First Year Experience Novel for Fall 2012
California State University, Bakersfield
________________________________________________________________________
The House on Mango Street
By Sandra Cisneros
~Student Version~
Module Written by Darlene Stotler
Module Edited by Nora Traut
California State University, Bakersfield
Text:
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage, 1991. Print.
Reading Rhetorically
Prereading
Activity 1
Activity 1: Getting Ready to Read
This first activity will enable you to make a connection between
your personal world and the world of Cisneros by taking a virtual
tour of Chicago and your own neighborhood.
First, log on to www.zillow.com and view the city of Chicago.
From this Internet site, you can trace the various residential
locations of the Cisneros family. Locate the author’s various
homes: (1) 1525 N. Campbell St., (2) 1754 N. Keeler St., (3) 4832
W. Homer, and (4)1814 N. Paulina St. Other landmarks near
Sandra Cisneros’ homes include Humboldt Park and Lincoln Park
(before Linkin Park). After you have located these sites, look up
your address, or addresses where you reside, or have resided.
Then respond to the following questions. Be sure to write in
complete sentences.
1. Cisneros describes in detail the Chicago neighborhoods not
only where she lived, but also where her mother lived. For
example, she explains that the Pilsen neighborhood of south
Chicago where her mother grew up, and where Sandra
Cisneros currently teaches, is still a low-rent blighted area
with rats, trash, and sagging porches. What do these different
locations within the Chicago area reveal about Cisneros’ family
and their struggle to better themselves? Cisneros describes in
great detail in the introduction her apartment and her father’s
reaction to her living like a “hippie.” How does her father’s
attitude toward Cisneros wanting to live on her own add to the
father-daughter conflict?
2. How many times have you moved in your lifetime? How did
you feel each time you moved? Describe these homes and
reflect on each place you have lived: Reflect upon each home
you have lived in: picture your bedroom, the kitchen, the
living area; do any of these rooms contribute to your
personality or identity? For example, do you like to cook
because someone else in your family taught you how? Are you
an aspiring singer because you had a piano or a sound system
that was always playing music? Or, if you have never moved,
would you like to? Why or Why not?
Activity 2
Exploring Key Concepts
The following quote is from The House on Mango Street. Read the
quote and focus on the candid tone and figurative language. Then,
contemplate what you think the narrator is really saying. After
reading the quote, answer the questions that follow. Strive to find
your own writer’s “voice” and emotions, like Cisneros does, about
important concepts such as family dynamics through vocabulary
and tone. As you write, try to compare and contrast your family
situation with Esperanza’s.
“Nenny is too young to be my friend. She’s just my sister and that
was not my fault. You don’t pick your sisters, you just get them
and sometimes they come like Nenny.”
“And since she comes right after me, she is my responsibility.
Someday I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my
secrets to. One who will understand my jokes without my having
to explain them. Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an
anchor” (Cisneros 8-9).
According to these words, how does Esperanza feel about being
the big sister? Why does Esperanza have these kinds of feelings
toward Nenny? If you have younger siblings, do you have feelings
comparable to the ones Esperanza is expressing? Does your
family situation differ from Esperanza’s? How?
Activity 3
Surveying the Text
Surveying the text will give you an overview of what the book is
about and how the vignettes reveal what matters most to the
author. It will also reveal how each small chapter contributes to
the entire text. Answer the following questions to learn how to
survey a text effectively:
1. Who is the author of this book?
2. Where and when was this book published?
3. Scan the Contents. Can you see specific words that reflect
family and home?
4. How long are the chapters?
5. Find the title of the Introduction. Does this title appear again
in the Contents? After reading these identical titles, what do
you think each of these sections will be about?
Activity 4
