SWA 2

SWA 2: Description in Your Blog

            In SWA 1 you were asked to write about your personal reaction to a section of Bless Me Última. In this assignment you will expand on your new blogging skills to describe not only how you feel and are reacting to a certain part of the text, but giving the reader lush descriptions about your surroundings either while you were reacting to the text or while you are remembering your reaction to the text. Also, in this assignment, you will be asked to describe an event that happened to you either while reading the text, or in a distant memory that the text reminded you of. Be as descriptive as possible to offer richness for your reader, using about 1 ½ pages (about 700 words).

            Reader response blogs are all about the blogger, and will be centered on your personal experiences with the text. However, in any type of writing but especially in descriptive writing, your audience should be considered. Ideally, a reader with a completely different experience will be able to feel as if they were there for the events being described. Show us, don’t tell us. A helpful reminder for descriptive writing is to keep in mind that the 5 senses should be used. So, describe what you saw or are seeing, what you smelled or remember smelling, what your fingers are feeling, the taste of what you had for lunch, and the noises in the environment around you for example. For a review on descriptive writing in personal narrative, see pages 42-45 in Writing Today. If you are curious about reader response theory, review this website: http://trevorcairney.blogspot.com/2010/04/importance-of-reader-response.html

Grading Guidelines:

An “A” blog will be free from spelling and grammatical errors, will move coherently from one thought to the next, and will be fun and easy to read. At least four of the five senses are utilized and the author offers rich descriptions. The blog layout is appropriate and simple. It will be within the word limit and will discuss both the text and the writer’s reactions to the text.

A “B” blog will have all the necessary components, but will have some errors in grammar, spelling, or organization. It will make sense but may not be as easy to understand as an A paper. The blog layout is appropriate and simple and the post is within the word limit.

A “C” blog will have some distracting errors, and may be deficient in 3-4 small areas, but will otherwise be a readable blog. It may still be within the word limit and the layout may be correct.

Any grade below a “C” is because there are deficiencies in 4 areas or more, the blog is difficult to understand, or there are far too many errors that distract from the piece.