Justin J. Bain
PhD Student in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric
Syracuse University
315-443-1412
jjbain@syr.edu
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• Writing 105
• Writing 205
• Writing 307
• Writing 110

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The following is an adaptation of one of the points of "Twelve Reader's Reading", namely that you get more feedback on more things with more readers. Of course, most students in WRT 105 are not experienced at gviing critical feedback on reading and writing, and so might need some guidance with their reading and responding practices. Although this sheet can be used as a handout/workshop form to be answered by students, it is most effective as a reminder sheet indicating concepts that have already been discussed in class with examples. All key terms can be altered to fit the vocabulary of an individual class and the questions/functions of each can be modified.

Briefly, what leads up to the distribution of this sheet and its use for me is

    1) class generates a list of "good essay" qualities and works out definitions
    2) list is placed on board and overlapping terms, etc, are accounted for
    3) class applies one element of list to each essay/reading each day until list has been covered
    4) in application, list and definitions are modified and tested
    5) class is given a typed copy of final list and questions to be used for workshops

What I find emerges from this is a useful tool with which to cover a large number of important concepts in an essay, and since the tool is essentially student produced and modified students are familiar and comfortable with terms and have seen them applied to various essays. Because there tend to be numerous terms within this tool, I like the idea of assigning roles to students; these may be assigned based on a need to understand and develop a certain aspect of their own writing or assignments may be rotated. Students are not limited to talking about only the assigned term, but they are responsible for that term and its application. More than one student can, and probably should, be assigned to each term. I also assign a facilitator who is responsible for beginning and maintaining conversation and who can call on others to answer questions or make someone keep talking if their response is not complete enough. What follows then is the tool that developed this semester.

1. Main Idea/Thesis:
What is it? Write this down.
Does each paragraph clearly state how it supports main idea? Write this by each paragraph.

2. Purpose:
Why does this essay matter? Write this down.
Does each paragraph make it clear that this important? Write this by each paragraph.

3. Development:
Are there specific examples? Identify them.
Do they support the main idea? How? Write this by each example.
Are there places that need more examples? Identify them.

4. Development:
What are the best examples? Why? Write this down.
What examples could be more specific? Identify them.
What examples don't seem to fit? Identify them and tell why.

5. Organization:
Why are the paragraphs in the order they are in? Write this by each paragraph.
Do they meet your expectations for what comes next? Write this by each paragraph.
How would you re-order the paragraphs? Write this down.

6. Organization:
Are there transitions between each paragraph that connect the ideas? Write this down.
If not, what transition would you use? Write these by each paragraph.

7. Paragraphs:
Are there too many ideas in one paragraph? Identify these.
Are there ideas in the paragraphs that need examples? Identify these.
Are the paragraphs too long or too short? Identify these.

8. Paragraphs:
Are there any paragraphs that don't help the main idea? Identify these and tell why.
Do all the paragraphs state how they help the main idea? If not, identify them.
Are there paragraphs that repeat ideas? Identify these.

9. Reflection:
Identify all the places where you are told why this matters.
Identify all the places where you are told what effect this has on the author.
Identify all the places where the author states how he/she feels or thinks.
Are there more places that the author should do these things? Identify these.

10. Audience:
As a reader, what don't you understand? Write this down.
Where do you have to imagine connections without being told how ideas connect? Identify these places.
What else do you want to or need to know?

11. Assignment:
Does this essay meet the assignment?
Is the artifact described? Is it analyzed?
Does it connect to larger issues?
Does it explain the artifacts personal significance?
If it does not do some of these things, it this a problem?

12. Editing:
Do not proofread this paper, but, Can you identify patterns of error? Write this down.
Are there consistent problems with commas, fragments, etc? Write this down.
If you had to choose one editing problem to fix, what would it be? Write this down.