Explicating Literature

1
Explicating Literature

• This, too, is expository writing

2
Explication

• Explication evaluates literature by analyzing its
  elements
• Plot
• Setting
• Character
• Tone and Mood
• Theme
• Point-of-View
• Symbolism

3
Explication

• Requires you to use information from the text to
  prove your statements about the selection (very
  much like you use test results to prove a
  hypothesis in science)
• Explication questions often ask you to
• Discuss
• Describe
• Summarize
• Compare/contrast

4
Discuss

• When asked to discuss, you may
• Explain
• Give examples
• Define
• Show how you know (where did you find the
  information or ideas)

5
Describe

• When asked to describe, you may
• Define the characteristics
• Use adjectives
• Create a picture with words
• When describing characters, write about what they
  say, what they do, how they relate to other
  characters

6
Compare/Contrast

• Comparison illustrates how things or people are
  similar.
• Contrast illustrates how things or people are
  different.
• Pay careful attention to these words in
  directions.

7
Summarize

• Summarizing is an important way to process
  information. In addition to being part of
  explication, you may use summarizing to
• Take notes on lectures
• Take notes on reading
• Take notes on research
• Take notes on viewing

8
Plagiarism

• It is important to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism
  is a fancy word for copying someone elses work
  and words. Legally, it is a crime to copy an
  authors work from a book, song, video, etc. In
  school, copying is considered cheating. Letting
  someone copy from you is also considered
  cheating. Homework and classwork should not be
  copied or done together unless directed to do
  so.

9
Summarizing

• Do not copy or cut and paste large sections of
  text. This is plagiarism (cheating) and will
  receive NO credit
• Do cite select pieces of text that illustrate
  main ideas, key facts, important vocabulary. Use
  quotation marks around citations and identify
  sources. This rule applies to pictures and
  graphics, as well.

10
Summarizing

• Paraphrase and summarize the important
  information in your own words.
• Interpret and use the information to reach
  conclusions, draw inferences, and make
  predictions.

11
Be Text-Based

• Do use specific language from the text in your
  response to demonstrate the way that the text
  relates to your topic or question.
• Remember that reading questions ask what the text
  (author) says, not only what you think. If a
  question asks your opinion, you still need to
  support it with text that supports your point.

12
A Explication

• A explication connects your discussion of the
  text to your own experience and to other related
  knowledge
• A explication summarizes relevant facts from the
  text, interpreting and reflecting on their
  significance as you write