Tovar 1

Evelyn Tovar

Professor Julie Baker

ENGL 1301-181

7 September 2023

Week 2 Discussion

As I read through Chapters 5, 6, and 7, I would casually implement my strategy for

annotations by highlighting phrases or words that appeared conspicuous to me in said sentence or

paragraph. Through the use of highlighting, I was able to focus the meaning behind a sentence or

paragraph on certain phrases that summarized the aforementioned paragraph or sentence. For

instance, at the end of page 67, the authors discussed the contrasts between fast and slow

reading; other than their pace, the utilization of each allows for different grasps of knowledge.

When they discussed slow reading, I highlighted the section that stated, "..attending carefully to

the text, taking responsibility for your reading practices," because it epitomized the concept of

slow reading. Nonetheless, the classification for my highlighting was not merely limited to

keywords or claims but included phrases that warranted confusion from my perspective.

Additionally, as a technique to aid in memorization, I implement notes into highlighted portions

by documenting statements as a form of response to the author. This method enables me to

remain engrossed in the subject being discussed. However, I place emphasis on not

over-highlighting texts, as this would render the application of highlighting senseless and

counterproductive. Overhighlighting would force my brain to overload with unnecessary

information, which would eventually propel me to recollect select phrases that may have no

importance. Nonetheless, I aspire to execute active recall as a strategy for annotations. Although
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I employ the implementation of statements, I yearn to enhance memorization and comprehension

through question formation as an act of active recall.

The academic discipline of science is widely known to not employ a first-person point of

view but rather passive voice verbs in scientific writing. Passive voice is typically preferred in

the sciences because it naturally allows facts to stand on their own without hindrance. As a

biology major, I tend to read more scientific articles; thus, I have noticed that science

conventions in writing have impacted my writing style, especially when it comes to the

utilization of passive voice. For instance, I am occasionally perceived as unbiased and

impersonal in my papers because, in scientific writing, you have to avoid implementing

unnecessary or duplicate details. Additionally, the academic conventions of science have altered

my style of writing to include a straight-to-the-point manner; hence, I tend to compose brief but

impactful essays or responses. Personally, I have not perceived standardized English as a

hindrance in my writing path due to the fact that it has slowly been infused into my daily life.

However, from a societal aspect, I do view this homogenized English as a suppressor of other

undervalued dialects. I can comprehend how a standardized version is still expected; nonetheless,

each individual should be given the right to express their own identity and style.

In college, one is expected to be able to efficiently read and analyze critically. Writing in

high school essentially demanded that comprehension be articulated through personal opinions

or summarizing; contrastingly, writing in college entails pointed analysis and conscientiously

constructed arguments. Unlike high school, where essays rely heavily on your ingenious ideas,

college papers are dependent on credible and reliable research. Formulating a checklist of

questions when evaluating information is a technique that can be implemented to differentiate a

respectable source from capricious data. Professors want to know that you have not solely
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comprehended the material but have cogitated various counterarguments, provided supporting

evidence, critically evaluated your opinions, and formulated your opinions on in-depth analysis

and contemplation. Communicating with readers involves showcasing a problem, unveiling your

solution or opinion with supported evidence, providing a counterargument, and demonstrating

how your claim is valid and should be thoughtfully considered. To be taken seriously, one has to

support their claims with credible and reliable research, respect the readers, be persistent, provide

counterarguments, and be transparent.