Making Predictions and Asking Questions
Answer the following questions based on your survey of the text.
1. What do you think this text is going to be about?
2. What do you think is the purpose of this text?
3. Who is the intended audience for this piece?
4. Look at Cisneros’s title, The House on Mango Street. What do
you think her work will be about?
Share your inferences with a partner or in a small group.
Now read the first paragraph, looking closely at the last sentence:
“We didn’t always live on Mango Street. Before that we lived on
Loomis on the third floor, and before that we lived on Keeler.
Before Keeler it was Paulina, and before that I can’t remember.
But what I remember most is moving a lot. Each time it seemed
there’d be one more of us. By the time we got to Mango Street we
were six—Mama, Papa, Carlos, Kiki, my sister Nenny and me.
5. What do you think Cisneros is trying to reveal about her
narrator’s early childhood and family?
Now read the Introduction and answer the following questions:
6.
What kind of person is the author?
7. Why does Cisneros shift from using the first person pronoun
to the third person?
8. What do you think the author wants us to learn or do? How
did you come to this conclusion?
9. Do you think you can learn something from this book that can
be applied to your life? Why or why not?
Activity 5
Understanding Key Vocabulary
Word
Dictionary*
Your
Use the
Explain the
&
Definition
Definition
Word in a
Significance
Sentence
of the
Etymology
(*Encyclopedia
Example
For person’s
name)
Use the previous chart for these words found in The House on
Mango Street:
cumulus
Virginia Woolf
nimbus
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz
naphtha
Gloria Anzaldua
abuelito
Garcia Marquez
brazer
Gary Soto
babushka
PBS
hollyhocks
Yoshitoshi
Rip Van Winkle
Esperanza
“Hippie”
sector
“Drogas”
vigilante
savors
exacerbated
National Endowment for the Arts
excrement
Cherrie Moraga
ire
Malcolm X
“coyotes”
mija
repudiated
cumbia
Activity 6
Reading for Understanding
After you have read each chapter, devise two discussion questions
and two comments from each chapter (or group of assigned
chapters). Be prepared to share your questions and comments
with fellow students.
After the group has collectively completed the entire book, discuss
the following questions:
1. Which of your predictions turned out to be true?
2. What surprised you?
3. If your prediction was inaccurate, what in the text misled you?
4. What, if anything, is confusing to you?
The following metacognitive activities are also especially
effective at this stage. (See Appendix A for a brief explanation
of each of these questions.)
Activity 7A
Mapping the Organizational Structure
The chapter entitled “My Name” found on page 10 contains a
definitive structure with an introduction, flashback, and flash
forward. Draw a line where the chapter’s introduction ends and
annotate in the left margin the word “introduction.” Draw a line
where the flashback begins and then draw another line where the
flashback ends and label in the left margins the word “flashback.”
Finally, draw a line where the flash forward begins.
After you have drawn the lines within the text, discuss these
questions either as a class or in separate groups:
1.
Where did you locate the end of the chapter introduction?
How did you decide this was the introduction’s ending?
2. What key words indicated you had reached the flashback?
3. What signals indicate the narrator has shifted to a flash
forward?
Activity 7B
Descriptive Outlining
Draw a vertical line down the middle of your notebook paper.
Across the top, draw a horizontal line. Label the top left
column “Content: What Esperanza Is Saying,” and at the top
right column write, “Rhetorical Purpose: Why Cisneros Put It
There.” The left column will contain the words verbatim from
the text. In the right side column you will state why you think
Cisneros used the kinds of words that she did.
Content:
Rhetorical Purpose:
What Esperanza is Saying
Why Cisneros Put It There
“And the story goes she never
forgave him. She looked out the
window her whole life, the way
so many women sit their sadness
on an elbow” (Cisneros 11).
Perhaps Cisneros wants to stress
that the inner will of her great
grandmother was eventually
eclipsed by an abusive husband.
At the end of the chapter, describe the overall content and
purpose.
After this has been done, you may want to ask the following kinds
of questions:

