Practice Analysis 1 continued

In class today we talked about the "parts" of an analysis. We talked about the different kinds of evidence you need to provide to develop an analysis of events that you observe (like coaching sessions); specifically we explored the difference between observations/descriptions and interpretations/inferences. Observations are what you actually see - such as the student leaning out of the conversation, speaking softly, saying "Do you think it's boring?" and covering her mouth as she listened to her work. Interpretations are statements about what those observations might mean => that the student is shy, uncomfortable, or an inexperienced writer.

We watched the video part by part, observing the interactions between what the student did & what the tutor did. Our assumption was that what happens before => causes what happens after. Detailed descriptions of what happened, the sequence of what happened, and your interpretations of the meaning of what happened will be the basis of the cause-effect analysis you will write for Project 2.

Specific observations are the "proof" for your interpretations. In class you practiced writing a detailed description that would support a statement that the student was uncomfortable.

Organizing cause-effect analyses. Toward the end of class, you wrote a ordered list of the points you would need to make (and the material you might include to develop those points) to form a kind of "outline" for an analysis of the video that focuses on showing how the tutor's moves helped to put the student at ease.

The overall outline in the sample paper was:

- set up focus => general statement that student was uncomfortable (Cause) & tutor's moves made her less uncomfortable (effect)

- level of student discomfort + moves tutor made during warm-up talk (might want to add more detailed description to illustrate/prove student discomfort + more detailed descriptions of tutor moves. Also might want to add a description of any changes in the student's appearance, behavior, talk, etc that indicates she is more comfortable)

-level of student discomfort + moves tutor made in transition to working on essay (what should be added?)

- level of student discomfort + moves tutor made during session (anything to add?)

- conclusion

In discussion that followed - several different patterns for organization were suggested. At this point - it might be useful for you to return to CH 5 in HTWA and re-read 138-143.

In class on Thursday we will talk about different kinds of causes (138-140) and about deciding on a focus for your analysis and associated patterns for organization.

Homework:
Re-read: HTWA 138-143.

Write: 1. Turn in the "outline" you started in class for an analysis of the tutoring video. Make sure your outline includes a clear statement of what your analysis shows. 2. State one point you will make with respect to what your analysis shows, and using observations (and appropriate interpretations) from the video - write a detailed description to support one of your points (it should be different from the point we worked on in class).