You might very well be asking yourself, why should I be blogging for an English class? And I think it\u2019s a fair question, so let me give you the best answer that I can.<\/p>\n
In the first place, you should expect that a class in the English department will help you refine your ability to write. From my own experience, I have found that the best way to improve one\u2019s writing is to practice. Thus, this blog is a place for you to practice your writing. And not just any writing, but careful and thoughtful writing that seeks to answer the two questions of literary study: \u201cwhat?\u201d and \u201chow?\u201d<\/p>\n
But why a blog? Why can\u2019t you just write assignments, print them out, and hand them in? While literary studies might seem to be a very solitary task\u2013a single author responding on her own to a single-authored text\u2013it is in fact a conversation. Of course, one is always in \u201cconversation\u201d with the text being examined, but a good writer is also in conversation with others writing about the same text. You\u2019ve done this in the past when writing research papers. When blogging you broaden your audience: suddenly your classmates can be in conversation with you\u2026even when we\u2019re not in the classroom.<\/p>\n
Okay, so we want to practice writing and to engage one another in our understanding of the texts at hand. But why do this on a public blog (i.e., not Blackboard) where *gulp*\u00a0someone\u00a0<\/em>might find what\u00a0I<\/em>have to say? Quite simply: the more the merrier in a conversation. If we draw attention from the outside world, it will help us remember that college is not simply preparation for \u201cthe real world\u201d but that it is in fact a vital part\u00a0of<\/em>\u00a0the \u201creal\u201d world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You might very well be asking yourself, why should I be blogging for an English class? And I think it\u2019s a fair question, so let me give you the best answer that I can. In the first place, you should expect that a class in the English department will help you refine your ability to<\/p>\n