In-Class Writing
Think about the work you have done so far in Project Space.
Answer each question thoroughly and in full sentences.
1. Have you done all the required readings so far?
• If so, have they enhanced your understanding of the Project?
• If not, do you plan to read them soon?
2.
Do you already know what cultural/social issue(s) you plan to
analyze in connection with your place/space?
• If so, what are they?
• If not, brainstorm some ideas here.
• Remember, this can be a lot of things, and it will depend on your place/space what they are.
• If you are not connecting your place/space to any issues, it will be difficult to find material for a rich
analysis, and your paper will lack exigence (a reason for being/existing)
1.
If you had to come up with a thesis for your Project Space Essay
right here and right now, what might it be?
Sharing Your Fieldwork Report with the Class
• Can I get at least 5 or more volunteers to share something
about their Ethnography (Fieldwork) with the class?
• Tell the class where you went and why you chose that
place.
• Mention at least 2 interesting things you want to share
about your fieldwork report.
• This could be anything: an interesting fact about your
place/space, something funny or serious that happened, or
something you saw.
Analyze Me!
The process of analyzing is not just a technique that we use to understand
written text, but it is a fundamental process that we all use in order to
navigate through the “ sea of information” we obtain everyday.
- For example we analyze the type of clothing to wear, what type
of gadgets/ phones to buy, and we also analyze the people we are with and
those we meet.
Review:
What does it mean to “write analytically”?
The Definition of “Analyze”
• When you analyze something you identify the component parts (the
elements that it is made of). You figure out what those aspects,
elements, or parts are, and you examine them closely and critically—
identify what they are, how they relate to each other, and sometimes
even how they relate other things outside of what you are analyzing.
• Analysis is usually prompted by
curiosity. How does
something work? What are the connections between two events
or trends? Etc.
• Analyzing non-written texts such as Visual, Audio, or Multimedia
texts is very similar to analyzing written texts, however there are
some special considerations.
• Pages 49-52 in Pop Perspectives takes a look at what these special considerations
are for a number of different kinds of non-written texts.
Review: Expectations for Analytical Writing as
an Academic Genre
• Analytical writing is a task that you will probably be called on to
perform many times in your academic career.
• In the last essay, you wrote from a more personal, narrative
perspective.
• For this essay, I am going to be asking you to assume a more
formal, academic tone.
• Your focus should be on your observations and analysis of
your subject, not on yourself as an author.
• This means you should limit your use of “I” and “me” when referring to
yourself to places where these words are absolutely necessary.
• Note this was NOT true for your Ethnography, where you could use “I”
freely when reporting where you went and what you saw. This is just ONE of
the reasons that the Essay is written differently than the Ethnography.
• You can USE your observations and other material from the Ethnography
IN your essay, but you might need to rewrite them slightly differently.
Four Common Types of Analysis
There are four common types of analysis: rhetorical analysis, process analysis, casual
analysis, and data analysis
• Rhetorical analysis: is a type of analysis that focuses on written, visual ,
and audio text, or a combination of all three elements. This type of
analysis allows the audience to gain a better understanding to the message
which the author, designer, or artist tries to convey. Rhetorical Analysis does
not only deal with the word choice of a written text, but also the structure,
the size, or the image that is presented. ( For example analyzing articles,
commercials, songs, and bill board advertisement)
• Process analysis: analyzes the step by step process in some type of event or action.
( for example analyzing the process of ice skating)
• Casual analysis: analyzes the cause of something. (ex. analyzing the causes of the
Great Depression)
• Data analysis: analyzes information from resources such as bar graphs and charts.
Review: In Your Textbook:
• In your Analysis Essay, you are focusing your analysis on
Places and Spaces and how they connect to cultures and
society.
• Remember, your place/space is BOTH visual and
auditory—actually it uses all 5 senses—and therefore is a
unique find of “text”—the experiential (experiencebased) text.
• Your textbook has some suggestions on how you might
analyze these kinds of texts:
• Page 51 – Analyzing Cultural Rituals and Spaces
Analyze Your “Text”
When analyzing a piece of written, visual, auditory, or
experiential text there are five common elements that you
should include in your essay:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
An issue that prompts you to take a closer look
Detailed description of the subject you are analyzing
Evidence drawn from close examination of the subject
Insight gained from your analysis
Clear, precise language!
Evidence is Drawn from Close Examination of the Text
• Your “text” is the place/space and the community/culture/subcultures
connected to it
• Examine the subject in detail and determine what are key elements within the
Subject.
• Look for:
• Key patterns, repetition, imagery, shapes, colors, and any other detail that can possible help determine
the meaning of the analysis.
Insight Gained from Evidence
• Information received from the subject will create a deeper understanding for the
analysis and will ultimately lead to the thesis.
Clear and Precise Language
• Explain your analysis points in such a way that the audience can follow along with
your findings
• Present a clear understanding of your analysis
• Use appropriate language that will best connect you to the particular audience you
are writing for.
GIMME A BREAK!
Please return in 10-15 minutes.
Thinking about Thesis
A Successful Project Space: Example Theses!
Note how each of these theses connects the place/space to the community in
a significant way:
• The Buddhist Temple of Northridge provides community and religious
connection for Sri Lankan Buddhists.
• The Southern California Renaissance Faire provides both community and
livelihood for the “Faire Folk” subculture of craftsmen, performers, and
artists.
• CSUN campus has become an eco-friendly campus through its “green
initiatives” program which has encouraged students and faculty to be more
eco-conscious.
• Murals and street art in Boyle-Heights represent Chicano culture in Los
Angeles and are an art form and cultural heritage that should be protected.
