Academic Writing - Cengage



Academic Writing

Analyzing an Essay

Read an essay approved by your instructor, and choose one or more elements of that essay to explore deeper in an analysis paper. For example, you may choose to focus on the structure of the essay, the descriptions used, the point-of-view of the narrator, or some other element.

Write an analytical essay about how that element of the essay contributes to the essay as a whole. Remember that analysis requires dissecting something large into its constituent pieces to explore how each of those pieces helps to make the whole what it is. How does the element -- or how do the elements -- you have studied help to make the essay what it is?

Learning Objectives

• To practice reading alternative texts

• To develop analytical skills

• To focus scope and to expand on complex ideas

Interpreting a Poem

Read through several poems in literary quarterlies or poetry collections at the library. Select one you would like to write about, and have the poem approved by your instructor.

Write an essay in which you present your interpretation of the poem. You will need to explain in your own words the meaning of the poem. You may need to paraphrase the poem -- translating the "story" of the poem into everyday language. Then, look at the literary elements at work in the poem, and select one or more to discuss. These elements may include the following: diction, imagery, symbolism, structure, aural elements (remember to read the poem aloud), and metaphors.

Your interpretation will need to address these two questions:

• What is the point of the poem?

• How do the literary elements you've chosen to write about contribute to the point of the poem?

Learning Objectives

• To practice reading and analyzing poetry

• To think about the elements of poetry

• To learn to discuss poetic language in common terms

Interpreting a Short Story

Read through several literary quarterlies or short story collections at the library. (Ask a librarian for help if you have trouble finding one.) Select one short story you would like to write about, and have it approved by your instructor.

Write several paragraphs that discuss the perspective from which the story is told. Who is the narrator? Is he or she reliable? What are his or her biases and goals? How does his or her point of view alter your reading?

After you have answered these questions, imagine that the story was narrated by a different character. Write an analysis of the short story that describes how the answers to these questions would differ if it were told from another character's perspective. Address how the change might affect the short story's plot, setting, style, tone, and theme. Based on this exercise, explain why the short story's author selected a particular narrator and point of view.

Learning Objectives

• To consider point of view and perspective

• To explore how changes might alter the structure and meaning of a text

Writing for Essay Exams

To prepare for an essay exam, you should practice the skill of timed writing. You will need to consider basic structure, organization, and prewriting in order to be effective in an essay exam.

Select a reading in your course's reader, read it, and assign yourself one of the questions that follows that reading. Approach it as if it were a question on an in-class exam. Assign yourself 15-45 minutes, depending on the complexity of the question, before beginning your writing. Start a timer and begin writing.

First, make sure you understand the question by paraphrasing it in statement form at the top of your page. Also, decide what kind of essay the question calls for -- analytical, narrative, or expository. Now, develop an outline. Consider about three major points to explain your stance, and jot down support for each. Then, write a simple five-paragraph essay to cover each of your major points with support and to cover a straightforward introduction and conclusion.

When your time is up, write a brief appraisal of your effort. How did you do? What would you do differently next time? What elements of writing-under-pressure do you need to work on?

Learning Objectives

• To practice timed writing

• To strengthen organizational skills

• To practice effective prewriting

• To practice fitting writing style to writing purpose

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