How is language used in this writing? Is it effective to its purpose? Comment on the historical nature of the language. Does it make it difficult to read or understand?

Jean Baudrillard
Simulacra and Simulations

from Jean Baudrillard, Selected Writings, ed. Mark Poster (Stanford; Stanford University Press, 1988), pp.166-184.

Chicago Style Citation

Detailed Guidelines

You are asked to write reading responses for ten weeks. Instructions below. You have two weeks where you do not have to write reading responses.

Write a response for each reading on the syllabus. If there are two or three readings in a week, you may read them both and comment on them using the guidelines below. Or you can just focus more on one, if you prefer. Your choice.

Each week should be about 200-250 words.

Part I: Meta or paratext (the “frame” around the work)

How do you imagine this text as a physical object?

What type of writing is the text? Who is the intended audience? Who can/can’t access it?

How is language used in this writing? Is it effective to its purpose?

Comment on the historical nature of the language. Does it make it difficult to read or understand?

Part 2: The “content” of the writing

What is the writing about? What is/are he/she/they concerned with?

What is the aim of this writing? Or the purpose?

What assumptions does the author hold?

What quotes can you pull from the writing that exemplify the author’s argument?

Why do you agree with? What do you want to argue with?

Has it changed your views in any way?

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