Reading Guide: Unit 1

Name*
First Last
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Time*

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Minutes

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Email*
What is the name of the chapter or the reading that you're using this guide to complete?*
Who is the author of this chapter?*
What is your most comfortable / familiar language?*
- English
- A language other than English
- I am about equally comfortable in both English and another language
Do a little bit of research on this author, or read their bio at the end of the chapter. Using YOUR OWN WORDS, why is (or isn't) this author a good authority on this topic? If you copy / paste anything directly from the internet or from the chapter, make sure to cite it here.*
Before reading the chapter, read the title and any subheadings in it. Based on the title and the subheadings, what do you predict that this chapter is about? Remember: every title in BIAW is an idea that the author thinks is a BAD idea about writing, so if the title is "Official American English Is Best," this is the OPPOSITE of what the author will be arguing.*
Read the first paragraph and the final paragraph of this piece. Briefly summarize what these two (or so) paragraphs say below.*
So far, are your predictions about what this piece is about correct or not? What do you think that the major claims of this chapter might be based on what you've seen so far?*
Now, read the whole piece. Pause after you read each paragraph and imagine that you are explaining what it said to your friend who hasn't read it. When you get to the end of the page, think about WHY the author wrote each of the paragraphs on it. Then give a very brief summary of each PAGE (not paragraph) of this piece. So, if your chapter is 5 pages, you'll have about 5 sentences in this box. Here's an example: "On the first page of "Texting Ruins Literacy Skills," Christopher Justice considers the history of when texting began and also what the "public backlash" to texting has included (308). He does this so that he can show that this myth is widespread and so he can later challenge it." Notice that when I used language from the text ("public backlash") I put it in quotation marks and put a page number citation at the end of the sentence. Please do the same.*
Now, read the whole piece. Pause after you read each paragraph to translate what it says into the language that is most familiar to you. When you get to the end of the page, think about WHY the author wrote each of the paragraphs on this page. Next, using the language that is most familiar to you, write out a summary of each PAGE (not paragraph) in the box below. And then, without looking back at the text, translate this sentence back into English. So, if your chapter is 5 pages long, you'll have about 10 sentences (one in your most comfortable language, and one in English) in this box. Here's an example: "On the first page of "Texting Ruins Literacy Skills," Christopher Justice considers the history of when texting began and also what the "public backlash" to texting has included (308). He does this so that he can show that this myth is widespread and so he can later challenge it." Notice that when I used language from the text ("public backlash") I put it in quotation marks and put a page number citation at the end of the sentence. Please do the same.*
Find at least one or two sentences that are confusing or not that clear to you and copy / paste them here.*
What made this / these sentence(s) that you copy / pasted above confusing to you? Was there an unfamiliar term or language? Something else? Be as specific as possible.*
Look up any unfamiliar words or terminology in the sentence(s) that you just copied and pasted. Then try rewriting these sentence(s) in words that are easier for you to understand. Don't worry about how "formal" or "informal" the langauge is.*
Look up any unfamiliar words or terminology in the sentence(s) that you just copied and pasted. Then try rewriting these sentence(s) in your most comfortable language in the box below. Translate the sentence(s) that you just wrote back into English without looking at the original text.*
Find at least one sentence that resonates with you (i.e. that you like or that makes sense to you) and copy / paste it here.*
What did you like about the sentence above?*
Make a personal connection to this piece (i.e. this could be something that reminded you of your own experiences with school / writing / learning that the author addressed, or something that you learned about in another class that reminded you of reading this, or anything else that shows how your experiences are connected in some what to what you read).*
Think of two questions that you have after reading this piece, and write them below. These can be questions that you have about the piece, questions about the topic that it addresses, discussion questions that you'd like to ask your peers, or questions inspired by this topic that could be used for further research.*
What kind of help, further resources, or feedback do you need in order to understand this piece and to be able to summarize it?*
Which requirements did you meet on this assignment? Check all that apply.*
- I completely filled out all of the boxes on this form to the best of my ability.
- If I used words from somewhere else (the chapter, the internet), I have cited them appropriately.
- I am turning this in by the deadline, or I asked for an extension that I have already been given.

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English 110: Spring 2023

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Reading Guide: Unit 1

Reading Guide: Unit 1

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