First, we’ll read Roy Peter Clark’s “Writing by the Numbers” in class.

Then, read the Roy Peter Clark page “X-ray reading” from your handout, and try the process on the copy of “Fighting for life 50 floors up” that I typed out. We’ll discuss what you saw beneath that story, then look at the way Clark marked it up.

Finally, do the same with either “A soothing cup of water” or “From the rubble” from your handout. You can photocopy the article you chose and print your comments in the margin as Clark has done, or if that gets crowded, type them up (point form is fine) and refer to the passages by paragraph number. You should be able to come up with 15–20 comments for the story you chose.

You might want to use the Talking Points included at the end of Clark’s X-ray of “50 floors,” as well as anything from “By the Numbers.”

Due Sept. 24.