How To Write A Discussion Board Post Writing Is Thinking

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Write a discussion board post that analyzes how and why a specific feature of a piece of writing works, focusing on a feature you find interesting or perplexing. Refer to the text with at least one direct quote or paraphrased reference, and support your insights with evidence. Your post should be at least 200 words, include a word count, and engage with at least two colleagues' posts following the praise-question-polish format. Your responses should be thoughtful, respectful, and grammatically clear, with a focus on analyzing the writing rather than recounting the plot or providing personal opinions. Posts submitted late or lacking responses will lose points. Be sure to cite the reading appropriately and avoid excessive quoting or summaries.

Paper For Above instruction

The purpose of this discussion board assignment is to foster analytical thinking about literature by examining specific features of a writer’s craft within a selected text. Unlike simple plot summaries or personal reactions, this task requires a focused analysis of a particular stylistic or structural element—such as voice, tone, imagery, sentence rhythm, word choice, or narrative construction—and an exploration of how and why that element functions to shape the reader's experience or understanding of the story.

To begin, students should select a short passage of no more than four sentences from the assigned reading, which they believe encapsulates a significant aspect of the text. The next step involves close reading of that passage: examining the language, stylistic devices, and narrative techniques that the author employs. For example, one might analyze how the author’s use of imagery creates mood, or how sentence rhythm accentuates a character’s emotional state. The critical goal is to articulate why that particular feature is effective or meaningful within the context of the story, supporting claims with textual evidence.

In composing the post, students must include a clear thesis statement that presents their main insight about the feature’s role and significance. The body of the post should develop at least one supporting point per paragraph, arranged logically from the least to the most compelling or complex. Evidence from the text must be integrated seamlessly, with proper attribution, and the analysis should avoid plot retellings or personal opinions disconnected from literary reasoning.

Furthermore, the assignment emphasizes the importance of engagement. Students are expected to respond to at least two colleagues’ posts using the praise-question-polish method, providing constructive and respectful feedback that deepens the discussion. Responses should be thorough, at least three sentences long, and free of grammatical or typographical errors.

Adherence to formatting guidelines is essential: posts should be in paragraph form, include the word count, and follow MLA style if quoting or referencing the text. The initial post must be submitted within 24 hours to promote timely exchange, and late posts will not be accepted. Overall, the goal is to develop critical reading and writing skills that highlight how literary choices influence meaning and reader perception, rather than merely recounting plot or personal reactions.

References

• London, Jack. "To Build a Fire." In The Son of the Wolf and Other Stories, 1900.
• Zinsser, William. Writing to Learn. Harper & Row, 1988.
• Naomi Shihab Nye. "Three Pokes of a Thistle".
• Carver, Raymond. "Why Don't You Dance?"
• Naomi, Nye. "The Wordy Shipmates." Harvard University Press, 2008.
• London, Jack. "The White Silence." In The Son of the Wolf and Other Stories, 1900.
• Johnson, Steven. Where Good Ideas Come From. Penguin Books, 2010.
• Hemingway, Ernest. "Hills Like White Elephants." In Fiction & Poetry, 1950.
• Bloom, Harold. The Western Canon. Harcourt Brace, 1994.
• O’Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." In Collected Works, 1955.