CRITICAL READING & ACADEMIC REGISTER

IN- CLASS ACTIVITY: GOING TO THE DOGS

“GOING TO THE DOGS” In groups of four, create an advertising campaign for a new “pet product” soon to be released into the pet industry. This product could be food-related or accessory –related—whatever! The more extravagant, the better. Make it a tough sell. Your group must decide on 1.) your intended audience 2.) your intended publication (where the ad will run) 3.) a strategic plan for how you plan to sell your product to the public and 4.) a slogan. Central to all of these questions will be your register. Which register are you aiming for?

CRITICAL READING

“CRITICAL READING” Successful college writers are: sophisticated, skeptical, active, reflective. Reflective readers “believe that the meaning of text resides in the interaction between the reader and the words.” Passive vs. Active Readers

WRONG VS. RIGHT Wrong Unreflective Meaning in words themselves Text is unchanged for all readers Text is truth Right Reflective Meaning in interaction Text dependent on reading Text is testing ground for ideas, skepticism Reading id dynamic, fluid

STARTING POINT When you examine a text, begin by asking yourself: What are my beliefs about the issues addressed in the reading? How open am I to new ideas on this topic? When I feel my own biases emerging, I ask myself, “What fact/figure/anecdote/ condition would persuade my to think different?” Ex: “I’m against animal testing, but if my child was ill and an animal might help in finding a vaccine, would I still be against it?”

ACTIVE READINGS MEANS… Considering the: Audience Purpose Content Organization Sources Graphics

THE IMPORTANCE OF AUDIENCE “…an author’s sense of audience will greatly affect, among other things, the language she uses, the material she uses, and the organizational strategy she employs.” Five star restaurant vs. McDonalds Mad Magazine vs. The New Yorker Teaching about Christopher Columbus to first graders vs. college students.

WHO IS THE PRIMARY AUDIENCE?

AUDIENCE Given what we know about the aforementioned movies, who can we suspect is the primary audience? Do these films have an audience overlap? Why or why not? How do these movie posters appeal to different audiences?

IN-CLASS WRITING: AUDIENCE Why does a story you read in high school have new meaning when you read it in college. The words haven't changed. What has?

THE WORDS DON’T CHANGE, YOU DO ShrekOh, The Place You’ll Go

“USDA CRACKS DOWN ON INTERNET PET SALES…” In groups of 3, apply your critical reading skills to this short article. Turn to page 20 and focus on a few of the questions from each section.

IN SHORT… The text will meet you halfway but no more. You are required to reach out and grab it.

ACADEMIC REGISTER

AN INTRODUCTION TO REGISTER

ACADEMIC REGISTER What is the academic register? A “register” is a variety of language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting. Academic discourse is not natural; it must be learned. For some people, their primary register is—by chance—somewhat like academic discourse, usually making it easier for them to learn it. Academic writers must learn to shift and negotiate various registers (rhetorical dexterity). Remember, the register shifts dependent on your audience and rhetorical situation. Can you think of an example in which you switched your register?

EXAMPLES OF REGISTERS Academic “A 1999 study released from the Harvard Institute of Animal Studies reported that 61% of pet owners believe their dogs pose no threat to cats…” Informal

HOW REGISTER EFFECTS RHETORIC To put it in animal terms, every dog has his day. That is, there is a time and place for everything. No xylophone note is any better or worse than any other. However, your ability to understand which register you’re working within will dramatically improve your ability to employ rhetoric effectively. For this class, each segment will conclude with a paper or project to be written or produced within the academic register.

KEY & PEELE ON REGISTER Clip

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO REGISTER Given my register, should I… Employ humor? First person? Pathos? Personal anecdotes? Blog posts as evidence?