
This form of propaganda features an expert, person of authority, or respected public figure who supports the argument and
encourages others to accept the opinions and beliefs as their own. In this ad, Michael Jordan, arguably one of the greatest basketball
athletes in history, simply drinks Gatorade, which is an easy way for anyone—regardless of how well they play basketball—to “be
like Mike.”
Be Like Mike Gatorade Commercial (ORIG…
(ORIG…
Stereotype
This form of propaganda arouses prejudices in an audience by labeling the object of the propaganda campaign as something the
target audience fears, hates, or even finds desirable. In this ad, the viewer is led to believe that people who have a Volkswagen
“experience” will in turn become a Caribbean stereotype, complete with an accent and a “no worry” attitude even if it’s a bad
Monday at the office.
NEW 2013 Volkswagen Jamaican commercial
Beautiful People
This type of propaganda features attractive, happy, or famous people associated with an idea to make other people think that if they
buy a product or follow a certain ideology, they too will be attractive, happy, and successful.
This ad with supermodel Bar Refaeli associates not only sex appeal but also smarts if you buy your domain and website from Go
Daddy.
Contributors
Propaganda. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State College. Project:
Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
Red Herring. Provided by: LingLogic Wiki. Located at: http://linglogic.wikia.com/wiki/Red_herring. License: CC BY:
Attribution
Propaganda. Provided by: Wikipedia. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda. License: CC BY-SA:
Attribution-ShareAlike
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Everyone Is Doing It (Banned). Authored by: GamerSpawn. Provided by: Activision
Blizzard. Located at: http://youtu.be/l7NgLArJidY. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
Yes on 8 TV Ad: It's Already Happened. Authored by: VoteYesonProp8. Provided by: Yes on Prop 8. Located at:
http://youtu.be/0PgjcgqFYP4. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
Global. Authored by: JohnMcCain. Provided by: JohnMcCain.com. Located at: http://youtu.be/0E1nB-3l4GE. Project:
2008 Presidential Election. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
Be Like Mike Gatorade Commercial (ORIGINAL). Authored by: bigwayne84. Provided by: Gatorade. Located at:
http://youtu.be/b0AGiq9j_Ak. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube license
Go Daddy Super Bowl 2013 Commercial Bar Refaeli kisses Jesse Heiman with Danica Patrick. Authored by: JungleJuice2000.
Provided by: Go Daddy. Located at: http://youtu.be/iE6TTYfRiAg. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube
license
6.4: Propaganda is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
During times of war, governments often resort to propaganda. For this discussion, you will apply what you know about critical
reading, making inferences, and propaganda to review propaganda posters generated during the time of World War II.
Directions
1. Choose three of the WWII propaganda posters to review.
2. Open a new Google Doc and copy and paste the URL of each of the three posters into the doc.
3. Under the URL of each poster, apply what you know about critical reading by answer the following about each poster:
Who is the creator of these images?
Why were they created?
Who is the target audience?
What biases are they portraying?
What is the perspective of the creators of the posters?
How effective are the posters in persuading someone to think, believe, or act in a certain way about something?
4. Copy and paste the responses to the propaganda posters you developed in the Google Doc as your Primary Post in the
discussion.
6. Thoughtfully respond to your classmates about whether you agree or disagree with their responses to the propaganda posters.
Grading
Propaganda Poster KEEP
Primary Student cites three Student cites two Student cites one Student Student 10 pts
Post posters, pastes the URL posters, pastes the URL posters, pastes the URL does not does
of each poster, and of each poster, and of each poster, and fully post not
responds to all six responds to all six responds to all six about the post.
critical reading bullets. critical reading bullets. critical reading bullets. posters. 0 pts
10 pts 7 pts 6 pts 3 pts
Secondary Student thoughtfully responds to 2 Student thoughtfully responds to 1 classmate’s Student does 10 pts
Post classmates’ Primary Posts and meets Primary Post, and/or does not meet 100 word not post
100 word posts for each response. counts. 0 pts
10 pts 5 pts
Identify Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet 0 pts

