Monday, September 26, 2011

Cayla Lepior Blog #7

            While reading the Pearson book, I found a lot of useful information on important elements of an exploratory essay. The first important thing I came across was “formulating a starting point” (Pearson 110). I found this to be most important because an essay is based around a main idea or topic. Without writing about a problem that you are interested in as a writer, your essay will most likely not be interesting to the reader. “Instead of a single, focused question, you might start with a whole cluster of related questions swimming in your head” (Pearson 110). This, in my opinion, creates a more intriguing argument and a better essay overall.
            Another element of an exploratory essay I found to be important is the section talking about “taking ‘double-entry’ research notes” (Pearson 111). This describes taking “notes in which you use one column for taking notes on a source and another column for recording your own thinking about the source” (Pearson 11). I believe this is an important part in developing a good exploratory essay because taking notes with your own opinions and thoughts about the actual facts creates personality in your essay, not just generic facts you find in reading during research. This could also be considered mixing closed and open prose, creating a better exploratory essay.
            I also think it’s important to “keep a problem alive through consideration of multiple solutions of points of view” (Pearson 107). If you settle too early on a thesis without debating both sides, the reader of your essay will most likely loose interest quickly because there is nothing to consider. You should “go beyond the initial answer to think of alternatives” (Pearson 107) in order to maintain a good argument throughout your essay. After questioning the problem and examining different perspectives, you may even come to find that you changed your views on the topic by analyzing it thoroughly.

1 comment:

  1. I used keeping the problem alive in my key points too! Very important.

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