Discussion 1
In this assignment you'll do a literalreading of the article you selected in 1-5. This first milestone is very low stakes. The goal here is to get your feet wet with the selected reading and react to it in a very straightforward, surface-level manner. This will be the first step of the critical analysis essay project you will complete this term. It gives you the opportunity to build a foundational interpretation of the article, which will allow you to expand on the analysis component in Module 3 this term.
As you read through the material, you'll take notes to help capture your reactions to the piece. Since you'll use these notes as a launching point to approach the reading in a deeper, more engaging manner in Module 3 (Writing Plan Draft), it's important to be as detailed as possible. Highlight specific lines, passages, or words that stick out to you, and explain how they have an impact on your interpretation of the piece. It is recommended that you print off your article so that you can take physical notes with a pen or pencil within the margins of the text-this is an active reading technique that is highly effective when analyzing a work (you will learn more about active reading in Module 2).
"Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan (2006)
Constructing Your Writing Notes
Now that you have read your piece and taken some preliminary notes, answer the following questions. Your responses to these questions will be combined into one document that will become the basis for your Writing Notes.
As you work on the Writing Notes, remember to refer to the assignment guidelines and rubric attach below.
Write at least three sentences in response to each question.
1. An author's purpose or goal is his or her reason for writing a work. Based on a literal reading of your selected article, what do you believe is the author's purpose? How did you arrive at that decision?
2. Key points* are pieces of evidence that support the author's purpose. In your selected article, what are three possible key points that support the author's purpose that you identified in Question 2? How do those key points support it?
3. An author's audience* is the people who are being addressed in the reading. Who do you believe is the audience in your selected article? What potential challenges does the author face when addressing his/her purpose with this demographic?
Discussion 2
Read over your peers' posts and respond to two of them with at least one fully developed paragraph (5-8 sentences in length) for each response. What is your reaction to the way they made sense of something in their life? Would you have done the same thing, or would you have approached it differently? Why or why not? Remember, your approach can be completely different from your peer's approach, as you can bring your own unique perspectives and life experiences to the situation.