Response1Assignment.odtAnatomyofaResponseSlides ExploringLimitationsslides
For the response essay to be in response to this article:
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/12/08/the-rural-urban-divide-furthers-myths-about-race-and-poverty-concealing-effective-policy-solutions/
I would like for the essay to reflect on the path of ″how the essay has transformed your understanding of the issue and using the ideas as a lens for understanding something″. It must also include works cited page.
Response1 Assignment
Due: September 26
Length: 500-750 words (2-3 double spaced pages)
In this second formal writing assignment, you will write a reasoned and objective response to one of the essays we have worked with (NOT TANNEN). This does not mean saying, “This is not my experience, so it is not true.” In fact, at no time should you reference your own life. Instead, your response should take one of two paths: exploring how the essay has transformed your understanding of the issue and using the ideas as a lens for understanding something OR complicating the argument by offering conflicting evidence, uncovering assumptions, or explaining the limitations of the article.
One is affirming, i.e. generally favorable to an argument or idea, and includes taking an idea/claim and using it to understand something else. If there is something in one of the essays that sparked an “ah-ha!” moment for you, work with that for a moment. For example, I noted that you could use Tannen’s idea of “marked” to think about other things people can’t control, but which mark them in some way – e.g. use of language or disability. Is there some connection you can make between one of the essay’s claims or main ideas and the world outside the text? Similarly, and also a “lens” type response is to expand on the argument. That does NOT mean just give more evidence for what he’s already proven. It is rather to take his ideas another step. So for instance, Carr claims tech is changing our thinking and we see this in our reading habits. Do we also see this in our communication habits or use of language?
The other path is more critical – i.e. generally not favorable to an argument or idea, and includes uncovering assumptions in a writer’s thinking or limitations to their argument. When you brainstorm for your response, you should find weak points in the argument, a part that doesn’t make complete sense or seems wrong for some reason. Such places are the easiest to enter into a critical conversation with the author about the subject of his or her article.Very few well-reasoned responses are of the simply “yes, this is true” or “no, this is completely false” type. Rather, your response should focus on pointing out things that the author might have missed, questioning an unstated assumption or bias, or developing a point the author makes but spends little time on. For example, Tannen suggests that men have the option to be unmarked in their lives, and she gives a lot of good examples. However, not all men have the option to be unmarked – some men are black, or indiginous, or disabled, or fill in the blank. While it is true that men often do have the ability to be unmarked, Tannen’s argument doesn’t account for how gender intersects with race and other visible marking factors.
You will need to showcase the distinction between claims and evidence in order to write an analytical response; your response should focus on the claims of the argument. You can’t really argue with good evidence, but you can argue with assumptions and claims.
You will need to have a works cited page at the end of your paper. At this point in the semester, you don’t need to worry overmuch about the precise formatting of your works cited page although this would be an excellent time to practice MLA formatting. If you use internal quotes in your response, you will need to place the page number of the quotation or paraphrase in parenthesis, e.g. (140).
General Anatomy of a Response
Introduction: give larger context for the argument, introduce the text and authors and their main claim. Your thesis is your response. Try using a dependent clause construction to get a good structure. Example: Although Tannen shows that all women are marked in some way, her suggestion that men always have a choice doesn’t consider other ways people are marked. OR Example: Tannen’s concept of being marked is not only useful for understanding gender norms, it is also really helpful to explain how people’s accents also mark them in public.
Body paragraph 1: a brief summary of the main points of the essay you are responding to
Body paragraph 2-??: Follow your thesis. What do you need to explain to make that an “explained statement’? Do that.
Conclusion: If you have been overly critical, don’t forget to acknowledge how the argument does work even as it has limitations. If you have done a lens, be sure to wrap yourself back around to Tannen’s main argument. Take a moment to acknowledge the “so what?” question – why does anyone care about this? What is at stake in this discussion?
Criteria for Evaluation:
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Identification of the author/title of essay, major point, and significance of topic
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Ability to summarize/paraphrase the points/claims of the essay as needed
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Ability to respond constructively to one or more points in the essay
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Understanding of the difference between claim and evidence
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Ability to respond to a claim and link the response to the larger argument (the so what question)
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Proper paragraph structure
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Use of proper mechanics (grammar, punctuation, syntax)
Anatomy
of a
Response
Paging Dr Barlo
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Steps and Structure
The Assignment
Remember to check with
the assignment for details.
Always default to the
specifications there.
The Text, Claim, and Type
If you have a choice of texts for
your response, you should decide
which to work with.
Within the text, you should also
choose the claim to think about.
You also need to choose a
response type.
Objectively
Once you know what you are writing
about, it’s time to think about your
response.
Form one to two sentences that
sum up your response.
The Paper
Based on your response, plan a
paper that backs up your points.
Anatomy of a Response
Paging Dr Barlow
Know Choose Think Plan
The Assignment
Remember to check with
the assignment for details.
Always default to the
specifications there.
The Text, Claim, and Type
If you have a choice of texts for
your response, you should decide
which to work with.
Within the text, you should also
choose the claim to think about.
You also need to choose a
response type.
Objectively
Once you know what you are writing
about, it’s time to think about your
response.
