Danticat’s novel

Instructions
1. Identify one or two topics, issues or problems at the center of
Danticat’s novel
2. Using Google or one of the CCC Library databases, locate one popular
source (article, video or image) on the topic(s) you’ve identified.
3. Using one of the CCC Library databases, locate one peer-reviewed
article on the topic(s) you’ve identified.
4. Write an essay based on your chosen article(s)
5. Post your essay to this discussion board and respond to your peer(s)
focus on the information below as guidelines for writing your essay
Writing the essay:
1. Craft an essay (six- paragraph minimum) that summarizes the purpose,
central claim and key evidence as well as analyzes the authors’ biases
and assumptions; the effectiveness of the evidence, organization and
conclusions; and, the intended audience of the articles you’ve chosen.
Make sure to conclude the essay with a paragraph or two that states
the impact of reading the articles on your understanding of the novel.
2. The essay should include a minimum of two paraphrases and two
quotes from the articles you’ve chosen.
3. Provide a Works Cited or References entry for the article at the end of
your post.
4. Before you submit your essay, consider using the optional Pearson
Writer tool, Smarthinking online tutoring link and/or one of the writing
centers at one of the seven City Colleges of Chicago.
5. Respond to two of your peers’ essays.
6. Make sure to make connections between your responses and their
own; your experiences and those revealed in the video; and, the
general clarity of the ideas presented.

When choosing an article consider these questions:
1. Who is the author, and what are his/her qualifications?

2. What is the nature of the text (type, purpose, intended audience)?
3. What is the author’s thesis?
4. What are the underlying assumptions? Are they stated or do they lurk
behind a stance of neutrality and objectivity?
5. How do assumptions and biases affect the validity of the text?
6. Are arguments/statements supported by evidence? Is the evidence
relevant? Sufficient?
7. What evidence or ideas has the author failed to consider?
8. Are the author’s judgments and conclusions valid?
9. What rhetorical strategies does the author use? Are they effective?
10. Is there a controversy surrounding either the text or the subject
which it concerns?
11. What is the overall value of the text?
Finally, consider these questions:
1. In ways are the two articles similar and dissimilar?
2. Is one or the other more effective?
3. How do these articles enhance your understanding of the novel by
Danticat?
Writing Your Essay – Consider this process:
1. Identify the author’s thesis and purpose
2. Analyze the structure of the work by identifying all main ideas
3. Consult a dictionary or encyclopedia to understand material that is
unfamiliar to you
4. Make an outline of the work or write a description of it
5. Write a summary of the work
6. Determine and evaluate the purpose which could be:
a. To inform with factual material — has the material been presented
clearly, accurately, with order and coherence?
b. To persuade with appeal to reason or emotions — are evidence,
logical reasoning, and counter-argument present and effective?
c. To entertain (to affect people’s emotions) — does it make you laugh,
cry, angry? To what end does it do this? How how does it achieve this
impact?
7. Determine how/if this text helps you understand the novel by Danticat.