What does each paragraph say? What is its content?

How does each paragraph affect the reader? What is the writer
trying to accomplish?

Which paragraph is the most developed?

Which paragraph is the least developed?

On the basis of your descriptive outline of the text, what do
you think is the main point? Is that point explicit or implicit?
Activity 7C
Drawing Conclusions from Structure
One of the most vital communication skills is the ability to take
written text and summarize in your own words a specific text’s
original meaning. Taking the chapter entitled “My Name” (or a
different chapter if you are working as a group and have been
assigned another chapter), summarize that chapter in a welldrafted paragraph. In composing a summary, you need to
consider the following questions:

How did the author order the chapter (Which event comes
first, in the middle, last?) What is the effect of this order on the
reader?

How has the structure of the chapter helped make the author’s
premise clear, convincing, and engaging?
See Appendix XX for additional strategies for considering the
structure of the text, such as clustering, webbing, and graphic
organizers.
Reading
Activity 8
Noticing Language
Here are some Spanish words and phrases from the text that may
or may not be unfamiliar to you. Some of these words you may
have seen before while others may seem new. Cisneros employs
the use of many Spanish terms and words to enable readers to get
a more accurate depiction of the Spanish culture. If you get stuck
on a word or phrase in the text, look to see if it is in the list below.
Return to the text to see what its meaning is based on the
definitions provided here or in the dictionary, or re-read the
sentence to discover any contextual clues that help you discover
the meaning. Find synonyms and related words to these terms to
help learn new words and to increase your Spanish vocabulary.

mija-Spanish term for the English word “daughter”

drogas-Spanish term for the English word “drugs”

frijoles-Spanish term for the English words “pinto beans”

esta muerto-Spanish phrase the English phrase “is dead”

mamasota-Spanish slang term for the English words “a
voluptuous woman”
Activity 9

Garcia Marquez―Columbian novelist, screenwriter who wrote
One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz―Seventeenth century nun who was
a self-taught scholar and poet

comadres-Spanish term for the English words “female friends”

cuando—Spanish term for the English word “when”

ha llamado—Spanish term for the English phrase “he called”

mamacita—Spanish slang term for English slang words “babe,”
or “chick”

Jorge Luis Borges—Twentieth century Argentinian writer of
short stories, essays, and poetry

tembleque---a coconut pudding dessert from Puerto Rico

abuelito—Spanish term for the English word “grandfather”

brazer—slang endearment for a male of Mexican descent who
wears tight jeans, drives a truck, loves his country
Annotating and Questioning the Text
Turn to page 84 of Cisneros’ book, the chapter entitled “Minerva
Writes Poems.” Draw a vertical line down the center of the
oversized piece of easel paper on the wall. On the left side, write
the following elements. Be sure to leave a few spaces between each
element. Then, after you have written the elements on the
oversized paper, write it in the left hand margin of your text. If
you cannot write on the text, use the Power Excerpt definition and
suggestion found on page 14 of this module in the “First Reading”
segment.
1. Then label these elements in the left-hand margin:





Introduction
Issue or problem being addressed
Author’s main arguments
Author’s examples
Conclusion
2. In the right-hand margin, note your reactions to what the
author is saying.
 Personal connections that support or refute the author’s
points



Reflections on the quality of the evidence or examples
Questions about the author’s ideas or assumptions
Challenges to the author’s inferences or conclusions
Finally, write your annotations on the oversized paper on the wall.
Then, you can look around the room and compare your labeling
and responses with the other notes around the room. You will
then draw from your own annotations or your classmates’
annotations from the oversized papers on the wall, and summarize
these annotations in your individual notebooks. Strive for
coherent and smooth sentences as you convert the notes from the
oversized papers on the wall into your own notebooks.
The following issues/elements should be included in the left-hand
margins:


Introduction

Issue or problem being addressed

Author’s main arguments

Author’s examples

Conclusion
The following issues/elements should be included in the right-hand
margins:

Personal connections that support or refute the author’s points

Reflections on the quality of the evidence or examples

Questions about the author’s ideas or assumptions

Challenges to the author’s/narrator’s inferences or conclusions
Activity 10
Analyzing Stylistic Choices
Form a learning group of three members. Either in a book or
online version of a dictionary, look up the term “simile.” Be sure
that you understand the importance of the two key words: “like,”
and “as” when you see these words in the definition. These two
words serve as the comparison words that link the two objects
being compared in a simile. Once you have mastered the
definition of “simile,” have each member of the group take three
pages (6, 17, 22, 70, 71, 76, 80, 90 & 103) from the text and locate
the simile on the page. Then, each group member will read aloud
the found simile so all members of the group can hear the rhythm
and language of a simile.
Once you have read aloud the similes to each other, re-read them
silently on your own. Highlight (if not possible to highlight the
text, and then make two columns on a sheet of paper. Label the
left column “First Object of Simile” and the right column “Second
Object of Simile.” If you are able to write directly on the book,
highlight in blue the first object of the simile, and highlight in pink
the second object of the simile. Whether you use the column
method with your own paper or the highlight method in the text
itself, you can see a pattern as to the kinds of objects being
compared in the similes. For example, “My papa’s hair is like a
broom.” Are there other members of the family/ neighbors she
addresses in her similes? What other objects/living things does
Cisneros use in her similes? List them.
Postreading
Activity 11A
Summarizing
Taking the annotations from the left-hand margins of the text on
pages 86-87, construct a summary using your knowledge of the
author’s content and structure. Be sure your summary is centered
on this chapter’s main idea. After you have written your summary,
highlight the chapter’s main idea.
Activity 11B:
Responding
In reference to the chapter entitled, “Bums in the Attic,” write down
on 3” by 5” index cards open-ended questions that focus on
Esperanza’s feelings about the Sunday drives. Then, turn your
cards in to your teacher, who will read a few select questions to the
class.
Activity 12
Thinking Critically
Questions about Logic (Logos)

What is Cisneros’ major theme and assertion made in this
reading? Do you agree with the author’s main ideas?

