Thursday 9/22: Introduction to Critical Reading

Read or view before class:

• Tim O’Brien, “How to Tell a True War Story," The Things They Carried (you have the book). If your book hasn't arrived yet, you'll find the PDF here.

• Watch Chimamanda Adichie's talk, "The Danger of a Single Story"

• The "Reading With a Critical Eye" handout, below.

Zoom invitation for class at 6pm is here.

• If you are prompted for a passcode, it is 077892.

Want to watch or listen to the recording of the class? Go here.

Prepare or organize before class:

• In O’Brien’s chapter, there is a focus on what a war story is as seen in lines like these: “True war stories do not generalize;” “A true war story is never moral;” “In war you lose your sense of the definite, hence your sense of truth itself...in a true war story nothing is ever absolutely true.” See if you can find more statements like these. There are many more statements about “truth” and “war.” Think about these questions: what are the characteristics of a true war story? What does “truth” mean in the context of a war story?

• What do O'Brien and Adichie have to say about stories and different perspectives? Think of a few specific examples or lines from them, to support your answer. No need to write anything -- just jot down a few notes, so we can talk about it in class.

Hi all,

I've attached the questions we will use for group discussion in class. You may want to print these out or have them open on your desktop for class. There is a word document file and a PDF file. Use whichever works for you. Looking forward to seeing you Thursday night.

Jonas

2. Handout: summary vs. analysis

What is a summary? A summary is a condensed version of a written passage that you have put into your own words. It should contain the main ideas and most important points of the original and those should be attributed to the original's author.

Summaries:

• Are usually shorter than the original version;

• Take a wider look at the source material;

• Are used in college essays and papers to refer to work that leads up to or builds on your own;

• Are woven with paraphrases and quotes in the writing of college essays and papers.

What is an analysis? A written analysis takes a critical look at what you have read. It includes your opinion – how you feel about what is being said -- and it comments on the content.

Before writing an analysis, ask yourself:

• What is my opinion?

• Is this good or bad?

• Will this work or fail?

• Does it make sense?

• What can I suggest about it?

• Am I surprised?

What are the main differences between a summary and an analysis? In a summary, viewpoints are not included; the focus is on the main ideas of the original version. An analysis usually restates the main points, but only so you can refer to them when discussing your opinion of what is said. Most importantly, writing an analysis involves critical thinking and critical reading, and requires that you tell your reader what your impressions are of what you have read.

Both summaries and analyses should be:

• Accurate – When referring to the original version, be precise about the facts.

• Complete – Readers should only need to refer to the original version to gain more detail, not the major ideas of the piece.

• Readable – Your writing should flow and be easy to follow.

• Concise – It is important to be informative, but short and to the point.