Sample 1
Sample 2
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
February 23: Draft Workshop 2: Organization
1. Based on the CURRENT DRAFT, paraphrase the author’s thesis statement and the topic sentences of each of his/her paragraphs, composing a rough outline of the draft like the ones we composed in class last week.
2. Do the paragraphs follow through on what the author says s/he will do in the first paragraph? Is there anything s/he said would be written about that isn’t? Are there any sections of the paper that aren’t mentioned (or at least accounted for) in the introduction?
3. Examine the paragraph topic sentences for coherence. For each topic sentence, ask yourself, “how is this idea relate to the main thesis?” and, “how does this idea relate to the ideas presented just before and after?” Note anything that seems amiss and give suggestions for improvement.
4. Examine the paragraph topic sentences for unnecessary repetition. Do the same key words or phrases appear in multiple topic sentences? If so, where could combining paragraphs or sentences help make the essay’s structure clearer? (Remember: one paragraph, one idea.)
2. Do the paragraphs follow through on what the author says s/he will do in the first paragraph? Is there anything s/he said would be written about that isn’t? Are there any sections of the paper that aren’t mentioned (or at least accounted for) in the introduction?
3. Examine the paragraph topic sentences for coherence. For each topic sentence, ask yourself, “how is this idea relate to the main thesis?” and, “how does this idea relate to the ideas presented just before and after?” Note anything that seems amiss and give suggestions for improvement.
4. Examine the paragraph topic sentences for unnecessary repetition. Do the same key words or phrases appear in multiple topic sentences? If so, where could combining paragraphs or sentences help make the essay’s structure clearer? (Remember: one paragraph, one idea.)
February 23: Intro Workshop
1. Did the writer’s interesting fact interest you? Why? Did you know it already? Will your blog’s audience know it? Will they find it interesting?
2. Compare the author’s original introduction with the revised introduction (you may need to play back the wave to see the original). Which one grabs your attention more quickly and effectively?
3. Point out any “to be” verbs or prepositional phrases that you notice. Try to re-write those sentences without them.
2. Compare the author’s original introduction with the revised introduction (you may need to play back the wave to see the original). Which one grabs your attention more quickly and effectively?
3. Point out any “to be” verbs or prepositional phrases that you notice. Try to re-write those sentences without them.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Draft Workshop 1 for February 16
In your wave, rewrite your introduction using the following instructions:
1. Begin with an interesting fact about your topic that your audience won’t already know. State this fact in a simple sentence (it should probably follow this pattern: subject / verb / indirect object / direct object) built around a simple (i.e. one word), active verb (i.e. no forms of “to be”).
2. Segue, as concisely as possible, into a simple and direct statement of your essay’s argument.
3. Give a brief indication of your paper’s trajectory or logical structure.
4. Throughout the paragraph avoid using “to be” verbs, prepositional phrases, and unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.
1. Begin with an interesting fact about your topic that your audience won’t already know. State this fact in a simple sentence (it should probably follow this pattern: subject / verb / indirect object / direct object) built around a simple (i.e. one word), active verb (i.e. no forms of “to be”).
2. Segue, as concisely as possible, into a simple and direct statement of your essay’s argument.
3. Give a brief indication of your paper’s trajectory or logical structure.
4. Throughout the paragraph avoid using “to be” verbs, prepositional phrases, and unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Draft Workshop 2: February 9
1. Glance at the Nature piece; has the author adequately paraphrased the author’s main thesis? Is the entire article devoted to proving this argument? If not, help the author to identify the article’s main thesis and paraphrase it.
2. What would be the thesis statement for an article arguing against the author’s point? In other words, what is the thesis’s antithesis?
3. How many pages do you think it will take the author to prove this thesis adequately?
4. Would you describe the thesis as very general, general, specific, or very specific? Why?
5. Based only on the paraphrase of the thesis statement, what evidence will the author use to support his or her argument? How do you know?
6. In what order will this evidence be presented? How do you know?
7. Why does this argument matter to Nature’s readers?
2. What would be the thesis statement for an article arguing against the author’s point? In other words, what is the thesis’s antithesis?
3. How many pages do you think it will take the author to prove this thesis adequately?
4. Would you describe the thesis as very general, general, specific, or very specific? Why?
5. Based only on the paraphrase of the thesis statement, what evidence will the author use to support his or her argument? How do you know?
6. In what order will this evidence be presented? How do you know?
7. Why does this argument matter to Nature’s readers?
Draft Workshop 1: February 9
Read over the latest draft of your 1.2 with the frame written by your group member. Answer the following questions about the draft in its current state:
1. What is your immediate reaction to the draft? Do you like it? Does it sound like your voice?
2. Note 3 words or phrases that probably wouldn’t have been in the draft if you had written the entire thing.
3. How has the author attempted to make the scientific material meaningful to your blog’s audience? Explain the similarities or differences to how you would have done things.
4. Create a plan for what needs to be done to take this draft to “ready to post” status by Thursday.
1. What is your immediate reaction to the draft? Do you like it? Does it sound like your voice?
2. Note 3 words or phrases that probably wouldn’t have been in the draft if you had written the entire thing.
3. How has the author attempted to make the scientific material meaningful to your blog’s audience? Explain the similarities or differences to how you would have done things.
4. Create a plan for what needs to be done to take this draft to “ready to post” status by Thursday.
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