What evidence has the author supplied to support her claim?
How relevant and valid do you think the evidence is?

How has the author developed her ideas over the course of the
text?
Questions about the Writer (Ethos)

What can you infer about the author from the text?

Does this author have the appropriate background to speak with
authority on this subject?
Questions about Emotions (Pathos)

Does this piece affect you emotionally? Which parts?

Do you think the author is trying to manipulate the reader’s
emotions? In what ways? At what point?

Do your emotions conflict with your logical interpretation of
the arguments?

Does the author use humor or irony? How does that affect your
acceptance of her ideas?
Further Considerations
The rhetorical appeals of logos, ethos, and pathos form the basis of
rhetorical analysis in the ERWC. For additional methods of
rhetorical analysis, including further dimensions of argument, see
Appendix XX.
Reflecting on Your Reading Process
Activity 13
Answer the following questions:

What have you learned from joining this conversation? What
do you want to learn next?

What reading strategies did you use or learn in this module?
Which strategies will you use in reading other texts? How will
these strategies apply in other classes?

In what ways has your ability to read and discuss texts like this
one improved?
Connecting Reading to Writing:
Discovering What You Think
Activity 14:
Considering the Writing Task
Determine the rhetorical purpose of your upcoming writing assignment
by answering the following questions. Then, after you have answered
the questions, go to the prompts. You only have to write about one
prompt. Here are the questions that will help guide you before you
select one of the prompts:







Are you informing or reporting?
Are you going to try to persuade your readers of something?
What genre is this? Is it a letter, an essay, a report, an email or
something else?
What format will this have?
What are the reader expectations for this genre?
What is your rhetorical purpose?
What will you try to accomplish in your essay?
Now that you have had a chance to familiarize yourself with the kind of
essay you are going to write and the basic formatting of it, write an
essay on one of the following topics:
1. Cisneros poses this question in her introduction: “How can art make
a difference in the world?” (xviii). Do you think art does actually
make a difference in the world? Take a stance either for or against
this notion. You will need to gather evidence that supports your
claim and argue your point.
2. Cisneros addresses several serious issues regarding women: physical
abuse, sexual abuse, the lack of opportunities for advancement and
poverty. Select one of these issues, research it, and argue whether or
not the urban minority woman’s plight has improved since the
1970s.
3. “Drogas,” or drugs, were an issue in Chicago in the 1970s. Are they
still? Research what is being done to combat drugs in Chicago and
argue whether or not the fight against drugs in Chicago has been
effective.
Activity 15
Activity 16
Taking a Stance

What is the gist of your argument in one or two sentences? Turn
these sentences into a working thesis statement.

What would you say is your main claim at this point in time?

How do your ideas relate to what others have said?

What arguments or ideas are you responding to?

What evidence best supports your argument? What evidence might
you use in relation to what others say about your argument? How
does it support your argument?

What background information does the reader need to understand
your argument?

What will those who disagree with you have to say about your
argument? What evidence might they use to refute your ideas?

How did your views change during the reading? What factors caused
you to change? Could you use these factors to change someone else’s
views?
Trying on Words, Perspectives, and Ideas
Using the research you have gathered so far about the essay topic you
have selected, select a persona or perspective to represent. The
perspective could be based on the writers of the articles you have been
reading or sources quoted in them, but these questions and your answers
could also be based on other people you know or know of, such as a
teacher, a rock star, a movie actor, or the US President. Look at the
following questions and assign one of the aforementioned persons or
personae to answer each question. For example, let’s say you have
selected an article you are researching for your essay topic, fighting the
war on drugs. Using the author of this article, answer the following
questions from the author’s perspective:






