Empoword

Part Two: Text Wrestling 198 ambivalent about his uncle, this clarity suggests that he is reflecting with a new and somber understanding. This might feel formulaic and forced at first, but following these steps will ensure that you give each piece of evidence thorough attention. Some teachers call this method a “quote sandwich” because you put your evidence between two slices of your own language and interpretation. For more on front-loading (readerly signposts or signal phrases), see the subsection titled “Readerly Signposts” in Chapter Nine. Activities Idea Generation: Close Reading Graphic Organizer The first time you read a text, you most likely will not magically stumble upon a unique, inspiring insight to pursue as a thesis. As discussed earlier in this section, close reading is an iterative process, which means that you must repeatedly encounter a text (reread, re-watch, re- listen, etc.) trying to challenge it, interrogate it, and gradually develop a working thesis. Very often, the best way to practice analysis is collaboratively, through discussion. Because other people will necessarily provide different perspectives through their unique interpretive positions, reading groups can help you grow your analysis. By discussing a text, you open yourself up to more nuanced and unanticipated interpretations influenced by your peers. Your teacher might ask you to work in small groups to complete the following graphic organizer in response to a certain text. (You can also complete this exercise independently, but it might not yield the same results.) "The Biology of Human Sex Differences" b y Reuben Strayer i s licensed unde r CC BY-SA 2.0