The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Developed by Darlene Stotler
Student Version
Reading Selections for This Module
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: Broadway Books-Random House, 2011.
Print.
Reading Rhetorically
Prereading
Activity 1
Getting Ready to Read
This first Quickwrite activity will enable you to make the human connection
between the woman, Henrietta Lacks, and the scientific realm that her cells have
been impacting for the past six decades.
First, log onto http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Henrietta-LacksImmortal-Cells.html, and view the site. From this Internet site, you can get an
overview of the origins of Henrietta Lacks and her ultimate immortality generated
by harvesting tissue and cells from her body. Turn to page 206 of the text, begin
looking at the photographs that follow, and then respond to the following questions.
Be sure to write in complete sentences.
1. What do these different photographs reveal about Henrietta’s family?
2. Look at the pictures of the cells. These photographed cells are from a woman
who has been dead for more than sixty years. What do you think of this
indestructible cell line and the fact that Lacks’s cell lines have been able to help
cure polio, assist in AIDS research, and help cure numerous other diseases?
Activity 2
Exploring Key Concepts
The following quote is from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Read the quote
as stated by Sonny Lacks, Henrietta’s middle son, and focus upon the gravity of
this situation. Then, contemplate what the author, Rebecca Skloot, is conveying to
her audience through Sonny’s remarks. After reading the quote, answer the
questions that follow. Strive to find your own writer’s “voice” by taking a
particular stance about this ethical, and tragic, situation that Sonny is addressing:
“John (sic) Hopkin (sic) didn’t give us no information about
anything. That was the bad part. Not the sad part, but the bad part,
cause I don’t know if they didn’t give information because they was
making money out of it, or if they was just wanting to keep us in the
dark about it. I think they made money out of it, cause they were
selling her cells all over the world and shipping them for dollars.”
“Hopkins say they gave them cells away,” Lawrence yelled, “but
they made millions! It’s not fair! She’s the most important person in
the world and her family living in poverty. If our mother so
important to science, why can’t we get health insurance?” (168)
What kind of emotion is Sonny expressing towards Johns Hopkins Hospital? Do
you believe Sonny’s emotions are justified or is he overreacting? Sonny states the
way the hospital treated Henrietta was the bad part. What is the “sad part” that
Sonny is alluding to, and what makes this aspect of Henrietta’s life so tragic?
Activity 3
Activity 4
Surveying the Text

Write down five interesting facts about the author, Rebecca Skloot.

Where and when was this book published? By what publisher?

Go to the beginning of each chapter. Note the graphic that introduces each
chapter and its prominent placement above the chapter title. Describe the
graphic and its significance.

Flip through the various chapters. What significant literary device is being
used among the timelines? Why do you think Skloot chose this?
Making Predictions and Asking Questions
Based on the results of surveying the text, answer the following questions:
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 Skloot’s title, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. What do you think
her work will be about? Share your inferences with a partner or in a small
group.
After you discuss what you think the book will be about, study the cover
photograph of Henrietta Lacks. Jot down a few notes about her physicality and
any other ideas you might formulate as you are viewing the cover photo. Turn
to the “Prologue,” and read the three paragraphs up to these words: “Her real
name is Henrietta Lacks.”
What do you think Skloot is trying to reveal about the life of Henrietta Lacks?
Now, read the rest of the Prologue (pages 2-7), and answer the following questions:
1. What kind of person is the author?
2. What do you think the author wants us to learn from her book?
3. 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
This book contains numerous medical and scientific words that will enable readers
to become more cognizant of a cell’s growth and the subsequent discoveries made
via the HeLa cells. Skloot employs an ambitious variety of academic and scientific
diction that strengthens vocabulary skills.
Working in groups, complete the following chart for each of the words, terms, or
concepts listed. Be prepared to discuss the findings with the class.
Word
&
Etymology
hypothesis
Nuremberg
Trials
Nuremberg
Code
zeal
cavalier
DNA
genome
virulent
telomeres
Jim Crow Laws
statute of
limitations
cytoplasm
Dictionary*
Definition
(*Encyclopedia
for person’s
name)
Your
Definition
Use the
Word in a
Sentence
Explain the
Significance
of the Word
carcinoma in
situ
malignant
fait accompli
metastasize
petri dish
formaldehyde
pathology
Jonas Salk
polio
spontaneous
transformation
replicate
cloning
chromosomes
Down
syndrome
Klinefelter
syndrome
Turner
syndrome
nodules
prognosis
Hippocratic
Oath
informed
consent
immoral
deplorable
Parkinson’s
disease
Yiddish
fallacious
somatic cell
fusion
centaurs
Koran
genetic marker
adenocarcinoma
bioengineering
antibodies
Actin filaments
mitochondria
Gold Digger
Reading
Activity 6
Reading for Understanding
The following textual quotes address ethical issues that can prompt dialogue and
could be included in the postering session:

“‘In the setting in which the patient is involved in an experimental effort,
the judgment of the investigator is not sufficient as a basis for reaching a
conclusion concerning the ethical and moral set of questions in that
relationship.’” (Skloot 135)

“Later that year, a Harvard anesthesiologist named Henry Beecher
published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that
Southam’s research was one of hundreds of similarly unethical studies.
Beecher published a detailed list of the twenty-two worst offenders,
including researchers who’d injected children with hepatitis and others
who’d poisoned patients under anesthesia using carbon dioxide.” (135-136)

“Despite scientists’ fears, the ethical crackdown didn’t slow scientific
progress. In fact, research flourished. And much of it involved HeLa”
(136).

“‘The [Lacks] family has suffered greatly . . . This family is, like so many
others today, attempting to grapple with the many questions and the moral
and ethical issues that surround the ‘birth’ of HeLa, and the ‘death’ of Mrs.
Lacks . . . The questions of (1) whether or not permission was received
from the ‘donor’ or her family for either the ‘use’ of HeLa worldwide or
the ‘mass,’ and commercial, production, distribution, and marketing of
Mrs. Lacks’ cells . . .’” (224)

“The difference between Ted Slavin, John Moore, and Henrietta Lacks was
that someone told Slavin his tissues were special and that scientists would
want to use them in research, so he was able to control his tissues by
establishing his terms before anything left his body. In other words, he was
informed, and he gave consent. In the end, the question is how much
science should be obligated (ethically and legally) to put people in the
position to do the same as Slavin.” (326)
Activity 7A
Mapping the Organizational Structure
The chapter entitled “The HeLa Factory” found on page 93 contains a definitive
chronological structure that fosters a tone of urgency and of paramount importance.
Draw a line where the chapter’s introduction ends and annotate in the left margin
the word “introduction.” Highlight in yellow the thesis, or main idea, of the
introduction. Label in the left margin the word “thesis.” Finally, draw a line
beneath three or four key premises (supporting points) that further advance and
support the thesis in the introductory paragraph. Label in the left margin the word
“premise.”
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 is the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph?
3. What premises, or sentences that support the thesis, did you find?
4. How does Skloot’s use of chronology affect the overall tone of this chapter?
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 Skloot Is Saying,” and
at the top right column, write “Rhetorical Purpose: Why Skloot Put It There.” The
left column will contain the words exactly from the text. In the right column, you
will state why you think Skloot used the kinds of words that she did.
Content: What Skloot Is Saying
Rhetorical Purpose: Why Skloot Put
It There
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:
Activity 7C

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 HeLa Factory” chapter, what
do you think is the main point? Is that point explicit or implicit?
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 “The HeLa Factory” (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:
Activity 8

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?
Noticing Language
Here are some health industry and scientific 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. The best method to identify the meanings of
the words is to consult the Index at the back of the text that begins on page 367.

culture

culture medium

American Type Culture Collection

Standardization of the Field

FISH

The HeLa Cancer Control Symposium

HLA Marker

Medical Genetics

National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis

Tuskegee Syphilis Study
Activity 9
Annotating and Questioning the Text
Turn to page 275 in Chapter 33 entitled, “The Hospital for the Negro Insane.” This
activity works best with small learning groups. Follow directions listed below.
1. Label these elements in the left-hand margin next to the following sentences:
 Issue or problem being addressed: “The Crownsville that . . .”
 Author’s examples: “In 1955 . . .” ; “In 1948 . . .” ; “Patients were locked . .
.”
 Conclusion: “As we left Crownsville . . . times was different.”
2. In the right-hand margin, same locations for each element listed above in #1,
note your reactions to what the author is saying.

Questions about the issue or problem being addressed

Reflections on the quality of the evidence or examples

Challenges to the author’s inferences or conclusions
3. Finally, write your annotations in the margins.
Activity 10
Analyzing Stylistic Choices
In order for cells to grow successfully, a cell medium had to be concocted. The
imagery, diction, and syntax Skloot uses on page 50 make this vital, scientific
research step seem comical. Reading this paragraph either individually or in small
groups will enable you to answer the following question: “To what extent does the
language of the text support the purpose of the author?” Then identify the imagery,
diction, and syntax.
Turn to page 50 and read the opening paragraph that begins, “The other ingredients
weren’t so easy . . .” and ends with “ . . . so Margaret could fry it for dinner”
(Skloot 50). Then, using four felt markers, follow the instructions below.

Highlight the compound sentences in yellow.

