The Key...

When reading a text, it's often times hard to understand what is going on when just simply reading it. I don't always get the concepts of stories that are supposed to have a deeper meaning because I'm not very good at picking apart the story to see what it's really about, I like having somebody tell me what is going on, but that can't always be done. In order to fully comprehend what is being said you need to read it strategically and this can be done in many ways. First skim over the entire text to get the jest of it. After that write down a few questions and then read the entire text. Once it has been read, mark it up. Mark what makes sense, what doesn't, main characters, main plots, thesis statements, purpose, and anything else that will help you better understand it. Sometimes to get a better understanding writing ideas down that agree with the text and don't disagree with the text can help. When I read something I try to pick out and highlight or underline key concepts and phrases that I think are important and try to piece it all together. Also, summarizing the story in your own words can be beneficial. Analyze the entire text so nothing is missing because one little thing could be crucial. After all that has been done try to imagine the bigger picture in how the author wrote it to see if it makes sense now. If it does then you have been successful at strategically reading, but if not then go through it some more to pick out more details.

Editing and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading is not something that everybody does. I for one, rely on my computer's spell check to catch my mistakes and hope that they can catch them all. Once done with a paper I have written I will scan over it to see if the majority makes sense. I don't wanna take the time to get down to the nitty gritty because I'm just so happy that I finally finished the paper and I just want to be done with it. However, editing and proofreading your paper is a very important step and can sometimes be the downfall to getting a bad grade. Instead of skimming over the paper you need to focus on the details such as: spelling, punctuation, does everything make sense and relate to the main point, do all the verbs agree with each other, are there transitions, do the sentences start with the same word too many times, are the sentences varied, how is the tone, do the words used have the correct meaning, and so many more things to look for. But before you edit, you must proofread and reading over your paper slowly and precisely a couple times would be more sufficient than just once. If I would just proofread and edit every one of my papers, I would save my teachers' a lot of hassle, but I hate doing it; it is their job after all. The fact that I have finally completed the paper is such a relief and the last thing I want to do is read over it to find any mistakes and go back and change it.

The Importance of Assessing and Revising

When writing a paper it's very important to re-read it a couple times before you are sure that it's sufficient enough to turn in. Not only should you read it but also having somebody else read it would be a good idea so you can hear their input. When examining the text you need to decipher a few things such as: where the writing is the strongest, weakest, or if more needs to be added. A huge factor in writing a paper is the main point or focus. The thesis, beginning, middle, and end should all revolve around the focus of your paper. If you are reading through and it starts to go off on a tangent then it needs to be changed so everything flows smoothly and makes sense. Going along with your thesis you need to make sure that the body is agreeing with it. When revising some things to be considered would be the title, the attention grabber, thesis, arguments, organization and clarity. Grammar and spelling aren't the important parts of the paper, it's what is actually being said in it.

Outlines and Details

So many things go into any genre of writing. When writing a long and important essay, most would create an outline first to get all their ideas down before they start writing so they know roughly what their essay will look like. After the outline comes the draft and there is never a specific amount of drafts one can have, just as long as the final copy is perfected. When doing an outline you never write down a lot, just a few words here and there to remind you what it is you are writing. It never goes into great detail. However, when writing the actual essay the detail is a very important factor in writing a successful piece. Nobody wants to read something that is boring and only goes over the basics. We like to hear what, how, where, when, what it looked like, smelled like, and tasted like. It keeps the audience reading. Not all things need to be in detail but if you want the reader's attention going in depth is the way to do it. I like to feel like I'm actually there when reading something, it makes me feel connected and keeps me reading on because I want to know what is going to happen. The writer has to know what appeals to the certain audience they are writing for and put in the detail and dialogue that they think the reader will thoroughly enjoy.

Learning to Read and Write

When reading these narratives I got out of it what it's like learning to read and write from so many different people. Being born in the United States, I have been accustomed to speaking, reading, and writing in English, because it came natural to me. However, in these stories not all the people were from the United States. Some had trouble learning English because they weren't born native to the U.S. In the first story a Latina girl who migrated over to the U.S. took on English very quickly, because she knew that's what she needed to do in order to fit in. She didn't do it for solely for her education, but to gain acceptance from her peers. In the other stories, they learn to read and write, because it's something that you need to learn living in the United States. When I was little the first thing we learn is to speak, next is to read, then after that is to write. These are all essential to growing up in the United States and we are all taught at an early age. It's not something that is taken lightly either. Parents and teachers force it upon you, because the significance it has in society. You won't get anywhere if you don't know how to read, write, or speak English.

Writing for an Audience

"Do unto audiences as you would have them do unto you." Out of all the reading this quote is what really stood out to me. If you want your audience to respect and appreciate you then you should write as if you respect them. When I write a paper I don't use slang or jargon, I don't write about inappropriate things, and most of all I get to the point of the paper instead of going on tangents. After reading this section I realized that writing for a specific audience is a really important aspect and could make or break a writing. When I read something I want to be interested in it based on my beliefs and things that are important to me. Now when I write, not only do I need to cover all the necessary main points, but also write for my specific audience.

Along with writing to a specific audience being an important aspect, so is detail. Although, I am not always the best at giving great details, I really do try. Giving details is what makes a story especially if the audience is interested in what is being written. It's what gives depth and meaning to any sort of writing. I like to know what my teachers like and dislike about a paper so I can write my paper to their approval, and most teachers like a lot of detail. When writing a paper for a class I never write it for a friend, relative, or peer. I write for my teacher because they are my audience and they are the one giving me the grade. A lot goes into writing a paper but in my perspective detail and audience are key to writing a good paper.