Yesterday in English class, we were tasked with the not so unusual job of reading from a select number of news articles, choosing one of those articles, and then posting our analysis of that article here on our blogs. So the question is, how can you go about effectively analyzing a text?

Well, that is where the APATSARC drill comes into play. In case you didn’t know, APATSARC is an acronym; however, It’s not just an acronym, but a useful exercise in learning how to analyze text critically. Here are what the letters stand for:

Audience

Purpose

Argument

Tone

Structure

Assumptions

Rhetorical Style

Context

When reading critically, keeping these points in mind as well as annotating will aid in the process. So, here is my attempt at this exercise. Sorry if it looks a little strange, I hand-wrote most of my notes in digital form. The article I chose was titled, “The Non-Politics of Disability” by Jay Ruckelshaus, and you can read it for yourself here. He talks a little about the dialogue surrounding disability politics, or in this case, the lack thereof.

Hey all! Let me take the time to re-introduce myself. My full name is Emmanuel Matthew Clark and I am ecstatic to be here a part of Dr. Crowther’s class again for another semester. Briefly, here are a few things about me:

• I’m currently 19 years young at the time of this post.
• I’m a computer science major.
• I’m was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia (which is pretty close Clarkston, just look out for a big rock).
• I’m the youngest of three (two older sisters).
• All of my immediate family members are also college students (we even have homework nights occasionally).

This is what I look like in case you see me in person:

A few things I enjoy doing/keeping up with:

• Computers and Technology (industry-wide news whether it’s about smartphones, automotive technology, advancements in personal computing technology, etc.).
• Building personal computers (and I’ll post a few of my builds in case anyone is interested).
• Skate Culture (skateboarding to be more specific)
• Car Culture
• Video Games (industry related news and actually playing them).
• Bargain Finding (let’s just say, I’m an extreme ebayer).

Like many others, I’m here at Georgia State Perimeter to get an education and a quality one at best. Luckily for me, the Clarkston campus is close enough to where travel is still convenient. I want to be able to sharpen my talents and abilities and put them to use one way or another. Whether it will benefit me, my family, or even a complete stranger, I believe that this class, as well as other classes, can be the catalyst to a successful future. Writing is an essential part of life, and prevailing the difficulties surrounding writing can help me and other individuals get one step closer to their goal. I’m definitely looking forward to working alongside my fellow classmates again, and I wish everyone the best for this semester.