Blog 7
During my time reading Academic Writing: Chapter 7 one thing that stood out to me was the way it said that understanding a song is similar to what a humanist does when they research and write. For example, when you are listening to music you look for how it is similar or different from other songs, or even knowing who the singer is. By doing this you are performing how humanities think. You are making meaning of the whole song by connecting it to the social and cultural events that are around when it is being made. Humanities scholars do this all the time when they are looking at novels, essays, poems, or historical documents. Close reading is a key method for understanding text. In the chapter it says to create a content/form-response grid, where “content” is what is happening in the text and “form” is the way the piece is structured. This helps writers and readers see what the text is saying and how it is being said. The structure of humanities writing is normally clear and logical arguments formatted in such a way like an argumentative essay. The language tends to be formal, avoiding slang and expressions. The reference types are typically MLA or Chicago style. After reading the student sample paper I was able to identify many elements of structure like using the content/form-response grid. She also uses an active voice to show she is doing the action. She uses proper transitions to connect one idea to another. She also uses the reference type of MLA as it is cited at the end of the paper. The language tends to explain what is trying to be said by using big words and not using slang. During this time rereading chapter 7 I feel I have a better understanding of reading and writing in the humanities.
Dear Reese,
While reading your comment I was interested in how well you summarized what humanities is all about. As you said, it focuses on determining whether the writing is connected to cultural or social events while using some methods to understand the text more clearly in a mannered and formal writing , such as replacing slang words for big words to identify the language. Having professional writing is a key to understanding how humanities work.
We usually tend to have a favorite artist that we tend to listen to often to the point we are able to identify the type of vibe they give based on the lyrics, content, and voice. All of the songs connect to cultural or social events, especially on what is more relatable. Close reading allows us to pay attention to the small details that aren’t easy to identify at the first attempt, close reading allows us to see beyond the possible small details such as transitions that connect ideas to others, by comparing and contrasting when needed. I think this is very important because it helps you become a better reader and writer in the field of humanities.
Which in MLA is the proper style to be used in humanities literature to dive into the sources of other authors, to support the author’s point they want to come across in their topic by allowing the audience see the support of others. It has many rules to follow but it is what makes humanities special and different from other studies. I agree with you, chapter 7 is a great resource that teaches us about humanities, how it is structured and why it is so important to follow the guidelines. With your statement about studying humanities is like listening to a song , I see it that way now because you are not just listening, but also following along with singing and paying attention to the lyrics and connections of the main points.
Sincerely,
Arleth