emulation

From: kathyh 

I'm looking for an original passage WITH the emulation!

Here's the original handout(I just can't remember who posted it):

Emulation

Directions for an emulation as a way of studying style or form:

1.  Choose a passage that is representative of the author's style. ("It sounds like this
author" may be all you can say about it at this time.  Choose a subject of your own that is
different from the subject of the original passage. Use this subject as you begin your
emulation. 

2.  Write out the original passage in ink, leaving 2 spaces between each
line of the original. Writing directly beneath each word, replace each major
word (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) of the original passage with a
word of your own that serves the same grammatical purpose. For example,
replace every noun with a noun, verb with a verb, adjective with an adjective,
and so on. It is best to work in pencil as there will likely be erasures.

3.  There are some words that you can keep if you want to: words such as
and, but, or may be kept; prepositions (words such as in, out, above,
through, with) may be kept or replaced with other prepositions; and any form of
the verb to be (am, is, was, were, etc.) may be used as in the original.

4.  When you finish writing word-for-word of the original, keep writing
for another two or      three sentences. Try to maintain the same "sentence
sense" as you continue writing. In this way, you are demonstrating that
you have internalized original author's style in this passage.

If you are doing a "style study," look at such things as these:

    Word choice: Does the author use common everyday words or less
common, more difficult words?

    Sentence length: Are the sentences all about the same length? Does
the author use some long sentences and some short? If so, what is the result
of changing from long to short or short to long? What effect does each
have?

    Dialogue: Does the author use dialogue in this passage? If so, what
is its function--to move the plot forward, to reveal character, to show
setting?

Note: You can do an emulation of a fixed form in poetry, such as the
sonnet, and have kids experience writing in that form before you ever give them
the specs for the form.


Kathy

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From Fran Claggett
MFCLAGGETT@aol.com

Here are the directions I use (and have published) for emulating a poem or a 
prose passage. Choose a passage that is at the upper edge of students' 
reading ability. This can be used with struggling readers or AP students.


Directions for Emulation
1.  Replace every word of the original with a word of your own that serves 
the same purpose.  If you are familiar with the names of the parts of speech, 
that means replace every noun with a noun, verb with a verb, adjective with 
an adjective, and so on. (For this poem, you may want to keep the first line.)

2.  There are places where you can simply use the words of the original if 
you want to:  words such as and, but, or; may be repeated; prepositions 
(words such as in, out, above, through, with) may be used or replaced; and 
any form of the verb to be (am, is, was, were, etc.) may be used as in the 
original.

The important thing in doing an emulation, is to select a subject that is 
different from that of the original and keep to your own subject.  It becomes 
tempting to look for synonyms rather than words that function the same way in 
the sentence.

If you don't have a typed version with a large font and wide spaces, the 
easiest way to do an emulation is to copy the original on your own paper, in 
ink,  leaving two spaces between each line.  Write your emulation, in pencil, 
on the line below, keeping the words lined up.  These directions might seem 
like a lot of work for a short experiment, but they will save you time and 
energy in the long run.

When you finish your emulation, give it a title. Beneath the title, write, 
"Modeled after (title and author). Then write your name as the author of the 
emulation.

Example:

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