Reading Rhetorically

Offering concise yet thorough treatment of academic reading and writing in college, Reading Rhetorically, 4th.ed., shows students how to analyze texts by recognizing rhetorical strategies and genre conventions, and how to incorporate other writers’ texts into their own research-based papers.

Four important features of this text:

1. Its emphasis on academic writing as a process in which writers engage with other texts

2. Its emphasis on reading as an interactive process of composing meaning

3. Its treatment rhetorical analysis as both an academic genre that sharpens students' reading acuity and as a tool for academic research

4. Its analytical framework for understanding and critiquing how visual texts interact with verbal texts

This brief rhetoric teaches students how to see texts positioned in a conversation with other texts, how to recognize a text's rhetorical aims and persuasive strategies, and how to analyze texts for both content and method.

Contents

Chapter 1  

Reading to Write: Strategies for College Writing

What Do We Mean by “Reading Rhetorically”?

The Demands and Pleasures of Academic Reading

Reading and Writing as Conversation

            Joining the Conversation

            For Writing and Discussion

Reading and Writing as Acts of Composing

Reading Rhetorically as a Strategy for Academic Writing

            The Purposes of the Author Whose Text You Are Reading

            Your Own Purposes as an Active Reader/Writer

            Questions Rhetorical Readers Ask

            For Writing and Discussion

            An Extended Example: Researching the Promise of Biofuels

Chapter Summary

Chapter 2

Analyzing Your Reading and Writing Context

Rhetorical Context: Purpose, Audience, and Genre

            Analyzing an Author’s Purpose

            FWD on Table 2.1

            Identifying an Author’s Intended Audience

            Analyzing a Text’s Genre

            For Writing and Discussion

Analyzing Your Own Rhetorical Context as Reader/Writer

            Determining Your Purpose, Audience, and Genre

            Matching Your Reading Strategies to Your Purpose as Reader/Writer

How Expert Readers Use Rhetorical Knowledge to Read Efficiently

            Using Genre Knowledge to Read Efficiently     

            Using a Text’s Social/Historical Context to Make Predictions and Ask Questions

Typical Reading-Based Writing Assignments Across the Curriculum

            Writing to Understand Course Content More Fully

                        In-Class Freewriting

                        Reading or Learning Logs

                        Double-Entry Journals

                        Short Thought Pieces or Postings to a Discussion Board

            Writing to Report Your Understanding of What a Text Says

            Writing to Practice the Conventions of a Particular Type of Text

            Writing to Make Claims About a Text

            Writing to Extend the Conversation

Chapter Summary

Chapter 3

Listening to a Text

Writing as You Read

Preparing to Read

            Recalling Background Knowledge

            Using Visual Elements to Plan and Predict

            Spot Reading

                        An Extended Example: Spot Reading in Kirk Savage’s Monument Wars

Listening As You Read Initially

            Noting Organizational Signals

            Marking Unfamiliar Terms and References

            Identifying Points of Difficulty

            Annotating

Connecting the Visual to the Verbal

            Visuals That Enhance Verbal Content

            Visuals That Support Verbal Content

            Visuals That Extend Verbal Content

            For Writing and Discussion

Listening as You Reread

            Listening As You Reread

            Mapping the Idea Structure

            Describing What Verbal Texts Say and Do

            For Writing and Discussion

            Describing What Visual Texts Do

Writing About How Texts Work: Guidelines and Two Examples

            How Summaries Are Used in Academic and Workplace Settings

            Guidelines for Writing a Summary

                        Jaime’s Process Notes for Summarizing “Chew on This”

                        Sample Summary with Attributive Tags

            Guidelines for Writing a Rhetorical Précis

                        Jaime’s Rhetorical Précis

A Brief Writing Project

Chapter Summary

            Kirk Savage, The Conscience of the Nation

Chapter 4

Questioning a Text

What It Means to Question a Text

Examining a Writer’s Credibility and Appeals to Ethos

            For Writing and Discussion

Examining a Writer’s Appeals to Reason or Logos

            Reasons

            Evidence

            Assumptions

            For Writing and Discussion

Examining a Writer’s Strategies for Engaging Readers, or Pathos

            For Writing and Discussion

Examining a Writer’s Language

            For Writing and Discussion

Examining a Text’s Ideology

            For Writing and Discussion

Examining a Text’s Use of Visual Elements

            Visual Elements and Ethical Appeals

            Visual Elements and Logical Appeals

            Visual Elements and Audience Appeals

            Visual Arguments

Exploring Your Responses to a Text

            Before/After Reflections

            The Believing and Doubting Game

            Interviewing the Author

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis Paper: Guidelines and an Example

            Guidelines for Writing a Rhetorical Analysis

            An Annotated Rhetorical Analysis of “A Lifesaving Checklist”

Chapter Summary

            Atul Gawande, “A Lifesaving Checklist”

Chapter 5

Using Rhetorical Reading for Researched Writing

Rhetorical Reading and Information Literacy

Formulating and Analyzing Questions

            Establishing Your Purpose

            Using Question Analysis to Plan a Research Strategy

Tips for Finding Reliable Sources

            Tip #1. Preferred Sources Have Undergone Solid Editorial Review and Fact-Checking

                        Library Databases and Web Search Engines

            Tip #2. Specialized Periodicals for General Audiences Can Be Very Useful

            Tip #3. Weigh Questions About Relevance

            Tip #4. Ask a Librarian

Tips for Evaluating Sources

            Tip #5. Read the Abstracts and Discussion Sections of Scholarly Articles

            Tip #6. Examine a Text’s Currency and Scope

            Tip #7. Check Authors’ and Experts’ Basis of Authority

            Tip #8. Consider the Reputation of Publishers and Sponsors

Chapter Summary

Chapter 6

Making Knowledge: Incorporating Reading into Writing

Asserting Your Authority as a Reader and Writer

Managing Your Writing Process

            Strategies for Getting Started

            Strategies for Generating Ideas

            Strategies for Writing a First Draft

            Strategies for Evaluating Your Draft for Revision

            Strategies for Peer Response and Revision

            Strategies for Editing and Polishing Your Final Draft

Integrating Material from Readings into Your Writing

            Using Summary

            Using Paraphrase

            Using Direct Quotation

            Avoiding Plagiarism

Using Attributive Tags to Frame Sources Rhetorically

Using Parenthetical Citations

            Understanding Academic Citation Conventions

Chapter Summary

Incorporating Reading into Writing: An Example in MLA Format

Appendix

Building an MLA Citation

Formatting MLA In-Text Citations

            Quick Guidelines for Placement and Content

            Variations

Setting Up an MLA Works Cited List

            The Basics

            Process Advice

Model MLA Citation Formats

            Citation Models for in Periodicals

            Citation Models for Books and Other Nonperiodical Print Sources

            Citation Models for Web Sources

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