Journal 12: Reflection on Writing so far Students will be metacognitive about their own writing. Students will be able to improve their thesis writing and analysis. Students will be able to apply writing lessons across disciplines.

Reflection on Outlines: Scores What’s your reaction to your writing feedback and score? How did writing the characterization paragraph go?

Reflection on Outlines: Scores Scores ranged from 44.5% to 96%. The average score was 78.45%, or a 15.69 out of 20. The most common mistake was not having a literary device mentioned anywhere in the outline. Did you?

Reflection on Outlines: Thesis Not enough of you mentioned literary devices or had actual arguments. Saying that Sandra Cisneros uses figurative language is not enough to be an argument… WHAT effect does that figurative language represent? Many of you were vague about your SO WHAT. “sex/sexuality” is NOT a theme statement.

Thesis HOW: HOW does the author? WHAT: WHAT effect does it do? -clear & specific details WHAT: WHAT effect does it do? -claim/argument SO WHAT: Why does it matter? -so what? The order is somewhat interchangeable, and many of you structured your thesis statements HOW-SO WHAT-WHAT effectively: “In The House on Mango Street author Sandra Cisneros develops a theme statement that any women get sexualized more and more as they become older through the use of figurative language” How can this example be improved?

Reflection on Outlines: Thesis Best Thesis: Using stories about the development of sexuality in a girl’s life and having symbols representing aspects of puberty, Sandra Cisneros is able to develop the theme statement that sex is not the most important part of maturing, as girls in the book are shown to be too immature to handle such relationships. How does this thesis avoid the common mistakes?

Reflection on Outlines: Thesis Best Thesis: Using stories about the development of sexuality in a girl’s life and having symbols represent aspects of puberty, Sandra Cisneros is able to develop the theme statement that sex is not the most important part of maturing, as girls in the book are shown to be to immature to handle such relationships. HOW: HOW does the author? -clear & specific details WHAT: WHAT effect does it do? -claim/argument SO WHAT: Why does it matter? -so what?

Reflection on Outlines: Thesis What feedback did you get on your thesis statement? What mistakes did you make? What did you do well? Look at your characterization paragraph… did you make any of these mistakes in your thesis?

Reflection on Outlines: Evidence Decent, nothing to focus on here in LA at the moment. Make sure if your thesis includes literary devices or techniques that your evidence demonstrates this.

Reflection on Outlines: Analysis Plot summary is not analysis. You can almost always be less vague and go deeper. Really hit on why your evidence relates to your SO WHAT or why it matters.

Reflection on Outlines: Analysis Some of you introduced analysis really well: “By using figurative language like similes, Cisneros…” “The simile allows the cat-calling to be more noticeable and alarming” “This illustrates how society sexualizes women by…” “The meaning of the word ‘dangerous’ shows…” “This is connected to earlier in the novel…” “Cisneros creates the feeling of sadness here by…” What do you notice about these introductions? Come up with 3 claims about introducing analysis with your table. Where did you best introduce analysis?

Thesis Evidence Analysis All of these components work together Thesis Evidence Analysis All of these components work together. A bad thesis leads to bad analysis. HOW: HOW does the author? -clear & specific details WHAT: WHAT effect does it do? -claim/argument SO WHAT: Why does it matter? -so what? Evidence: Evidence should demonstrate WHAT you are arguing about (Symbolism, etc.) and lead to you showing WHAT effect it creates. Analysis: Analysis should show HOW you are arguing is WHAT you say it is and explain the WHAT it does. Additionally you need to explain the SO WHAT. None of this comes from the text.

 “HOW” (Clear & Specific)  “WHAT” (Arguable Claim) Body Paragraphs: Thesis Statements: Evidence   “HOW” (Clear & Specific)   “WHAT” (Arguable Claim) Analysis   “SO WHAT” Emphasize a point

Smith says analysis is… ONLY IF UNCLEAR: explain what it means in context to narrative. Elaboration Interpret evidence’s deeper meaning From literal/narrative to figurative or analytical meanings Explain your citation’s relation to the claim How is your evidence an example of your arguable claim? Justify its value and relevance to your point Make a ‘leap’ in explaining: Connections Conclusions cause and effect literary term Explain the connection of evidence to thesis’ “so what” ANALYSIS IS FROM YOUR BRAIN– not things explicitly said in the text.

Reflection on Outlines: Analysis Around the room are 5 analysis rubrics. Look carefully at your feedback on analysis and your score on the rubric and then find one and write the feedback you got that matches with that category as best as possible.

Now spend some time editing your characterization paragraph 