Notice how each one of these examples we have seen before follows a similar format:
[ PLACE/SPACE ] provides/represents/or is a place where [SOMETHING EXISTS OR
HAPPENS] for [COMMUNITY, CULTURE OR SUBCULTURE]
Work on Your Own Thesis
• Below is an the basic template for our example thesis:
[PLACE/SPACE ] provides/represents/or is a place where [something important
exists or happens] for [COMMUNITY, CULTURE OR SUBCULTURE]
Or
[PLACE/SPACE] is an example of [connection to specific issue] for
[COMMUNITY, CULTURE OR SUBCULTURE]
You do not have to follow this template exactly. In fact, a good thesis will be
more natural and specific to YOUR topic. This is only meant to help you get
started. You can change the words or add things to this thesis template to make it
your own.
• Try out several different possible theses (plural form of thesis).
Which one works best?
Use of Sources in Your Place/Space
Analysis Essay
• Although outsides sources were not strictly required for your
paper (you could write an angle on this paper from personal
experience alone) if you DID use outside sources you must
cite them
• How many of your ended up using outside sources?
• Even if you didn’t use any outside sources, you better listen up
and take notes today, because you will need to know this stuff for
the future! More info on conducting research and using quotes to
come in Project 3, this is just a basic introduction
MLA Format
• MLA Format is a system for giving credit to the
sources that you use, either by paraphrase or direct
quote
• MLA Formatting has two main parts:
1. A Works Cited page at the end of your essay
• Your Work Cited page lists every source you used in
alphabetical order by the last name of the author. Each works
cited entry must contain specific information in a specific order.
2. Parenthetical citations in the body (main text) of your essay.
• Also known as In-Text Citations
• After each paraphrase or quote that you did not write or think
of yourself, you must indicate which source you are using in
order to avoid plagiarism.
MLA In-Text Citations
In the body of your paper, wherever you either quote a source or
summarize/paraphrase ideas that are not your own, you MUST let
your reader know where the information came from. The way
to do this is to have a CITATION at the end of the information
from your source.
• Why have citations?
• 1. To let your readers know where you got ideas that were
not your own.
• 2. To allow your reader to look up your source if they so
desire.
• 3. In writing your paper, you are part of a community of
writers and thinkers, and you want to show the authors of
your sources the proper respect. Failing to do this is
considered plagiarism.
Using Internet Sources
Website with author:
Peterson, Susan Lynn. The Life of Martin Luther. Susan Lynn Peterson, 2005. Web. 24 Jan.
2009.
Website with no author:
Margaret Sanger Project. History Dept., New York U, 18 Oct. 2000. Web. 6 Jan. 2009.
Website with organization:
American Library Association. American Library Association. ALA, 2008. Web. 14 Jan. 2009.
Article in an online scholarly journal
Mason, John Edwin. “Mannenberg: Notes on the Making of an Icon and Anthem.” African
Studies Quarterly 9.4 (2007): n.pag. Web. 23 Sept. 2009.
Article in an online magazine:
Burton, Robert. “The Certainty Epidemic.” Salon.com. Salon Media Group, 29 Feb. 2008.
Web. 18 Jan. 2009.
Article in an online newspaper:
Smith, Andrew D. “Poll: More than 70% of US Workers Use Internet on the Job.”
Dallasnews.com. Dallas Morning News, 25 Sept. 2008. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.
Online video clip (YouTube or Other)
Murphy, Beth. “Tips for a Good Profile Piece.” YouTube. YouTube, 7 Sept.
2008. Web. 19 Apr. 2009.
Guidelines for Correctly
Citing Sources:
• ALWAYS enclose words that are not your own
in quotes.
• ALWAYS make a quote the part of your own
sentence.
• ALWAYS have an author or article name and
page number in parentheses after the quote.
• ALWAYS give credit to authors whose ideas
you use, even if you are not quoting them
directly.
• ALWAYS make sure that the quote is
sufficiently introduced and in context.
Preparing to Write Your Rough Draft
Create an Outline
Handy Tips
• Readers often pay the most
attention to the points
presented at the beginning
of the text.
• BUT they also remember
more easily what they read
last.
• This is why introductions
and conclusions are so
important.
• Think of the outline as your
writing plan.
Types of Outlines
• Scratch
• Chunking
• Topic and Sentence
Outlines
How do I develop an outline?
First, Think!
• Determine the purpose of the paper –
• what are your trying to SAY about your place/space?
• Determine the audience you are writing for –
• a semi-academic audience of people who are somewhat
familiar with your place/space but may not have been there
or thought about it carefully.
• Develop the thesis of your paper –
• If you could compress the main point of your paper into
one carefully crafted sentence, what would it be?
Then, Get to Work!
• Brainstorm
• List all the ideas or points you want to include in your paper.
• Organize
• Group related ideas together
• Order
• Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from
abstract to concrete.
• With a paper on place/space, you can also order your points around
location as in a “tour” of the place, discussing the issues that surround
each part of the space as you “show” it to your audience.
• This can work well for SOME papers, but not all.
• Label
• Create main headings and subheadings.
• Labeling your paragraphs can help you to FOCUS them.
For the Remainder of Class:
• Work on creating an outline for your essay
• You can change or improve this outline
when you get home, but do as much as you
can now.
Unconventional Spaces:
The “Tiny Homes” Movement
• News Feature:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IECfC4Ed0-0
• Micro Apartments In Abandoned Shopping Malls
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1BjQKAuE2U
• Couple Living Debt Free
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HnTQNkoRw4
• Oregon Architect Aims to “Make Small Space Feel Big”—
Inspired by Japanese Minka Homes
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32WtDb3c3ws