propaganda 0 pts 0 pts expectations
techniques 0 pts
in text.
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
6.5: Discussion Board - WWII Propaganda Posters is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
For this assignment, create a Critical Reading of an essay about a text from one of the contemporary authors listed below.
Directions
2. Select ONE essay from the contemporary author sites linked here:
Toure (video essays)
Elif Batuman
Ira Chernus
bell hooks
Susan Orlean
Malcolm Gladwell
3. Review the strategies listed on the Reading Critically page.
4. Create a Critical Reading of the essay of your choice in 500–700 words in a new Google Doc.
Cite the author and the text in your paper
Pay close attention to the author’s argument, meaning, evidence, logic, and assumptions.
Compose a critical reading response of the essay and be sure to answer: What is the author doing?
Also, be sure to answer: How well is he or she doing it?
5. Copy and paste your Critical Reading of an essay in a new post on your WordPress blog.
Grading
Points: 100
Critical Reading of an Essay KEEP
Identifies
Identifies Does not identify
author and 5 pts
5 pts 0 pts
work
Answers “what
Proficient Developing Lacks answer
is the author 15 pts
15 pts 11 pts 0 pts
doing?”
Answers “how
well is the Proficient Developing Lacks answer
15 pts
author doing 15 pts 11 pts 0 pts
it?”
Examines the Proficient Developing No examination

8 pts
author’s claims 8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
Examines the
Proficient Developing No examination
author’s 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
evidence
Examines the
author’s 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
assumptions
Reviews the
Proficient Developing No review
argument from 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
different angles
Examines the
effectiveness of
the 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
introduction/co
nclusion
Examines how
the piece is 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
organized
Demonstrates
an
understanding 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
of the author’s
purpose

5 pts 4 pts
conventions 0 pts
Finished piece
easy to read,
polished, Proficient Developing Needs more work
4 pts
posted in 4 pts 3 pts 0 pts
WordPress blog
site
Describe the
main point,
evidence, and 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
assumptions of
a text.
Make
inferences to Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
comprehend a 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
text’s meaning.
Compose a
critical reading
paper of a 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
contemporary
work.
TOTAL POINTS 100
6.6: Assignment - Critical Reading of an Essay is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
After completing your Critical Reading of an Essay, post your WordPress blog URL of the critical reading and engage in
discussion to gain feedback on your work.
Directions
1. Once you have completed the Critical Reading of an Essay, copy and paste the URL of your WordPress blog URL of the
critical reading into a new post in this discussion. You do not have to complete a Primary Post in the forum.
2. Review your classmates’ Critical Reading of an Essay blog posts.
how well the essay addresses the critical reading question: What is the author doing?
how well the essay addresses the critical reading question: How well is he or she doing it?
two things you liked about their critical reading of an essay,
whether or not the critical reading makes you want to read the essay selection, and
one suggestion for improving the critical reading.
Grading
Critical Reading of an Essay Feedback KEEP
Blog URL Student posts Critical Reading blog URL Student does not post URL Student 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts does not
post
0 pts
time 5 pts 0 pts
10 pts
Compose a critical Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

reading paper of a 0 pts 0 pts meet
contemporary work. expectations
0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
6.7: Discussion Board: Critical Reading of an Essay Feedback is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Back Matter
Index
Index
I P
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
7: Rhetorical Analysis
Learning Objectives
Analyze an author’s effectiveness in achieving intended purpose.
Develop a rhetorical analysis of a visual text.
Discuss how classmates’ evaluated rhetorical message in text.
Rhetorical analysis is a tool for deeper critical reading. When you analyze a text rhetorically, you consider the overall situation and
context of the writing and how the needs and constraints of the writing situation may have guided the author’s choices. Rhetorical
analysis helps us look at the text itself but also outside the text at other aspects of the writing situation—context, author, audience,
genre—that influenced the way this particular text was written.
7.1: Overview
Thumbnail: https://www.pexels.com/photo/graysca...ng-pen-783737/
Contributors
Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron
7: Rhetorical Analysis is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
7.1: Overview
Learning Objectives
Analyze an author’s effectiveness in achieving intended purpose.
Develop a rhetorical analysis of a visual text.
Discuss how classmates’ evaluated rhetorical message in text.
Rhetorical analysis is a tool for deeper critical reading. When you analyze a text rhetorically, you consider the overall situation and
context of the writing and how the needs and constraints of the writing situation may have guided the author’s choices. Rhetorical
analysis helps us look at the text itself but also outside the text at other aspects of the writing situation—context, author, audience,
genre—that influenced the way this particular text was written.
Contributors
Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron
We have heard that “you can’t judge a book by its cover,” but, in fact, we do it all the time. Daily we find ourselves in situations
where we are forced to make snap judgments. Each day we meet different people, encounter unfamiliar situations, and see media
that asks us to do, think, buy, and act in all sorts of ways.
In fact, our saturation in media and its images is one of the reasons why learning to do rhetorical analysis is so important. The more
we know about how to analyze situations and draw informed conclusions, the better we can become about making savvy judgments
about the people, situations, and media we encounter.
Media and Rhetoric

