Blog 7
In Chapter 7 of Academic Writing, the authors explain that reading and writing in the humanities tend to focus more on interpretation and meaning rather than facts or data. Writing in this field is about analyzing ideas, texts, and artwork, and explaining how they create meaning. The chapter helped me see that writing in the humanities is less about giving one “right” answer and more about building an argument that makes sense based on the evidence you find. One important part of structure in humanities writing is the thesis statement. According to AW, “a thesis in the humanities should make an arguable claim about meaning” (p. 176). The chapter also notes that essays in the humanities typically follow a flexible structure, consisting of an introduction, body paragraphs that develop ideas with examples, and a conclusion that reflects on the argument. It’s less formulaic than a science lab report or history essay. When it comes to references, AW explains that humanities writers often use MLA format and focus on textual evidence (p. 185). This means quoting or paraphrasing the author’s exact words and explaining their meaning. The chapter gives the example: “As Woolf writes, ‘A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’ (Woolf 4).” Then the writer would analyze that quote instead of just dropping it in. The explanation part is key—it shows that you understand the quote’s purpose in your argument. Looking at the student sample paper in the chapter, you can see these techniques in action. The student has a clear thesis and uses quotes from the story to support their ideas. The paper also stays focused and uses analytical language. However, some paragraphs feel more like summaries than analyses, and a few quotes could benefit from more explanation. I think adding more interpretation and smoother transitions would strengthen the paper. Overall, Chapter 7 helped me understand that writing in the humanities is about making an argument through interpretation and analysis. It’s not just about what a text says, but about why it matters and how the author creates meaning.
Dear Writer,
I really appreciate your viewpoints on this chapter of AW. You gave some really interesting viewpoints as to why you found it really helpful. I appreciate your comments a lot. I also found that the chapter explained how humanities focus more on interpretation. I found this point very helpful seeing as interpretation is always needed especially when you are expressing your own viewpoints. Having the right answer is not always the best thing, it is about how you got there and where your mind went in order to find the answers. The usage of textual evidence is apparent when writing in humanities and that is very helpful since MLA format is more simplistic and textually easy to find. Quoting and explaining the author’s exact words is an extremely easy way to assess your viewpoints. It makes it so that you have an easy reference to look back on and use as an addition to the facts you might be providing. Comparing and contrasting them would be beneficial when writing as well. Adding to the meaning of the text is what one would call, close reading. When you are close reading, you are applying what the words on the pages say as well as what the author is trying to convey in their writing. It is an extremely useful tool especially when reading things that you might need within your writing to amplify your message. Writing things simplistically give a sense of non-evident information and or evidence. The humanities, while focusing on people, have a very unique way of writing that works just as a human mind would. The connections like this are very interesting to hear about. I really enjoyed reading your viewpoints seeing as I was able to apply the AW chapter to your blog post. I now have a deeper understanding of what you believe, as well as a deep understanding of what other authors might be explaining when they write.