PB 2B

Every author makes “moves” to get their point across. Moves are devices that either keep the reader engaged or present information in a clear, concise manner. By “reading like a writer” it is easy to notice the moves a writer makes as you read and you can even name them. Some moves are more common among writers, and others are unique to certain writers.

• “Introducing Standardized Views:” Bringing a standardized view into your writing to bring extra credibility to your argument. By introducing an idea the reader that they are already familiar with, and hopefully accept, you force them to entertain your argument. Mike Bunn consistently uses standardized views to do this in Reading Like a Writer to increase the strength of his argument. For example, when he writes “instead of reading for content or to better understand the ideas in writing…” he is stating a pretty standard view on how most students read assigned text. By stating this commonly held way of reading Bunn is contrasting it to his way of reading and attempting to tell the reader why his way is better.
• “Making What They Say Something You Say:” When you take something someone else has said and make it part of your argument to create validity. When you make someone else’s words into your own you are using their argument to strengthen your own. Such as when Bunn puts in examples of his students writing and uses that as support for his main argument. For Instance, in one of the student’s quotations she writes “how did the writer get me to feel…” Bunn goes on to talk tell ways to look for what devices and moves a writer uses to make a reader feel.
• “Capturing Authorial Action:” A move that writers use to emphasize or point out a move that an author has made. Bunn utilizes this move by using a quotations; in one instance, “see the choices the writer has made… how the writer has coped with the consequences of those choices…” Bunn captures the actions the author uses and you cannot only easily relay them to your reader, but you can also learn to develop those actions into your own arguments.
• “Introducing Quotations:” Gives credibility to your argument. Using a quotation is like saying “Here is someone who is published and has the same argument/opinion as me.” By using quotations you show your reader that not only are you knowledgeable and have researched your topic but that there is validity to what you are saying because someone who has been published has voiced the same argument/opinion as you. Bunn uses this move often by quoting student responses/essays that support his ideas.
• “Explaining Quotations:” This normally directly follows a quotation. By explaining a quotation you are giving your reader a more understandable interpretation of that quote. Sometimes quotations include a lot of heavy information so by explaining what that all means you can make it more understandable to your reader and in doing so also tie the quote into your argument. Bunn does this after every student quotation he uses; he presents a quote and then uses points the quote brings up as his argument or to build upon it.
• “Bullets:” The use of bullets to display important information. Bunn uses bullet points to separate his more important ideas from the main text. As an illustration, in one of the bullets Bunn writes “do you know the author’s purpose for this piece of writing?” in another he writes, “Do you know who the intended audience is for this piece of writing?” These are some of the main points throughout Bunn’s article and he emphasizes them by separating them from the main text.
• “Headers:” Bunn gives each of his sections headers that are in bold such as “What are some questions to ask before you start reading?” or “Why learn to read like a writer?” By using a header Bunn is showing his reader what to look for in his own writing. This gives the reader a sense of direction and prevents them from being distracted by the less important aspects of each section.
• “Relatable Sources:” In Bunn’s article he uses quotations from other students to create familiarity and understanding to his article. By using student quotations Bunn is presenting the information in a way that is relatable to his audience. When using this move it is important to take into account context, because it would be inappropriate to use a student quote in a research essay because a student is not credible to a professor.
• “Reader Shoutout:” In the article Bunn consistently calls the reader “you” and by doing so makes you, the reader, familiar with him. This move makes the writing seem almost like a conversation and sets an easygoing tone. This move is effective especially in Bunn’s article because he is trying to reach out to an easygoing college student who is probably taking a mandatory writing class, and he wants to maintain their interest.
• “Personal Anecdote:” This is another technique to relate to the reader. Bunn begins the article with a short story about how he learned what it meant to “read like a writer.” He begins by writing that he was a “recent college graduate” and goes on to tell his experience. This is an obvious effort to relate to the reader, since the intended audience is college students. By using this move of relating to the audience you can bring a sense of closeness or even friendliness with your reader and hopefully earn their attention.