1.) Gee’s two theorems (9-11) are controversial. Put each theorem in your own words. Why do you think they are controversial?
– Gee’s first theorem is that discourses are not like languages. He goes on to explain his reasoning for this by saying that a person can speak a language and still not be fluent in it, he says this differs from discourses because in order to have a discourse you either know it or you don’t. Gee’s second theorem states, that primary discourses can never be “liberating literacies”. I think these theorems are controversial because one may argue that in order to speak a language the person is more or less fluent in it, and if not they develop that skill throughout their whole life.

2.) “‘Mushfake,’ resistance, and meta-knowledge: this seems to me like a good combination for successful students and successful social change” (Gee 13). To make sense of Gee, we must understand these three elements or concepts. What are they? Support your response with text.
– Mushfake means to make do with something less than what you are given. Meta-knowledge is basically described to us as knowledge within knowledge, this idea that we build our intelligence based off of what we already know and use this new knowledge to manipulate the old. Furthermore, meta-knowledge is a deeper understanding of new and old material. Lastly, resistance helps us form a more profound sense of knowledge.

3.) Identify at least one way the students in Jordan’s class might be employing that combination. Quote from both texts and to explain the relationships you see. Use the Barclay’s Formula to assist you in building a Paper Like Thing (paragraph) that builds your idea.
– The students display the “mushfake, resistance and meta-knowledge” combination through trying to develop a deeper understanding of why characters in the color purple converse the way they do. For instance, the students display mushfake by translating the text into their own words, this is hard because they don’t recognize and or connect that the way they speak is the every day language used in the book. Moreover, they are working with less than what they were given. This example can also be seen as the students building their meta-knowledge. This is because, using this skill of translation helped them build onto prior knowledge i.e. they were able to manipulate the words into a clearer text that they could understand. This all, in turn, helped build the students resistance.

4.) Identify at least two reasons engaging others’ views is important in academic writing.
– Engaging others views in your writing is important because it creates an argument that further interests the reader and develops thought-provoking discussions. As stated in the text it says, “If it weren’t for other people and our need to challenge, agree with, or otherwise respond to them, there would be no reason to argue at all”. Using others views to agree or disagree with, gives a writer a purpose to write and allows readers to form their own opinions.

5.) In chapter 1, the authors recommend that a writer start with “what others” say. But we also know that academic writing should have an argument. This sets up a bit of a tension and “may seem to contradict the common advice that writers should lead with their own thesis or claim” (Graff and Birkenstein 21). Draw on your high school experience and the authors’ ideas to discuss at least one way to deal with this tension.
– One way to deal with this tension is by starting out with writing about your argument and or the theme of your paper. Then follow that with what others say about the subject, and what they argue for the topic. After this is stated, I would talk more about what I think on the subject and offer statistical information for the reader.

6.) A key practice in chapter 3 involves avoiding quotation accidents, what Steve Benton calls “‘hit-and-run’ quotations” (qtd. in Graff and Birkenstein 45). Find a passage in chapter 3 that captures the authors’ recommendations for quoting, and relate it to something in your own high school writing experience. Be sure to set up the quote, use it, and explain it in a way that connects to your experience.
– What Benton suggests is a “hit-and-run quotation”, is one where you quote what a person is saying but don’t further explain to the reader a.) what the person is saying or b.) you don’t reiterate your stance on the subject i.e. whether you disagree with what the person is saying or agree. Instead, he suggests that a writer should “introduce the quote adequately and also mention why it is worth quoting”. Relating this idea to a high school experience of mine, I remember having to do this heavily in my English classes, especially for research papers.