Media is one of the most important places where this kind of analysis needs to happen. Rhetoric—the way we use language and
images to persuade—is what makes media work. Think of all the media you see and hear every day: Twitter, television shows, web
pages, billboards, text messages, podcasts, and more! Media is constantly asking you to buy something, act in some way, believe
something to be true, or interact with others in a specific manner. Understanding rhetorical messages is essential to help us become
informed consumers, but it also helps evaluate the ethics of messages, how they affect us personally, and how they affect society.
Take, for example, a commercial for men’s deodorant that tells you that you’ll be irresistible to women if you use their product.
This campaign doesn’t just ask you to buy the product, though. It also asks you to trust the company’s credibility, or ethos, and to
believe the messages they send about how men and women interact, about sexuality, and about what constitutes a healthy body.
You have to decide whether or not you will choose to buy the product and how you will choose to respond to the messages that the
commercial sends.
Because media rhetoric surrounds us, it is important to understand how rhetoric works. If we refuse to stop and think about how
and why it persuades us, we can become mindless consumers who buy into arguments about what makes us value ourselves and
what makes us happy.
Rhetoric as Social Influence

Our worlds are full of these kinds of social influences. As we interact with other people and with media, we are continually creating
and interpreting rhetoric. In the same way that you decide how to process, analyze or ignore these messages, you create them. You
probably think about what your clothing will communicate as you go to a job interview or get ready for a date. You are also using
rhetoric when you try to persuade your parents to send you money or your friends to see the movie that interests you. When you
post to your blog or tweet you are using rhetoric.
Most of our actions are persuasive in nature. What we choose to wear (tennis shoes vs. flip flops), where we shop (Whole Foods
Market vs. Wal-Mart), what we eat (organic vs. fast food), or even the way we send information (snail mail vs. text message) can
work to persuade others.
Chances are you have grown up learning to interpret and analyze these types of rhetoric. They become so commonplace that we
don’t realize how often and how quickly we are able to perform this kind of rhetorical analysis. When your teacher walked in on
the first day of class, you probably didn’t think to yourself, “I think I’ll do some rhetorical analysis on her clothing and draw some
conclusions about what kind of personality she might have and whether I think I’ll like her.” And, yet, you probably were able to
come up with some conclusions based on the evidence you had.
However, when this same teacher hands you an advertisement, photograph or article and asks you to write a rhetorical analysis of
it, you might have been baffled or felt a little overwhelmed. The good news is that many of the analytical processes that you
already use to interpret the rhetoric around you are the same ones that you’ll use for these assignments.
Contributors
Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis. Authored by: Laura Bolin Carroll. Provided by: Writing Spaces.
Located at: http://writingspaces.org/sites/default/files/carroll--backpacks-vs-briefcases.pdf. License: CC BY-NC-SA:
7.2: What is Rhetorical Analysis? is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this assignment, review how media uses rhetoric.
Directions
1. Review the grading rubric on this page.
2. Watch the following Mad Men advertising pitch for “The Kodak Carousel” and think about the way the advertisers use images
and language to persuade…this is rhetoric!