Activity 17
What should we do about (begin with the topic here; in this case, the
topic is the war on drugs)?
Is (here, address the policy of the topic, the war on drugs) good or
bad?
What would (the author of your research, in this case the author of
an article on the war on drugs if that is the topic you’ve selected) say
about this?
How would (the author) answer this question?
What words would he or she use?
Tip: Use vocabulary from the articles in representing your adopted
position. Finally, state what you really think about this topic and
any policies driving your topic.
Gathering Evidence to Support your Claims
Select evidence to support your argument by returning to the readings,
your notes, your summaries, your annotations, your descriptive
outlining, and other responses in order to highlight information you may
use to support your claims and refute the claims of those who disagree.
Reflecting on the following questions will provide an opportunity for
you to evaluate your evidence and determine its relevance, specificity,
and appropriateness in relation to the rhetorical situation.

How closely does each piece of evidence relate to the claim it is
supposed to support?

Is each piece of evidence a fact or an opinion? Is it an example?

If the evidence is a fact, what kind of fact is it (statistic, experimental
result, quotation)?

If it is an opinion, what makes the opinion credible?

What makes this evidence persuasive?
How well will the evidence suit the audience and the rhetorical purpose
of the piece?
Activity 18
Getting Ready to Write
Using the notes and research you have already gathered, answer the
following questions by freewriting about them for ten minutes:



What is the exact issue:
Why is this issue important?
Why do people care about it?
How do you think the issue should be resolved?
Writing Rhetorically:
Entering the Conversation
Activity 19
Composing a Draft
1. State your opinion on your topic in your thesis statement. To
write a thesis statement for an argument essay, you must take a stand for
or against an action or an idea. In other words, your thesis statement
should be debatable—a statement than can be argued or challenged and
will not be met with agreement by everyone who reads it. Your thesis
statement should introduce your subject and state your opinion (this is
your point of attack, or, why you believe the way you do) about your
subject.
Many thesis statements occur in the first or second paragraph of an
essay. Before you formulate your thesis statement, be sure to answer
these questions:

What support have you found for your thesis?

What is your response to the question or problem? (This is your
tentative/working thesis.)

What support have you found for your thesis?

What evidence have you found for this support? For example, facts,
statistics, authorities, personal experience, anecdotes, stories,
scenarios, and examples.

How much background information do your readers need to
understand your topic and thesis?

If readers were to disagree with your thesis or the validity of your
support, what would they say? How would you address their
concerns (what would you say to them)?

Now, draft a possible thesis for your essay. Once you have written
your thesis, highlight in blue the factual portion of your thesis and
highlight in pink the opinion portion of your thesis.
2. Find out as much as you can about your audience before you
write. Knowing your readers’ background and feelings on your topic
will help you choose the best supporting evidence and examples.
Suppose you want to convince people in two different age groups to
avoid using illegal drugs. You might tell the group of teenagers that
certain drugs such as methamphetamine makes their teeth turn black
and eventually rot. But with a group of adults, you might discuss the
horrifying statistics on lung and heart disease associated with using
methamphetamine.
3. Choose evidence that supports your thesis statement. Evidence is
probably the most important factor in writing an argument essay.
Without solid evidence, your essay is nothing more than opinion; with
evidence, your essay can be powerful and persuasive. If you supply
convincing evidence, your readers will not only understand your
position but also perhaps agree with it.
Evidence can consist of facts, statistics, statements from authorities,
and examples or personal stories. Examples and personal stories can
be based on your own observations, experiences, and reading, but your
opinions are not evidence. Other strategies, such as comparison/
contrast, definition, and cause and effect, can be particularly useful in
building an argument. Use any combination of evidence and writing
strategies that will help you support your thesis statement.
4. Anticipate opposing points of view. In addition to stating and
supporting your position, anticipating and responding to opposing views
are important. Presenting only your side of the argument leaves half the
story untold—the opposition’s half. If you briefly acknowledge that
there are opposing arguments and answer them, you will move your
reader more in your direction.
5. Find some common ground. Pointing out that common ground
between you and your opposition is also an effective strategy. Common
ground refers to points of agreement between two opposing positions.
For example, one person might believe the war on drugs is a hopeless
pursuit, while another may believe agencies are making progress. But
they might find common ground—agreement—in the need to continue
to do something to curb the use of illegal drug use.
6. Maintain a reasonable tone. Just as you probably wouldn’t win an
argument by shouting or making mean or nasty comment, don’t expect
your readers to respond well to such tactics. Keep the “voice” of your
essay calm and sensible. Your readers will be much more open to what
you have to say if they think you are a reasonable person.
7. Organize your essay so that it presents your position as
effectively as possible. By the conclusion of your essay, you want your
audience to agree with you. So you want to organize your essay in such
a way that your readers can easily follow your argument. The number
of your paragraphs may vary, depending on the nature of your
assignment, but the following outline shows the order in which the
features of an argument essay are most effective:
Outline
Introduction
 Background Information
 Introduction of subject
 Thesis Statement
Body Paragraphs
 Common Ground
 Lots of Evidence (more logical than emotional)
 Opposing point of view
 Response to opposing point of view
Conclusion


