Critical Reading of "A Place Called Midland"

Answer the questions below about your reading of "A Place Called Midland Links to an external site." by Susan Orleans. Prepare answers by providing the question heading and then respond to each heading in paragraphs.  After each response, make sure you provide how you know (look to the text) your answer fits how you respond.

This analysis will not be submitted for feedback, but is an important exercise to build critical reading skills.

1.1 In what genre is this text written?  How do you know?

1.2 Is this a published or a student-produced piece of writing?  How do you know?

1.3 What is the author's purpose for this piece of writing?  How do you know? Who is the intended audience?  How do you know?

1.4 How effective is the language the author uses?  Is it formal? Informal?  Appropriate?  How do you know?

1.5 What kinds of evidence does the author use in text?  Does she use statistics?  Quotes?  Personal stories?  Does she cite other information?

1.6 How appropriate or effective is this evidence?  How would a different form of evidence change the intent of the work?