1. What is it about the advertising pitch that is supposed to connect with the public and get them to buy the product, in this case
the Kodak Carousel?
2. What is it about nostalgia (Don Draper said in Greek it means “the pain of an old wound”) that is more powerful than
memory?
3. Is the advertising pitch by Don Draper effective at persuading the public? Why or why not?
Grading
Points: 40
Rhetorical Analysis and Media KEEP
Describe an
author’s point Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
5 pts
of view and 5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
tone
Analyze an
author’s
effectiveness in Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
5 pts
achieving 5 pts 3 pts 0 pts
intended
purpose
Explains why
advertising
Full marks No marks
pitch will 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
appeal to
consumer
Explains what
it is about
Full marks No marks
nostalgia that is 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
more powerful
than memory
Explains why
advertising
Full marks No marks
pitch is or is 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
not effective at
persuasion
TOTAL POINTS 40 pts
Contributors
Mad Men - It's not a slide projector, or a wheel... it's a Carousel. Authored by: SpeechCoachLA. Located at:
http://youtu.be/Bpw54Bskk54. License: Other. License Terms: Standard You
7.3: Assignment - Rhetorical Analysis and Media is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
One of the first places to start when developing a rhetorical analysis is context. Rhetorical messages always occur in a specific
situation or context. The president’s speech might respond to a specific global event, like an economic summit; that’s part of the
context. You choose your clothing depending on where you are going or what you are doing; that’s context. A television
commercial comes on during specific programs and at specific points of the day; that’s context. A billboard is placed in a specific
part of the community; that’s context, too.
Identify the Rhetorical Situation: Exigence, Audience, Constraints

In an article called “The Rhetorical Situation,” Lloyd Bitzer argues that there are three parts to understanding the context of a
rhetorical moment: exigence, audience and constraints.
Exigence is the circumstance or condition that invites a response; or, in other words, rhetorical discourse is usually responding to
some kind of problem. You can begin to understand a piece’s exigence by asking, “What is this rhetoric responding to?” “What
might have happened to make the rhetor (the person who creates the rhetoric) respond in this way?” The exigence can be extremely
complex, like the need for a new Supreme Court justice, or it can be much simpler, like receiving an email that asks you where you
and your friends should go for your road trip this weekend. Understanding the exigence is important because it helps you begin to
discover the purpose of the rhetoric. It helps you understand what the discourse is trying to accomplish.
Another part of the rhetorical context is audience, those who are the (intended or unintended) recipients of the rhetorical message.
The audience should be able to respond to the exigence. In other words, the audience should be able to help address the problem.
You might be very frustrated with your campus’s requirement that all first-year students purchase a meal plan for on-campus
dining. You might even send an email to a good friend back home voicing that frustration. However, if you want to address the
exigence of the meal plans, the most appropriate audience would be the person/office on campus that oversees meal plans. Your
friend back home cannot solve the problem (though she may be able to offer sympathy or give you some good suggestions), but the
person who can change the meal plan requirements is probably on campus. Rhetors make all sorts of choices based on their
audience. Audience can determine the type of language used, the formality of the discourse, the medium or delivery of the rhetoric,
and even the types of reasons used the make the rhetor’s argument. Understanding the audience helps you begin to see and
understand the rhetorical moves that the rhetor makes.
The last piece of the rhetorical situation is the constraints. The constraints of the rhetorical situation are those things that limit the
way the discourse is delivered or communicated. Constraints may be something as simple as your instructor limiting your proposal
to one thousand words, or they may be far more complex like the kinds of language you need to use to persuade a certain
community.
Identify the Argument: Logos, Pathos, Ethos