Restatement of your position
Call for action or agreement
The arrangement of your evidence in an argument essay depends to a
great extent on your readers’ opinions. Most arguments will be
organized from general to particular, from particular to general, or from
one extreme to another. When you know that your readers already
agree with you, arranging your details from general to particular or
from the most to least important is usually most effective. With this
order, you build on your readers’ agreement and loyalty as you explain
your thinking on the subject.
If you suspect that your audience does not agree with you, reverse the
organization of your evidence and arrange it from particular to general
or from the least to the most important. In this way, you can take your
readers step by step through your reasoning in an attempt to get them
to agree with you. The following is an effective skeleton outline that
would serve well in an argumentative essay format:
Introduction






Background information and definitions about illegal drug use
Introduction of subject (illegal drug use)
Evidence—Examples and statistics of impact drugs have on society
Evidence—Statement from agency authorities
Evidence—Cost in dollars government spends trying to curb drug
use
Statement of Opinion: Your thesis statement
Body Paragraphs













Topic—Youth are being lured into using drugs, especially in
Chicago
Evidence—The rise in Chicago suburb youth traveling to inner city
for drugs
Topic—Drug abuse and youth reaching their highest potential
cannot coexist
Evidence—Statistics of dropout rates
Evidence—Statement from rehabbed youth
Evidence—Statement from drug Czar or other authority that has
evidence of success rates
Topic—We need to de-romanticize the deaths linked to overdosing
Evidence—Statements from friends, relatives of deceased
Evidence—Statements from authorities, city morgues
Common Ground—Stay proactive in the fight against drugs even
though deaths still occur
Opposing point of view: Some still remain jaded about the efficacy of
the war on drugs
Response to opposition: Increase in success rates
Response to opposition: Teen role models who avoid drugs
Conclusion: We need to continue the war on drugs, despite some
cities such as Chicago where violence and teen deaths are on the
rise.


Author’s Opinion: More jobs must be created
Author’s Opinion: More inner-city programs that link law
enforcement agencies with activities for youth need to be
implemented

Restatement of problem: The war on drugs must not be abandoned.
The Middle or Body
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Explains, illustrates, and develops the topic or issue
Contains as many paragraphs as are necessary to develop the ideas
May have sections and subheads in some types of writing
Contains examples or arguments supported by evidence
Often quotes, paraphrases, or summarizes other texts in support of
the purpose of the writing
7. May present and analyze data
8. Often addresses counter-arguments or alternative positions or
explanations
9. Uses words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the
major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the
relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and
evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
The Conclusion





