Football Analysis Weeds and Roses Weed 1 Be

Football Analysis Weeds and Roses

Weed #1 --Be specific with purpose Brainstorm some possible purposes for writing “The author’s purpose is to show irreversible damage can be dealt by a lack of forethought and safeguards. ” Better: “The author’s purpose is to warn parents and students about the consequences of shooty physicals. ”

Change this into a better purpose sentence:

Weed #2 --Use Quotes! Analysis without quotes is like chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips! Quotes are the CD or evidence to prove the claim you are making about the author & his purpose.

Weed #2 --Use quotes! “The tone, or lack thereof, in this article is largely biased and factually oriented. This is exemplified by the choice of the writer by not using his own words to describe the coach and trainer, where connotations could reveal a bias. With this in mind, the article was written as an article in a newspaper or newsletter as a reported article, not an opinions piece. The writer is careful not to implicate any blame for the accident towards himself or whom he represents by carefully structured sentences that give a source for anything which might be considered an opinion, even if that source remains anonymous or implied. ”

Weed #3 --Do More! Analysis should be done line by line, word by word This is where annotating the text comes in handy before reading Use all aspects of the text--diction, arrangement, syntax, figurative language, etc. Don’t pick and chose--it all comes together to form one big picture!

Weed #3 --Do More! “The author of this passage also blames the coach and trainer for their “laxness. ” They use the coach’s emotion from another article to show this. The author also, like the author of the previous paragraph, creates a sense of urgency with their belief that the football program “must be reexamined with an eye to safety and health. ”

Weed #4 --Analyze correctly! There is a right and a wrong answer How to find the right answer: Read the passage more than once Take all writer’s choices into account

Weed #4 --Analyze correctly! “The author of the second passage is accusatory, placing blame on the coaches and school. The author is angry with these people for their “laxness” and failure to prevent the death. ” This is NOT correct! What clues in the text tell us otherwise?

Weed #5 --Be specific! “The author uses elements of diction to enhance his tone. ” What elements? Connotation? Loaded words? Sound? “The author uses words to illustrate his tone. ” What words? Show them! Be specific!

Weed #6 --Overwriting!! KISS! Don’t use big words unless you are POSITIVE how to use them and are CERTAIN they are the right word for the sentence. “The author amalgamates his prototype of language to enhance his rhetorical diction, elaborating his pervasive hegemonic views. ” Seriously!