The rhetorical situation is just the beginning of your analysis, though. What you really want to understand is the argument—what
the rhetor wants you to believe or do and how he or she goes about that persuasion. Effective argumentation has been talked about
for centuries. In the fourth century BCE, Aristotle was teaching the men of Athens how to persuade different kinds of audiences in
different kinds of rhetorical situations. Aristotle articulated three “artistic appeals” that a rhetor could draw on to make a case—
logos, pathos, and ethos.
Logos is commonly defined as argument from reason, and it usually appeals to an audience’s intellectual side. As audiences we
want to know the “facts of the matter,” and logos helps present these—statistics, data, and logical statements.
Few of us are persuaded only with our mind, though. Even if we intellectually agree with something, it is difficult to get us to act
unless we are also persuaded in our heart. This kind of appeal to emotion is called pathos. Pathetic appeals (as rhetoric that draws
on pathos is called) used alone without logos and ethos can come across as emotionally manipulative or overly sentimental, but are
very powerful when used in conjunction with the other two appeals. Pathos can also be a very effective appeal if the rhetor has to
persuade the audience in a very short amount of time, which is why it is used heavily in print advertisements, billboards, or
television commercials.
The appeal that makes things seem real and approachable contributes to the ethos. Ethos refers to the credibility of the rhetor—
which can be a person or an organization. A rhetor can develop credibility in many ways. The tone of the writing and whether that
tone is appropriate for the context helps build a writer’s ethos, as does the accuracy of the information or the visual presentation of
the rhetoric.
Claims and Assumptions
Aristotle’s artistic appeals are not the only way to understand the argument of rhetoric. You might choose to look at the claim or the
unstated assumptions of a piece; someone else might consider the visual appeal of the rhetoric, like the font, page layout, types of
paper, or images; another person might focus on the language use and the specific word choice and sentence structure of a piece.
Logos, pathos, and ethos can provide a nice framework for analysis, but there are numerous ways to understand how a piece of
rhetoric persuades (or fails to persuade).
Looking at the context and components of a piece of rhetoric often isn’t enough, though, because it is important to draw
conclusions about the rhetoric—does it successfully respond to the exigence? Is it an ethical approach? Is it persuasive? These
kinds of questions let you begin to create your own claims, your own rhetoric, as you take a stand on what other people say, do, or
write.
Asking Questions
Use these questions to guide you along as you begin to conduct a rhetorical analysis.
What is the rhetorical situation?
What occasion gives rise to the need or opportunity for persuasion?
What is the historical occasion that would give rise to the composition of this text?
Who is the author/speaker?
How does he or she establish ethos (personal credibility)?
Does he/she come across as knowledgeable? fair?
Does the speaker’s reputation convey a certain authority?
What is his/her intention in speaking?
To attack or defend?
To exhort or dissuade from certain action?
To praise or blame?
To teach, to delight, or to persuade?
Who make up the audience?
Who is the intended audience?
What values does the audience hold that the author or speaker appeals to?
Who have been or might be secondary audiences?
If this is a work of fiction, what is the nature of the audience within the fiction?
What is the content of the message?
Can you summarize the main idea?
What are the principal lines of reasoning or kinds of arguments used?
What topics of invention are employed?
How does the author or speaker appeal to reason? to emotion?
What is the form in which it is conveyed?
What is the structure of the communication; how is it arranged?
What oral or literary genre is it following?
What figures of speech (schemes and tropes) are used?
What kind of style and tone is used and for what purpose?
How do form and content correspond?
Does the form complement the content?
What effect could the form have, and does this aid or hinder the author’s intention?
Does the message/speech/text succeed in fulfilling the author’s or speaker’s intentions?
For whom?
Does the author/speaker effectively fit his/her message to the circumstances, times, and audience?
Can you identify the responses of historical or contemporary audiences?
What does the nature of the communication reveal about the culture that produced it?
What kinds of values or customs would the people have that would produce this?
How do the allusions, historical references, or kinds of words used place this in a certain time and location?
Contributors
Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis. Authored by: Laura Bolin Carroll. Provided by: Writing Spaces.
Located at: http://writingspaces.org/sites/default/files/carroll--backpacks-vs-briefcases.pdf. License: CC BY-NC-SA:
The Forest of Rhetoric: silva rhetoricae. Authored by: Gideon O. Burton. Provided by: Brigham Young University. Located
at: http://rhetoric.byu.edu/. License: CC BY: Attribution
7.4: Developing a Rhetorical Analysis is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this activity, you will demonstrate your ability to make connections with the text and critically think, read, and write. This work
will serve as the foundation for understanding what a Rhetorical Analysis is as well as how to apply the knowledge to your own
Rhetorical Analysis work.
Directions
2. Download Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis.
3. Annotate the text.
1. What are the implications of rhetorical analysis? (p. 3, p. 46)
2. What is the “rhetorical situation”? (p. 5, p.48)
3. What is the argument in rhetorical analysis? (p. 9, p. 52)
4. What does context have to do with Rhetorical Analysis? (p.12, p.55)
5. Why is rhetorical analysis important in college? (p.14, p.57)
6. What are examples of rhetoric that you see and hear on a daily basis?
7. What are some ways that you create rhetoric?
Grading
Points: 70
Backpacks vs. Briefcases KEEP
Explains
Implications of Full marks No marks
10 pts
Rhetorical 10 pts 0 pts
Analysis
Defines the
Full marks No marks
Rhetorical 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
Situation
Explains the
Argument in Full marks No marks
10 pts
Rhetorical 10 pts 0 pts
Analysis
Explains What
Content Has to
Full marks No marks
Do with 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
Rhetorical
Analysis
Explains Why
Rhetorical
Full marks No marks
Analysis is 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
Important in
College
Offers
Examples of
Full marks No marks
Rhetorical 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
Analysis in
Life
Explains Ways
Full marks No marks
Student Creates 10 pts
10 pts 0 pts
Rhetoric
Apply
strategies for
improving 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
writing
responses.
TOTAL POINTS 70 pts
7.5: Assignment - Backpacks vs. Briefcases is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this activity, you will create a Rhetorical Analysis of an advertisement of your choice.
Directions
2. Select an advertisement of your choice.
3. Review the strategies listed on the What Is Rhetorical Analysis? and Developing a Rhetorical Analysis pages as well as
Backpacks vs Briefcases.
Create a Rhetorical Analysis of 750 Words of the advertisement of your choice in a new Google Doc.
Cite the author and advertising source
Use the techniques, strategies, and language in Backpacks vs Briefcases
Be sure to cite all sources.
4. Copy and paste your Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad in a new post on your WordPress blog.
Grading
Points: 100
Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad KEEP
Identifies
Identifies Does not identify
author and 5 pts
5 pts 0 pts
work
Identifies
rhetorical
situation/contex 15 pts
15 pts 11 pts 0 pts
t (p. 48 in
Backpacks)
Identifies
argument (p. 52 15 pts
15 pts 11 pts 0 pts
in Backpacks)
Identifies
author’s 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
intent/purpose
Identifies Proficient Developing No examination