Activity 20
Connects the writing to some larger claim or idea
Points the reader to next steps or new questions raised by the
writing
Identifies the conclusion the writer has reached and its significance
Evaluates or analyzes the conclusions drawn
Explains the implications of the major point of the writing
Using the Words of Others (and Avoiding Plagiarism)
In order to effectively present your claims, it is imperative that you
bolster your argument by incorporating research. However, the
research you select needs to be presented in a variety of ways. There are
three standard methods of embedding research into an essay: direct
quotation, summary, and paraphrase. The direct quote is taking the text
verbatim from the research and enclosing the text in quotation marks. A
summary means to take a portion of text and write briefly the main idea
of the original text. To paraphrase a segment of original text involves
identifying the main ideas; however, the length of a paraphrase is similar
to the length of the original text. Note that in either a summary or a
paraphrase, you are to write only the main ideas without adding any of
your own personal opinions or interpretations. You are to record only
the information. The following three examples would work well in
conjunction with topic of the sample essay that is being outlined in this
module: the increasing use of illegal drugs in Chicago.
Look closely at the following research. The first example is a direct
quote, followed by a summary, and concluding with a paraphrase. As a
writer, you will become more adept at incorporating direct quotes,
paraphrasing, or summaries within the body of your essay as well as
deciding which method will be the most effective within the various
parts of your essay. Once you have studied the three methods of
recording research, you will be ready to do some independent research.
Taking the topic of your essay, find research that reflects your topic.
Take one direct quote and write it in all three methods in your
notebooks: Direct Quotation, Summary, and Paraphrase. Be sure to
consult directions on how to cite your sources.
10. Direct Quotation: “When people say, 'Drugs are bad,' and your
frame of reference tends to be marijuana or a lower-level drug,
people don't understand the seriousness, by comparison, of
something like heroin,” said Kathie Kane-Willis, executive director of
the Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy in the Daily Herald article
“Local teens: Heroin is going to keep killing our friends,” by Melissa
Silverberg (1).
11. Summary: In the Daily Herald article “Local teens: Heroin is going
to keep killing our friends,” by Melissa Silverberg, Kathie KaneWillis, executive director of the Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy,
explains that many individuals don’t realize the severity of problems
associated with heroin(1).
12. Paraphrase: In the Daily Herald article “Local teens: Heroin is going
to keep killing our friends,” by Melissa Silverberg, Kathie KaneWillis, executive director of the Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy,
explains that many individuals who say ‘Drugs are bad’ may be
thinking of drugs such as marijuana; however, the effects of heroin
are far more severe than marijuana, yet there are people who don’t
realize the vast difference between the two (1).
Learning to cite accurately and determining how best to incorporate the
words and ideas of others are essential for you to establish your own
ethos.
You’ll also want to practice choosing passages to quote, leading into
quotations, and responding to them so that they are well-integrated into
the body paragraphs of your essay.
Activity 21
Negotiating Voices
Take one example of a direct quote, one example of a summary and one
example of a paraphrase from the same research topic. For example, if
you are devoting a particular body paragraph to the efficacy of an
agency’s progress in fighting the war on drugs, make sure each piece of
research, whether you have a direct quote, a summary, or a paraphrase,
covers that topic. Begin your body paragraph with a topic sentence
introducing the topic of efficacy, follow it with one of the selected
methods of research, swirl in your opinion, or analysis of the preceding
research. Do this with the remaining two examples of research. The end
result will be a body paragraph that contains solid research quoted
directly, summarized, or paraphrased, that supports your
analysis/argumentation.
Activity 22
Using Model Language
Composing body paragraphs that pull together varied voices from a
spectrum of research is a skill that you will use well beyond your time
spent in academic writing. One skill that is particularly useful is
developing strong and coherent introductory sentences that set up your
research. The following template sentences can help you with this vital
task of combining the research you have culled into one coherent whole
that further advances your argument:

The issue of ______ can be viewed from several different
perspectives.

Experts disagree on what to do about ______.
Here are other introductory segments that introduce ideas from
particular writers:

Noted researcher John Q. Professor argues that . . .

In a groundbreaking article, Hermando H. Scientist states that . . .

According to Patricia A. Politician, . . .
And when visiting opposing viewpoints, contrary views can be signaled
by adding these transitional phrases:

However, the data presented by Hermando H. Scientist shows . . .

On the other hand, Terry T. Teacher believes . . .

Conversely, Bruce Daniels asserts . . .
Once your research has been introduced, you now need to add your
voice to the mix:

Although some argue for ________, others argue for _______. In
my view . . .