Form one to two sentences that
sum up your response.
The Paper
Based on your response, plan a
paper that backs up your points.
Anatomy of a Response
Paging Dr Barlow
Know Choose Think Plan
Forming a Response
What is it you are trying to say about the text?
Are you affirming, critiquing, evaluating?
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Forming a Thesis
The concept of X is
useful as Author
demonstrates, but it
also helps explain Y.
Although concept X
helps us think about
Y, it can also be used
to evaluate Z.
Affirming Types
Although X is true
in some ways, it
doesn’t take Y into
account.
Author’s argument
assumes X to be
true. However, if X
is not true, Y.
Critical Types
Anatomy Breakdown
Introduction: Identify the text you are responding to,
end with thesis
Paragraph 2: A brief summary of the text/claim
Body Paragraphs: Back up your claim –
what do you need to say/prove to make your point?
Conclusion: Culminate your response
Address the “so what” question
Anatomy Breakdown
Introduction:
Identify the text you are responding to
End with your thesis
Anatomy Breakdown
Paragraph 2:
A brief summary of the text/claim
Don’t include the full summary.
Focus on the parts you are dealing with.
Anatomy Breakdown
Body Paragraphs:
Back up your claim.
What do you need to say/prove to make your point?
Anatomy Breakdown
Conclusion:
Culminate your response
Finalize your evaluation
Address the “so what” question
Do not repeat yourself.
Each details means
something about the person.
There is no “norm”.
How someone uses language
– correctly or not, with certain
idioms, certain accents –
marks a person.
An invisible disability is one
that is not obvious to others.
Their needs (because
invisible) mark them.
Women Language Use Invisible Disability
Using an Idea as a Lens
The concept of marked
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In a racially homogenous
environment, all men have the
option of being unmarked,
but if one person is black and
others are white….
How someone uses language
– correctly or not, with certain
idioms, certain accents –
marks a person regardless of
sex.
A man in a wheelchair, using
a cane, or needing any help is
judged by others.
In fact, it might even be
worse for men.
Race Language Use Disability
Exploring Limitations
Men have the option of being unmarked.
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Exploring
Limitations
Paging Dr Barlow
An Objective-Critical Response
Achtung!
You cannot adequately respond without a
good understanding of the text!
Review Reading With Renee – Close Reading
and Summary Writing
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Semi-Objective
You evaluate an argument
based on a set of criteria or
metrics.
You determine the criteria.
You explain the criteria.
You evaluate the argument.
Semi to Objective
You contextualize an argument or
compare it to other experts or
writers, and then usually evaluate it.
You find context/comparisons.
You compare/contrast.
(Usually) you evaluate based on that
comparison.
Objective-Creative
You take a main idea of claim from
the essay and apply it to another
subject or topic.
You select a claim or idea that is
interesting or transferable.
You apply that idea to something
else.
You show how this idea is relevant
outside of the boundaries of the
original argument.
Objective-Critical
You define limits to an author’s
argument or uncover
assumptions, and show how that
hurts their argument.
You evaluate an argument for
limitations in scope.
You explain how the limitation
hurts the “big argument”.
Ready Responses
Paging Dr Barlow
Eval. Comp. Lens Limits
What it is NOT
Avoid these issues!
Straw-man fallacy
A logical fallacy that sets up an
argument different than the
original (i.e. not an accurate
summary) to defeat.
Puffer-fish moment
An emotional reaction that sets
you up to rant and stand on a
soap-box lecturing, rather than
creating an argument.
Drive-by
A laundry list of points that you
make against the text without
any real target.
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Identifying assumptions
An assumption is a belief upon which an
argument or statement is based.
All statements are based upon assumptions,
even the most boring ones.
“Tomorrow I will grade papers.”
“The doctor will probably give her Amoxicillin”
Identifying assumptions opens the door to
problems in the argument, points of
contention, or limitations to the argument.
So what is it?
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Exploring Limitations
A limitation is the boundary of an argument’s
validity.
No argument in academics is boundless, i.e.
true in all places, at all times, for all people.
When you explore the limitations of an
argument, you are showing how it isn’t true in
all places/times using examples and logic.
So what is it?
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Let’s begin with Tannen.
Recall how we used the idea of “marked” as a
lens!
Each details means
something about the person.
There is no “norm”.
How someone uses language
– correctly or not, with certain
idioms, certain accents –
marks a person.
An invisible disability is one
that is not obvious to others.
Their needs (because
invisible) mark them.
Women Language Use Invisible Disability
Using an Idea as a Lens
The concept of marked
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In a racially homogenous
environment, all men have the
option of being unmarked,
but if one person is black and
others are white….
How someone uses language
– correctly or not, with certain
idioms, certain accents –
marks a person regardless of
sex.
A man in a wheelchair, using
a cane, or needing any help is
judged by others.
In fact, it might even be
worse for men.
Race Language Use Disability
Exploring Limitations
Men have the option of being unmarked.
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The assumption that new kinds of
thinking (ala Carr) are artificial?
The idea that the wealth gap is as
bad in the US as elsewhere?
Limitations on the similarities
between rural and urban
communities?
What limits
will you
explore?
See you there!
Next time: The Anatomy of a Response
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