8 pts
audience 8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
Identifies
content of 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
message
Identifies Proficient Developing No review

8 pts
form/style/tone 8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
Examines the
effectiveness of
the 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
introduction/co
nclusion
Examines how
the piece is 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
organized
Demonstrates
an
Proficient Developing No understanding
understanding 8 pts
8 pts 6 pts 0 pts
of the author’s
purpose

5 pts 4 pts
conventions 0 pts
Finished piece
easy to read,
polished, Proficient Developing Needs more work
4 pts
posted in 4 pts 3 pts 0 pts
WordPress blog
site
Analyze an
author’s
effectiveness in Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
achieving 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
intended
purpose
Develop a
rhetorical Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
analysis of a 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
visual text
Describe an
author’s point Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not meet expectations
0 pts
of view and 0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
tone
Contributors
Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by: Chadron State
College. Project: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
7.6: Assignment - Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
After completing your Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad, post your WordPress blog URL of the analysis and engage in discussion
to gain feedback on your work.
Directions
1. Once you have completed the Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad, copy and paste the URL of your WordPress blog URL of the
analysis into a new post in this discussion. You do not have to complete a Primary Post in the forum.
2. Review your classmates’ Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad blog posts.
how well the assignment addresses point of view and tone,
two things you liked about their rhetorical analysis,
whether or not the rhetorical analysis makes you want to review the ad, and
one suggestion for improving the rhetorical analysis.
Grading
Rhetorical Analysis Feedback KEEP
Blog URL Student posts Rhetorical Analysis blog URL Student does not post URL Student 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts does not
post
0 pts
time 5 pts 0 pts
10 pts
Discuss how Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

