1.     Read the assigned essay, “Finding Other Heroes.” At least once, read from the beginning all the way to the end, then stop. As you read, try to understand the text two ways at once, paying attention to what the essayist is saying and to how he or she conveys that idea.

2.     Annotate the text. Mark phrases or images that strike you as interesting or important in some way. Think about the way the essayist uses language to convey ideas. But most important, record your thoughts about what you are reading. Make marginal notes or keep a reading journal.

3.     Summarize the essay. A summary (reader-based) will be tasked with accounting for the content of the essay. Think: what is the essay saying?

4.     Reconstruct the essay. A reconstruction (writer based) will be concerned with how the essay employs rhetoric to work on the reader. Think: how is the essay saying its message?

Details of this exercise:

1.     Your summary should be about 100 words (no more than one ¾ double-spaced typed page)

2.     Your reconstruction should be thorough and encompass as many rhetorical strategies from the readings you can identify, and its length will reflect its content. (no more than ½ double-spaced typed page)

3.     You will type the summary and reconstruction using MLA format. You must include a “works cited” list because you will be discussing the essay. If you quote key phrases or clauses from the essay, parenthetical documentation is also required.