Though researchers disagree, clearly . . .
Revising and Editing
Activity 23
Rhetorical Analysis of a Draft
Team up in groups of four so that you will have, by the end of this
activity, a total of three different opinions of one body paragraph of your
essay. Once you are in your group of four, each team member passes his
or her essay clockwise to the next team member. Now, take the handout
sheet that has the following questions already printed on the handout.
Read the following questions so you can perform a rhetorical assessment
of your first draft. Be sure to answer the questions in complete
sentences in your notebooks:
13. What is the rhetorical situation?
14. Who is the writer’s audience, and what is the writer’s argument?
15. What types of evidence and appeals does this writer’s audience value
most highly?
16. How can the writer further establish his or her own authority to
address this issue?
17. What credibility does the writer have with his or her audience?
18. What are the most important factors contributing to either the
success or failure of the argument?
19. What is the most relevant feedback I can give my colleague about his
or her audience and context?
Activity 24
Revision Workshops
Having a colleague take an extremely close look at your essay is vital in
revising and improving your first draft. The following questionnaire
will enable a colleague to closely examine your essay and provide
valuable feedback that you will use for revising and polishing your
second draft essay. Pair up with one other student. Switch essays with
your revision partner and taking the questionnaire, answer the following
questions in complete, clear sentences.
1. Did the writer respond to the assignment?
2. What is the purpose of this essay?
3. What is most effective?
4. Where does the writer need more details, examples, and other
evidence to support his or her point?
5. What could this writer delete?
6. Was the writer contradictory?
7. Does the writer need to explain his or her ideas more fully, more
clearly? Where?
8. Was the writer’s position clear?
9. Did the writer provide enough analysis to convince his or her
audience?
10. How is the writer’s tone?
11. Has the writer addressed differing points of view?
12. Does the conclusion include a call to action?
13. Has the writer incorporated key terms or vocabulary from the
research?
Activity 25
Considering Stylistic Choices
The skillful use of diction and syntax can enhance the tone of any essay.
Most readers respond best to an essay that has chosen words that say
exactly what the writer means. Ask yourself these important language
questions and make appropriate changes before submitting your final
draft:

How will the language you have used affect your reader's response?

Which words or synonyms have you repeated? Why?

Do the words you have chosen convey exactly what they are meant
to say?

What figurative language have you used? Why did you use it?

What effects will your choices of sentence structure and length have
on the reader?

In what ways does your language help convey your identity and
character as a writer?
Is your language appropriate for your intended audience?
Activity 26
Editing the Draft
You now need to work with the grammar, punctuation, and mechanics of
your draft to ensure that your essay will conform to the guidelines of
standard written English. Working individually, edit your draft based
on the information you have received from your instructor.
1.
For the most comprehensive help with grammar, mechanics, etc.,
consult www.purdueonlinewritinglab
2. If possible, set your essay aside for 24 hours before rereading to find
errors.
3. If possible, read your essay aloud to a friend so you can hear your
errors.
4. Reading your essay backwards will eliminate anticipatory reading
and force your eyes to move more slowly across the page as they
scan from right to left, thus detecting more errors than conventional
left-to-right reading.
5. With the help of your teacher, tutor, or peer reviewer, determine our
own pattern of errors—the most serious and frequent errors you
make.
6. Look for only one kind of error at a time. Then go back and look for
a second kind of error, and, if necessary, a third.
Use an online dictionary to check spelling and confirm that you’ve
chosen the right word for the context.
Activity 27
Responding to Feedback
Instructors use a variety of methods when grading essays. Look for the
following strategies instructors employ to ensure their students are
continually progressing as academic writers:


Activity 28
Take your graded essay and on a 3” by 5” notecard write the
following terms:
Introduction & Hook
Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph
Conclusion
Once you have written the terms, go back to each section of your graded
essay and write down your instructor’s comments. Then, following your
instructor’s comments, write down what you are going to do to
correct/improve this particular portion of the essay. For example, is your
thesis weak? Is it lacking a strong point of attack? If you run out of space
on your index card, get another card and write the revisions on the
second.
Minimal Marking
Your teacher will have electronically projected onto the front of the
classroom the following three questions:



What is the best feature of this essay?
What is the biggest overall difficulty with this essay?
How could I improve this essay?
On a sheet of paper, write down these three questions and answer them
honestly in relationship to your essay. Keeping your questions and
answers, pass your essay to the person behind you. If you are seated in
the last seat in your aisle, take your essay up to the person sitting in the
front of your aisle. You do not have to rewrite the questions that are
projected at the front of the room, but go ahead and write on a sheet of
paper the answers to the three questions as they pertain to your
colleague’s essay. When finished, return the essay, your answers and
comments to your colleague.
Activity 29
Acting on Feedback
Answer the following questions:
Activity 30

What are the main concerns my readers had in reading my draft?

Do all of the readers agree?

What global changes should I consider? (thesis, arguments, evidence,
organization)

What do I need to add?

What do I need to delete?

What sentence-level and stylistic problems do I need to correct?

What kinds of grammatical and usage errors do I have? How can I
correct them?
Reflecting on Your Writing Process
Answer the following questions:

What have I learned about my writing process?

What were some of the most important decisions I made as I wrote
this text?

In what ways have I become a better writer?