classmates’ 0 pts 0 pts meet
evaluated rhetorical expectations
message in text. 0 pts
TOTAL POINTS 20 pts
7.7: Discussion Board - Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad Feedback is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or
curated by LibreTexts.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
8: Reflection and Portfolio
Learning Objectives
Produce a reflective paper on individual growth in the course.
Revisit and revise selected work.
Develop course schedule for next semester.
Reflection is a process of careful thought or deliberation. When we reflect, we think about something that has happened in the past
and examine its significance and meaning. In this module, reflect on your work in this course to understand and articulate what you
have achieved and where you will go from here.
8.1: Overview
Thumbnail: https://pixabay.com/photos/paper-rom...ntine-1100254/
Contributors
Introduction to Reflection and Portfolio. Authored by: Elisabeth Ellington and Ronda Dorsey Neugebauer. Provided by:
Chadron State College. Project: Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative. License: CC BY: Attribution
8: Reflection and Portfolio is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
1
8.1: Overview
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For this section of the portfolio, think about the following:
How have you changed and grown as a college student?
How have you changed and grown as a writer?
How have you changed and grown as a reader?
How have you changed and grown with technology skills?
What skills or strategies do you now use that you didn’t before this class?
How do you struggle successfully with academic assignments?
How do you feel about academic expectations now compared to the beginning of the course?
Then, in a Google Doc, create a reflective writing.
A suggested format is as follows:
Introduction
A few sentences about where you came from, why you chose this institution, and how you feel now about college and academic
writing.
Body
Reflect about the first day of this class. What were your impressions of the course, your instructor, the institution? Were you
excited to begin your studies? How did you feel about the expectations set forth by your friends/parents/instructors/yourself?
Reflect about a few weeks ago at midterm. How did you feel about your progress? Were you able to keep up with the pace of the
course and the assignments or did you fall behind? If you had difficulty keeping up in class, was there a reason you can pinpoint
that may have contributed to not keeping up with class? How did you feel about your writing skills at midterm?
Reflect about what activities and assignments you found most useful and write about how these activities/assignments helped you
grow as a student.
Conclusion
Now that you are at the end of the course, do you feel more prepared now to meet the challenges of college and life beyond? What
recommendations do you have for new college students beginning this course? What is your definition of success for yourself in
this course? What is your definition of success beyond this course? How will you know you’ve achieved success?
8.2: Portfolio Part I - Reflection is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
This section of the portfolio includes a short reflection as well as a final revision of your work (hence the Best Work title!) as
evidence of your most polished pieces created in class.
Directions
Reading Response
Revisit Reading Response Student Choice
Revise, aiming for perfection.
Write a 25 word reflection on the following:
What revision(s) did you make?
What did you learn?
How will what you learned assist you in the future?
Critical Reading
Revisit Critical Reading of an Essay
What did you learn?
Rhetorical Analysis
Revisit Rhetorical Analysis with an Ad
What did you learn?
8.3: Portfolio Part II - Best Work is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
This section of your portfolio communicates what your plans are after this course.
Directions
Choose only one of the categories below that best fits your plans and complete the following as directed.
Category 1
For continuing students at this college
Review your course schedule for the current semester via the student information system
Decide whether you want to change/add your current discipline of study, major, and/or minor. If you plan any of these changes,
contact Student Services.
Download a copy of your current schedule.
Register for or review your next semester classes. If you need help, contact Student Services.
Download a copy of your next semester schedule.
Upload digital copies of both your current and next semester schedules to a Google Doc.
Category 2
For future college students not attending this institution
Review your course schedule for the current semester via the student information system.
Download a copy of your current schedule.
Register for your next semester classes at the school you do plan to attend.
Download a copy of your next semester schedule from the other institution you plan to attend.
Upload digital copies of both your current and next semester schedules to a Google Doc.
Contact the Student Services for assistance with withdrawing from the college.
Category 3
For those unsure or not planning to attend college next semester
Open a Google Doc
Write a 100 Word response describing what you plan to do instead of college for next semester.
8.4: Portfolio Part III - Post-Course Plans is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
For this assignment, you will organize and submit your portfolio.
Directions
2. Create a new Google Doc.
3. Set the Share settings to “Anyone with the link.”
4. Title the file as follows: First Name Last Name: Portfolio
5. Review the sample for reference
6. Review the screencast.
7. Arrange your portfolio as described below (and here is a):
Cover page
Title of the Portfolio
Your First and Last Name
Institution Name
Date
On a new page for each section (use Insert, Page Break in Google Doc):
Reflective Writing
Review Portfolio Part I: Reflection
Include 750 Word Reflection
Best Work
Review Portfolio Part II: Best Work
Include:
25 Word reflection about your Reading Response
Paste your revised best Journal
25 Word reflection about your Critical Reading
Paste your revised Discussion Post
25 Word reflection about your Rhetorical Analysis
Paste the URL of your best Prezi Project
Post-Course Plans
Review Portfolio Part III: Post Course Plans
Include:
Current semester schedule
Next semester schedule or 100 Word Alternative Plans
8. When you are finished developing your portfolio in the Google Doc, copy the URL
9. Paste the URL of your portfolio in the submission.
Grading
Points: 200
Organize and Submit Portfolio KEEP
Reflects on
Proficient Developing No reflection
Growth as a 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Student
Reflects on
Growth as a 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Writer
Reflects on
Growth as a 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Reader
Reflects on
Growth with Proficient Developing No reflection
10 pts
Technology 10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Skills
Reflects on
Skills/Strategie 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
s Using Now
Reflects on
Successfully
Struggling with 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Academic
Assignments
Reflects on
Beliefs/Feeling
s About 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Academic
Expectations
Revises
Reading 20 pts
20 pts 10 pts 0 pts
Response
Revises Critical Proficient Developing No reflection