Highlight the complex sentences in pink.

Highlight the compound-complex sentences in orange.

Highlight individual words that lend themselves to vivid imagery in blue.
Once the highlighting is complete, write a few sentences in your notebook of why
this particular passage, with its choice of imagery, diction, and syntax, helps fulfill
Skloot’s purpose of detailing the origins of HeLa.
Postreading
Activity 11A
Summarizing
Taking the annotations from the left-hand margins of the text on page 277,
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 Chapter 33, write down on 3” by 5” index cards open-ended
questions that focus on Deborah’s feelings about discovering Elsie’s photo and
medical records. Then, submit your cards to your teacher, who will read a few
select questions to the class so discussion can be initiated.
Activity 12
Thinking Critically
Questions about Logic (Logos)
1. What is Skloot’s major theme and assertion made in this reading? Do you agree
with the author’s main ideas?
2. What evidence has the author supplied to support her claim? How relevant and
valid do you think the evidence is?
3. How has the author developed her ideas over the course of the text?
Questions about the Writer (Ethos)
4. What can you infer about the author from the text?
5. Does this author have the appropriate background to speak with authority on
this subject?
Questions about Emotions (Pathos)
6. Does this piece affect you emotionally? Which parts?
7. Do you think the author is trying to manipulate the reader’s emotions? In what
ways? At what point?
8. Do your emotions conflict with your logical interpretation of the arguments?
9. Does the author use humor or irony? How does that affect your acceptance of
her ideas?
Activity 13
Reflecting on Your Reading Process
Answer the following questions:
1. What have you learned from joining this conversation? What do you want to
learn next?
2. 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?
3. 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 addressing one of
the following prompts:
1. Skloot poses these questions in her Afterword: “Wasn’t it illegal for doctors to
take Henrietta’s cells without her knowledge? Don’t doctors have to tell you
when they use your cells in research? ” (316). Do you think the doctors should
have been more open with Henrietta regarding the use of her cells? Take a
stance either for or against this scenario. You will need to gather evidence that
supports your claim and argue your point.
2. Read the following excerpt from the Foreword.
Scientists use these samples to develop everything from flu vaccines to
penis enlargement products. They put cells in culture dishes and expose
them to radiation, drugs, cosmetics, viruses, household chemicals, and
biological weapons, and then study their responses. Without those tissues,
we would have no tests for diseases like hepatitis and HIV; no vaccines for
rabies, smallpox, measles; none of the promising new drugs for leukemia,
breast cancer, and colon cancer. And developers of the products that rely
on human biological materials would be out billions of dollars. (Skloot
316)
Skloot further explains that although a person may have volunteered to donate
“tissue scraps” for research, other damaging information concerning a patient’s
DNA or medical history could be exposed during this process.
If you had the chance (you may have already consented on your driver’s
license) to donate tissue and/or blood samples for medical research, would you
give your consent? Take only one stance.
3. Visit http://www.henriettalacksfoundation.org. After studying this website,
write an essay defending what you believe is the most important aspect of this
website.
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?
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.
Activity 17

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?

Highlight in blue the facts; highlight in pink the opinions.

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? Is the opinion provided
by an expert on a specific subject or social concern?

What makes this evidence persuasive? Are there irrefutable statistics that have
been gathered and reported by credible researchers that have no other
conflicting interests other than to report the data?

How well will the evidence suit the audience and the rhetorical purpose of the
piece?
Getting Ready to Write
Whole-class discussion: Discuss as a class the best structure for your essay, given
what you have discovered about the legal and ethical issues that surround Henrietta
Lacks’s cells.
Evidence: In small groups, write down the evidence you have in your notes and the
annotations in your book. Decide among yourselves which are the most compelling
notes and statistics that will give further credence (ethos) in your final essay.
Audience: All members of all the groups should discuss and make notes about
audience. Who will be reading your essay? Your instructor, of course, but your
colleagues also will be reading, and perhaps peer-editing at least one draft of your
essay.
Writing Rhetorically
Entering the Conversation
Activity 18
Composing a Draft
The most important concern for the first draft is to get your ideas down on paper.
Your introduction should contain some main ideas about the book and your thesis
statement, the main idea you are addressing and subsequently defending in your
essay.
Usually, the next section will include some general information about the setting of
the book. Other essay elements should include the main person, in this case,
Henrietta Lacks, the conflicts and issues surrounding the end of her life, and the
subsequent historical research involving her cells.
The following paragraphs should discuss the theme of the book and the main points
you want to cover from the list you have already made. These points, or premises,
should support your thesis statement. Defend your thesis and supporting points
with quotations and paraphrases from the text.
In the conclusion, pose a new idea a reader might learn from reading the book.
Activity 19
Considering Structure
1. 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 a culturallydiverse group about medical ethics. You might tell the group members that the
major cause of death among youth under the age of 25 involves an accident, and
while this is a tragedy, youthful, healthy organs donated to others can save lives. If
there are audience members who oppose donating an organ, this would be an
excellent opportunity to learn others’ ethics and beliefs regarding organ donor
programs.
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 they may 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 donating of organs is a noble act, while another may oppose this belief.
But they might find common ground—agreement—by agreeing upon patients’
rights and consent regarding organ and tissue harvesting to further medical
research.
6. Maintain a reasonable tone. Just as you probably wouldn’t win an argument by
shouting or making mean or nasty comments, 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 your arguments are
rational and sound.
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

