1 McDonald
Alyssia McDonald
Dr. Pollard
AWR 101
Oct. 2017 23
A”Critical Analysis of “The Art of the Police Report
Language is a complex system of expressions and ideas that is distributed within
humanity in different perspectives. Authors, Ellen Collett (“The Art of the Police Report”) and
Lera Boroditsky (How Does Our Language Shape the Way We Think”), exhibit the various
perspectives that are included in their articles to the reader in a way that demonstrates how vast
and diverse language is. Collett’s work primarily presents the idea that diction affects the way we
interpret text; Whereas Boroditsky’s work poses the idea that communicating diversely,
especially throughout various languages and expressions, shapes our cognition. The exhibition of
perspectives shown in each work ultimately allows for the reader to understand how the works
supplement each other and aid in illuminating the purpose of the texts. After analyzing both
texts, it is evident that language is deciphered through different outlooks that include: the choice
and use of words in writing and how we comprehend them and how language affects the way we
.think
Ellen Collett’s article truly emphasizes the significance of diction. She discusses how
writing, especially in terms of word choice, impacts even the most unexpected careers — careers
such as working as a police officer. Collett informs the audience that “writing is the one constant
in a cop’s daily life (Collett 86).” This statement is surprising because many believe that people
who work in law enforcement mainly perform duties that consist of a lot of action and adventure
and fail to realize that writing is a major component in their career force. The reader is told
, 2 McDonald
throughout the work that most crime reports are written in neutral diction and are usually
conducted in a bland and dispassionate tone (Collett 87). When digging deeper into the article,
Sergeant Martinez is brought to life and becomes the impetus of the turning point in the article
because the rhetorical investigation of diction is initiated. Collett expresses how emotionally
satisfying Martinez’s writing is and discusses how he engages his readers with his untraditional
and creative word choice. She mentions how he is different from others who share the same
profession as he does because he goes the extra mile and gives more than a generic incident
report. He writes reports that not only follow the rules but are also inherently interesting,
ultimately grabbing the attention of anyone who reads them. Martinez’s role in the article is
necessary because it portrays Collett’s purpose in her work, which is to draw attention to how
diction plays a big part in how language affects us. The style of writing that is determined by
one’s choice
. of words is important because it dictates how we interpret language
Lera Boroditsky’s work sheds light on how language is fundamental to our experience as
human beings and how it truly shapes the way we think (Boroditsky 4). She addresses how
language has more depth than only taking on the role of being a means of communication;
instead, it participates in a crossover between language and communication, in which
communication resides under language. Various expressions such as visual perceptions, time,
space, and thoughts are exchanged through communication. Language, on the other hand, resides
on top of communication and works methodically to convey communication through the use of
sounds or conventional symbols. Boroditsky emphasizes how the comprehension of how the
nature of humanity and its cognitive faculties affects our linguistic experience as a whole. The
author also provides different demonstrations of how language shapes our cognition with the use
of persuasive claims that are backed up with logical evidence. She talks about how the different
Alyssia McDonald
Dr. Pollard
AWR 101
Oct. 2017 23
A”Critical Analysis of “The Art of the Police Report
Language is a complex system of expressions and ideas that is distributed within
humanity in different perspectives. Authors, Ellen Collett (“The Art of the Police Report”) and
Lera Boroditsky (How Does Our Language Shape the Way We Think”), exhibit the various
perspectives that are included in their articles to the reader in a way that demonstrates how vast
and diverse language is. Collett’s work primarily presents the idea that diction affects the way we
interpret text; Whereas Boroditsky’s work poses the idea that communicating diversely,
especially throughout various languages and expressions, shapes our cognition. The exhibition of
perspectives shown in each work ultimately allows for the reader to understand how the works
supplement each other and aid in illuminating the purpose of the texts. After analyzing both
texts, it is evident that language is deciphered through different outlooks that include: the choice
and use of words in writing and how we comprehend them and how language affects the way we
.think
Ellen Collett’s article truly emphasizes the significance of diction. She discusses how
writing, especially in terms of word choice, impacts even the most unexpected careers — careers
such as working as a police officer. Collett informs the audience that “writing is the one constant
in a cop’s daily life (Collett 86).” This statement is surprising because many believe that people
who work in law enforcement mainly perform duties that consist of a lot of action and adventure
and fail to realize that writing is a major component in their career force. The reader is told
, 2 McDonald
throughout the work that most crime reports are written in neutral diction and are usually
conducted in a bland and dispassionate tone (Collett 87). When digging deeper into the article,
Sergeant Martinez is brought to life and becomes the impetus of the turning point in the article
because the rhetorical investigation of diction is initiated. Collett expresses how emotionally
satisfying Martinez’s writing is and discusses how he engages his readers with his untraditional
and creative word choice. She mentions how he is different from others who share the same
profession as he does because he goes the extra mile and gives more than a generic incident
report. He writes reports that not only follow the rules but are also inherently interesting,
ultimately grabbing the attention of anyone who reads them. Martinez’s role in the article is
necessary because it portrays Collett’s purpose in her work, which is to draw attention to how
diction plays a big part in how language affects us. The style of writing that is determined by
one’s choice
. of words is important because it dictates how we interpret language
Lera Boroditsky’s work sheds light on how language is fundamental to our experience as
human beings and how it truly shapes the way we think (Boroditsky 4). She addresses how
language has more depth than only taking on the role of being a means of communication;
instead, it participates in a crossover between language and communication, in which
communication resides under language. Various expressions such as visual perceptions, time,
space, and thoughts are exchanged through communication. Language, on the other hand, resides
on top of communication and works methodically to convey communication through the use of
sounds or conventional symbols. Boroditsky emphasizes how the comprehension of how the
nature of humanity and its cognitive faculties affects our linguistic experience as a whole. The
author also provides different demonstrations of how language shapes our cognition with the use
of persuasive claims that are backed up with logical evidence. She talks about how the different
