Reading Rhetorically Lesson #5

Writing Tip of the Day – Commas A majority of punctuation mistakes involve commas. Easiest way to understand commas: Learn to distinguish between independent and dependent clauses.

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand on its own as a sentence because it has a subject and a verb and represents a complete thought. Example: Jared got to eat the last piece of cake. A dependent clause lacks a subject or a verb and must rely on the rest of the sentence. Example: Jared got to eat the last piece of cake, which isn’t entirely fair.

Use a comma to separate two independent clauses from each other if they are separated by a conjunction (and, but, or, so). The Seahawks may have lost this last game, but they will eventually win the Super Bowl.

Use a comma to separate an introductory clause (a dependent clause that introduces the sentence). Although we wanted to see a movie, Jane’s car wouldn’t start. Generally, eating a pot full of beans before a job interview is a bad idea.

Always use the Oxford comma for a list of more than two items. When you go to the store, could you please get some milk, eggs, bread, and butter?

More Tips for Analyzing and Annotating DON’T highlight or underline everything; only the most important parts or sentences you would like to quote in a paper. Dog-ear or bookmark important pages with a sticky note. Go back and reread key sections. Look up the meaning of words you don’t understand and write the definitions in the margin nearby. If it helps, read the text out loud.

Freewriting Exercise What is the main argument of Nicholas Carr’s “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Do you agree with his main claim? What makes it effective or ineffective?

Let’s answer the real question:

Rhetorical Analysis Separating out the parts of an argument to better understand how the argument works as a whole. Also involves analyzing an author’s language to determine why the author wrote the way he or she did and how that impacts the audience

Reading Rhetorically Identify the situation Identify the writer’s purpose Identify the writer’s claims Identify the writer’s audience Identify notable patterns in the writer’s language

Remember: A claim is an assertion of fact or belief that needs to be supported with evidence, or information that backs up a claim. The main claim is the author’s thesis, which summarizes the writer’s position on an issue and answers any questions that the author brings up.

Identifying Various Types of Claims Does the argument assert that a problem or condition has existed, already exist, or will exist? If so, it’s a claim of fact. Does the argument evaluate a problem or the problem’s conditions that have existed, already exist, or will exist. If so, it’s a claim of value. Does the argument call for a change or action of some kind? If so it’s a claim of policy.

Homework Read pg. 198 – 203 on analyzing arguments Then read Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and the Black Panther Party’s “Ten Point Plan” Determine what the arguments for each piece are and how they are similar or different