Analyzing Texts and Contexts

Analyzing Texts and Contexts

Once again, this chapter has helped me by providing information and tips that I had not thought of before. Understanding your audience makes a huge difference and being able to analyze and evaluate information can make all the difference in whether or not your reader(s) can understand and gain something from your writing. Being the mom of an Autistic child, I really understand how people take things out of context. There are some that are literal and others that are laid back. Depending on which type of person your reader is will depend on whether or not your ideas are being understood properly. You must ask yourself, “Do my ideas make sense?” and “Do my experiences help my reader to relate to my writing or maybe I should just stick to the facts”. Making sure that you know how to apply Aristotle’s Three Appeals and Toulmin’s Framework, can help anyone to become a better writer. I like that they give you samples of different writings. I think this helps even more to see what point they are trying to get across.

I think doing our group project last class, helped me understand the visual text section of this chapter better. What draws you to a certain magazine or book? Probably the picture, colors used or a word in large print. As the book shows us, a picture is worth a 1000 words. Iwo Jima is a perfect example, as is the image of the firefighters of New York raising the flag at the World Trade Center. These are images that don’t even need text to ensure a proper understanding of them. Think of a picture you have seen and what thoughts it has brought to your mind. Then analyze those thoughts and see if they are what the author intended them to be. When you can use images and text effectively, it can enhance the impact of your message.