Analyzing Metacommentary
(Questions are taken from pages 139-140 of the textbook)
Choose an article from the “Readings” section of the book (hint: choose from a topic you may want to expand on for your essay assignments). Using the templates on pages 137-139 as your guide, annotated to indicate the different ways the author uses metacommentary.
Recommended Annotations:
- circle transitional phrases and write “trans” in the margins
- to put brackets around sentences that elaborate on earlier sentences and mark them “e-lab”
- underline sentences in which the author sums up what he or she has been saying and write “sum” in the margins
Then answer the following questions in the numbered format:
- How does the author use metacommentary?
- Does the author follow any of the templates provided in this book word for word?
- Did you find any forms of metacommentary not discussed in this chapter?
- If so, can you identify them, name them, and perhaps devise templates based on them for use in your own writing?
- How do you think the author’s use of metacommentary enhances (or harms) his or her writing?
Requirements
- Complete the assignment and submit a PDF or .jpeg document of your annotations; submitting a screenshot or scan of the text is also permissible
- Students will be graded on content (40%), organization (35%), and grammar and mechanics (25%). It is most important to address the question completely