Critical inquiry is another of the four outcomes that we focused on this quarter, and it is central in relating how we ask questions to understanding the ways writers intend readers to perceive their work terms of organization, claim, and evidence. We practiced strategies of critical inquiry by actively reading using “double underlining” style annotations, which allow us, as readers, to recount our observations in response to the overall journey through a piece of writing. We also discussed in length how “They Say, I Say” arguments add depth and perspective to an essay by addressing multiple schools of thought and questioning how our writing should add to or modify a preexisting conversation. In my Major Paper 1, I end my introduction paragraph with the claim “Although John McCain was regarded in the media as a candidate who diverged from normal political tactics, Wallace notes in his essay that even McCain’s campaign did not go without the overarching bias that comes with attempting to ensure a candidate receives the best possible chance at the presidency.”, which shows how questioning an aspect of the conversation that needs further explanation can contrast a more widely discussed claim and enlighten a conversation.
Critical inquiry also came into play when sorting through key phrases of Dimitradis’ essay in Short Paper 2.2 in the attempt to gain a more cohesive understanding of the paranoid style. By effectively correlating concepts of “public sphere”, “eliminationist” tendencies, and “evidence” in Dimitradis’ essay, I could show how my understanding of the paranoid style developed. In approaching reading and writing from a place of inquiry rather than from a mindset of finding answers, I have become more inclined to acknowledge multiple viewpoints and respond to a piece of writing with more complexity, which in turn improves the efficacy of my own writing.
As examples of my practice of critical inquiry, here are my Major Paper 1, “The Conventionality of Anticandidates” and Short Paper 2.2, “Deciphering Dimitraidis.”
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