Abundant 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 about the origins of the HeLa cells

Introduction of subject (impact of HeLa cells)

Evidence—Examples and statistics of the impact the Henrietta Lacks cells have
had upon medical research

Evidence—Statement from research specialists

Evidence—Amount of dollars bio-engineering firms have earned as a result of
the HeLa cells

Statement of Opinion: Your thesis statement
Body Paragraphs

Topic—HeLa cells reproducing since 1951

Evidence—Research labs continuously reproducing and acquiring more HeLa
cells and profiting from them;

Topic—HeLa cells’ role in eradicating polio, shedding light on the HIV virus,
helping cure other diseases

Evidence—Statistics that relate directly to the HeLa cells’ development and the
illnesses the cells have cured

Evidence—Statement from medical and research experts

Evidence—Statement from a patient survivor that has benefited from HeLa
research

Topic—HeLa cells and continuous global sales

Evidence—Statements from friends, relatives of deceased

Evidence—Statements from lab scientists, economics professionals

Common Ground—Remain proactive about scientific research

Opposing point of view: Belief that Henrietta Lacks’s family should receive
some form of compensation

Response to opposition: In 1951, no informed consent laws

Response to opposition: Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health
making amends with the family of Henrietta Lacks
Conclusion: The health industry and necessity of continuous use of HeLa cells
vs. recompense for the family of Henrietta Lacks
 Author’s Opinion: More research is vital
Activity 20

Author’s Opinion: Increased dialogue between the NIH and the Lacks Family
for survivors’ protection

Restatement of Problem: Continuous debate regarding the legal issue involving
Henrietta Lacks’s case and the ethics surrounding the massive capital raised
from the HeLa cells
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 historical significance and ethical issues
surrounding the cells of Henrietta Lacks.
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.

Direct Quotation: “‘In 20 years at NIH, I can’t recall a specific circumstance
more charged with scientific, societal and ethical challenges than this one,’”
Dr. Francis Collins, NIH director, said in the Los Angeles Times Science Now
article “NIH gives Henrietta Lacks’ Immortal Cells New Protections,” by
Amina Khan (par. 8).

Summary: In the Los Angeles Times Science Now article “NIH Gives
Henrietta Lacks’ Immortal Cells New Protections,” by Amina Khan, Dr.
Francis Collins, NIH Director states he has never seen a case surrounded by
such a spectrum of issues.

Paraphrase: In the Los Angeles Times Science Now article “NIH Gives
Henrietta Lacks’ Immortal Cells New Protections,” by Amina Khan, Dr.
Francis Collins, NIH Director, explains that this instance has created more
controversy involving issues of society than any he has ever encountered (par.
8).
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 that covers the ethics surrounding the excising of the
original specimen sample of Henrietta Lacks, make sure each piece of research has
a direct quote, a summary, or a paraphrase that covers that topic. Begin your body
paragraph with a topic sentence introducing the topic of research; then, follow it
with one of the three selected methods of research. Next, swirl in your opinion or
analysis of the preceding research. Do this with the remaining two examples of
research. Your body paragraph will marshal evidence of solid research quoted
directly, summarized, or paraphrased, and then complemented by your analysis that
supports your thesis.
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/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:

What is the rhetorical situation?

Who is the writer’s audience, and what is the writer’s argument?
Activity 24

What types of evidence and appeals does this writer’s audience value most
highly?

How can the writer further establish his/her own authority to address this issue?

What credibility does the writer have with his/her audience?

What are the most important factors contributing to either the success or failure
of the argument?

What is the most relevant feedback I can give my colleague about his/her
audience and context?
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:
Activity 25

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?
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
http://www.purdueonlinewritinglab.com.
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 your 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.
7. Use an online dictionary to check spelling and confirm that you’ve chosen the
right word for the context.
Activity 26
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:
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.
Activity 27
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 28
Acting on Feedback
Answer the following questions:
Activity 29

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?