20 pts
Reading 20 pts 10 pts 0 pts
Revises
Rhetorical 20 pts
20 pts 10 pts 0 pts
Analysis
Reflects on
Reading 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Response
Reflects on
Critical 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Reading
Reflects on
Rhetorical 10 pts
10 pts 5 pts 0 pts
Analysis
Uploads
Schedule included Not included
Current 15 pts
15 pts 0 pts
Schedule
Uploads Next
Semester Schedule/plans included Not included
15 pts
Schedule or 15 pts 0 pts
Plans

Presentation 10 pts
10 pts 6 pts 0 pts
Produce a
reflective paper
on individual 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
growth in the
course
Revisit and
revise selected 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
work
Develop course
schedule for 0 pts
0 pts 0 pts 0 pts
next semester
8.5: Assignment - Organize and Submit the Portfolio is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by
LibreTexts.
Index
I P
Glossary
Sample Word 1 | Sample Definition 1

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BOOK:

This text was compiled on 07/07/2022

2: What It Means to be a Good Reader

8: Reflection and Portfolio

This text was compiled on 07/07/2022

How to start a movement | Derek Sivers

How to Start a Movement. (Derek Severs via TED @ http://youtu.be/V74AxCqOTvg).

Exploring Google Tools KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

TOTAL POINTS 20 pts

Submit Word Press Blog URL KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

WordPress Student submits URL Student does not submit URL

TOTAL POINTS 10 pts

Literacy Narrative KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

Ideas: focused, original Proficient Developing No marks

Word Choice: creates vivid

Sentence Fluency: words

Proficient Developing No marks

Does not meet

TOTAL POINTS 50 pts

Lamont Carey (I Can't Read) HBO Def J…

VARK Learning Questionnaire KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

Distinguish individual Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

TOTAL POINTS 20 pts

Pre-Reading Strategies KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

TOTAL POINTS 30 pts

Improving Writing with Literacy Narrative KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

TOTAL POINTS 50 pts

Active Reading Intro

The Secret is in the Pen

Active Reading in Action KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

Annotate a Text Strategy Excellent Developing No annotated 20 pts

Reading Journal Strategy Excellent Developing No reading 20 pts

TOTAL POINTS 40 pts

Example Matrix Schedule for Improving Vocabulary in Google Spreadsheet

Improving Vocabulary KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

Sentence from Reading with Vocab Word 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

Dictionary Strategy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

Context Clues Strategy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

Prefix/Suffix/Root Strategy 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 or < 10 pts

TOTAL POINTS 45 pts

2. Develop first in your Google Doc a discussion post that addresses:

Views of Writing KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

Explore Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

TOTAL POINTS 20 pts

Views of Writing KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

TOTAL POINTS 20 pts

Reading Difficult Material KEEP

Criteria Ratings Points

Apply reading Exceeds expectations Meets expectations Does not 0 pts

TOTAL POINTS 20 pts