Reading Analysis 3: I Love Yous

Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentations 4 & 5

on I Love Yous Are for White People

Sign-up for one set of chapters for Weeks 4-5 and one set of chapters for Weeks 5-6. Make a note of the chapter numbers and presentation dates that you sign up for below.

Reading analysis 4 chapters: ________________________  Presentation date: _________________

Reading analysis 5 chapters: ________________________  Presentation date: _________________

This assignment is worth 40 points – to receive credit, you must participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded. To receive credit for your analysis, you must upload it to Canvas (Turnitin.com) before class on the day you present. Be sure to bring an electronic or paper copy of your analysis to class so you can refer to it while you are presenting. 

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the chapter numbers you are covering. Answer the following questions. Please number and/or label your answers.

1.     Write a brief summary of each chapter. Expect to summarize each chapter in about one double-spaced page. Cover all the main events, not just what’s in the first two pages! While you should not attempt to include all the details, your summary should be written with enough clarity and specificity that someone who had not done the reading could understand what the chapters were about just by reading your summary. Your summary of all your chapters should not exceed three typed double-spaced pages. (15 points)

2.     What Vietnamese beliefs or cultural practices are referenced or discussed in these chapters? (5 points)

3.     What conflicts occur in these chapters? Are these conflicts external (between people or a person and an outside force) or internal (within a single person)? How are the conflicts demonstrated? Are they resolved? (5 points)

4.     Describe the relationship between the narrator and his father and track changes in the relationship that occur in your chapters. (5 points)

5.     Explain a significant quote. Choose a sentence or two from these chapters that you find especially meaningful. Explain why you think it is significant. (5 points)

6.     Comment on the persuasiveness and/or content of the chapters. Feel free to express your personal response and/or to relate the reading to your personal experiences. (5 points)

Reading Analysis 2 (City of Thieves)

Guidelines for Reading Analysis – City of Thieves by David Benioff

Sign-up for a set of chapters from City of Thieves. Be sure to make a note of the presentation date and chapter numbers you signed up for.

_______________________________                                  _____________________________

Chapter and page numbers                                                      Presentation date

           

Read the chapters you will be analyzing carefully. If possible, read them twice. You will be presenting your analysis in class along with two to four of your classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the chapters you are covering, so please be prepared!

To prepare your written analysis, answer the questions below for the chapters you are covering.

You may submit your analysis typed or neatly handwritten. Please double-space!

1.     Summarize the plot – the events that occur in your chapters. Keep your summary brief – two-pages maximum (double-spaced)! (15 points)

2.     Throughout the novel, Lev reveals more and more about his family and his past. What do we learn about Lev’s family and past life in these chapters. How do Lev’s past experiences explain or impact his thinking and behavior in these chapters? (5 points)

3.     In this novel, the characters are dealing with shockingly harsh conditions because of the siege of the city and the war in general. Sometimes these conditions lead to behavior that would be unthinkable in times of relative peace and prosperity such as our own. Identify and explain a few wartime conditions and practices that are depicted and/or referenced in this section. (5 points)

4.    Under normal circumstances, Soviet society and the operations of the Soviet government are very different from what we are accustomed to in the U.S. Sometimes the book explicitly discusses these differences and sometimes we can only infer the. Based on your reading of these chapters, identify a few ways that Soviet society and/or the Soviet government differ from American society and the American government. (5 points)

5.    What are the themes (the central idea or ideas) that the chapters explore? Remember, a theme is more than a topic (e.g. love, death, family, etc.). Think of a theme as a general observation or truth that is revealed about a topic, such as “Love makes us behave irrationally.” Briefly explain how each theme is realized (1-2 sentences per theme). (5 points)

6.    Choose a significant quote. Explain what you think it means and why you think it is significant. (5 points)

This assignment (written analysis + presentation) is worth 40 points, with a 5-point bonus for those who present their analyses on the first day. You will be graded primarily on the quality of your written analysis, although outstanding presentations will be rewarded. You will not be penalized for giving a poor presentation, but you must present your analysis! No written analyses will be accepted without a presentation. If you are absent or unprepared on the day your presentation is scheduled, you will receive a zero for the assignment with no possibility of making it up.

Reading Analysis 1

Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentations 1

Sign-up for one reading during Week 1 and one reading during Week 2. Make a note of the article titles and presentation dates that you sign up for below.

Reading analysis 1 article: __________________________   Presentation date: _______________

Reading analysis 2 article: __________________________   Presentation date: _______________

You will be presenting your analysis in class along with two to five of your classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!

This assignment is worth 40 points – to receive credit, you must participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded.

Before you begin your work, examine the Evaluating Arguments handout.

Read the article you will be analyzing carefully. If possible, read it twice. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the piece. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer constructs his or her argument. You will probably want to mark up your text and/or take notes.

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the author’s name and the title of the article. Answer the following questions. Put your answers in outline form (see sample analysis on the reverse side of this sheet).

1.     What is the central claim (or thesis) of the selection? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that your claim should cover the whole article. (12 points)

2.     Is the central claim expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright. (2 points)

3.     What reasons link the evidence to the claim? In other words, why does the evidence support the claim? Reasons may be presented explicitly or implied. (8 points)

4.     What evidence does the writer present to support his or her claim? Specify and categorize the evidence (e.g. examples, personal experiences, analogy, authoritative opinion, facts, statistical data, cause-effect reasoning, results of scientific experiments, comparison, interviews, etc. – see sample on back). Do not answer this question with detailed quotes or paraphrases from the article! For additional guidance, see the table of Kinds of Evidence on pp. 91-4 of your textbook Writing Arguments. (10 points)

5.     Comment briefly on the persuasiveness of the article by answering one or more of the following questions.  (5 points)

·       Is the argument convincing? Does it rely on emotional, ethical, and/or logical appeals?

·       Are there flaws in the reasoning of the argument? Does it rely on questionable sources?

·       Does understanding the argument require knowledge of the historical or cultural context in which it was written?

·       How do the style, organization, and/or tone contribute or detract from the persuasiveness of the argument?

·       What is your personal reaction to the article?

6.     Write one discussion question to ask the class about the article. The best questions will stimulate interesting discussion about the issues raised in the article. You may also ask questions that “test” your classmates’ recall and understanding of the article. (3 points)