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4

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emember that inquiry is central to the process of composing. As you

move from reading texts to writing them, you will discover that writing

grows out of answering these questions:

•   What are the concerns of the authors I’ve been reading?

•   What situations motivate them to write?

•   What frames or contexts do they use to construct their arguments?

•   What is my argument in response to their writing?

•   What is at stake in my argument?

•   Who will be interested in reading what I have to say?

•   How can I connect with both sympathetic and antagonistic readers?

•   What kinds of evidence will persuade my readers?

•   What objections are they likely to raise?

To answer these questions, you must read in the role of writer, with an

eye toward

•   ^ identifying an issue (an idea or a statement that is open to dispute) that

compels you to respond in writing,

•   ^ understanding the situation (the factors that give rise to the issue and

shape your response), and

•   ^ formulating a question (what you intend to answer in response to the

issue).

In Table 4.1, we identify a series of situations and one of the issues

and questions that derive from each of them. Notice that the question

From Identifying Issues

to Forming Questions

04_GRE_60141_Ch4_080_105.indd 80 10/30/14 7:46 AM