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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Response to “College Admissions Essays: A Genre of Masculinity” by Sarah-Kate Magee

Response to “College Admissions Essays: A Genre of Masculinity” by Sarah-Kate Magee
Choose 2 out of the 3 questions

Question 1.
How closely do your own experiences with writing and language fit broadly held gender stereotypes? In which aspects do your experiences break the stereotypes?
Response 1.
I would consider my writing history to be very masculine. This is because of the to the point, leave out the fluff and emotions way in which I commonly choose to write. That way of writing is characterized as masculine. As I have grown older I have wrote more feminine more often. This is largely because of the influence of teachers, who happen to be female, pressuring me to make my language more complex (which I do not agree with), and emotionally fueled. I believe writing should be stating facts and opinions to get the point across. Since I began to write more feminine I sometimes catch myself writing that way and become aggravated by it. I break the gender stereotype more often in papers about myself because it becomes much easier to. I like to express my emotions at times. I have had some very inspiring life events that involve others and myself. When I write about these topics I tend to write more feminine.

Question 2.
How long does it take to set up, or explain the origins of, her specific research questions and methods of addressing it? What major “moves” does her essay make in order to get there (what different lines of thought does she pursue one after the next)?
Response 2.

I felt that it took Magee until the 14th paragraph to set up the origins of her question and how she aimed to explain it. The questions she was facing were very complex and undefined. To get to that point she had to write virtually her entire piece. The possibilities and perspectives continued to change, not only of Magee’s but also of other outside sources. Magee addresses how masculine writing has a more powerful impact in many places. She then went on top point out that many females write in a very masculine way and it does not seem to matter what sex you are, you are still capable of writing in whichever gender stereotype you choose. I was shocked that she did not refute the fact that masculine writing was better at any point. There surely must be a time and a place where feminine writing has an advantage.

1 comment:

  1. As concern as college application essay help, I would say that the possibilities and perspectives continued to change, not only of Magee’s but also of other outside sources. Magee addresses how masculine writing has a more powerful impact in many places.

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