Peer Editing and Revising via Google Docs

Writing Group Commenting Assignment (30 points)
       Due: Comments are due Tuesday October 10th

1. Write three questions to your own writing that you’d like addressed as comments.
Examples: Could my thesis be worded more clearly? Does my analysis connect to my thesis?

2. Assign roles for each group.

Each editor will look specifically at either structure or grammar. Each paper should have someone in both disciplines, and the editor should switch roles so that he gets a chance to look at both structure and grammar.

Structure
Is the thesis clear/unified/specific/answer a why question/contain all the elements of the paper?
Is the thesis the first sentence of the paper?
Are the quotes introduced? Are they introduced well, in a way that highlights important features about them and provides context?
Does the analysis refer to details in the text and not just restate or paraphrase the quotation?
Does the analysis get linked back to the thesis?
Is there plot summary that can be eliminated?
Are there points that don’t relate to the thesis?

Grammar/Style/Formatting
Does the paper follow the guidelines for title and formatting?
Are the quotes cited properly?
Are there unnecessary long or unclear sentences?
Does every comma relate to a SINIFAC rule?
Are the quotes 5-10 words?
Does the writer repeat his sentence structure?
Are the margins/spacings/font and all that junk the way they should be?


3. Add comments to the document
You are responsible for substantial, lengthy feedback in your area. You should make at least 5 specific comments to both of your peers’ papers (Use the “Comment” feature under “Insert”.)

Avoid making corrections in the actual document. Instead, suggest possible corrections. As an extension, try to avoid being critical without offering a potential solution.

4. The original writer is then responsible for responding to the comments by replying and MAKING CORRECTIONS WITHIN THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT. I want to see actual work, time, and effort spent into perfecting structure and grammar. Note: I can see everything you do within the document.

Grading:
5 specific, helpful, substantial comments for each paper that in your writing group --10 points
Thoughtful revision of your paper -- 10 points
Total -- 30 points


How to Comment on Google Docs

Mad-Libs for better writing

   So you know your parts of speech.  Now what?

   Remember, I'm not going to tell you to learn anything that isn't going to make you a better reader and writer.  First, take a minute and pick two topics: a person and a place.
 
    Let's check out the following passages from our summer reading. 
  
     My first impression of Dean was of a young Gene Autry--trim, thin-hipped, blue-eyed, with a real Oklahoma accent--a sideburned hero of the snowy West.  


Seriously descriptive, percussive, with a nice beginning, middle, and end. But you can write like this. You just have to push yourself out of your comfort zone.


Let's break this sentence down. If we labeled the parts of speech, we might come up with something like this: 


My first impression of _______ was of a (adjective) (allusion)--(adjective), (adjective), (adjective) with a (adjective) (adjective) (noun)--a (adjective) (noun) of the (adjective) (noun).  


Now, take your topic and craft a sentence using Kerouac's form.


Let's try McCarthy. Here's a great passage:


With the first gray light he rose and left the boy sleeping and walked out to the road and squatted and studied the country to the south.  Barren, silent, godless.  


Again, of course this is a beautiful sentence. McCarthy piles on the conjunctions at first and the sentence doesn't seem to end. Then he punctuates it with three adjectives. Very cool. But this is all it is:


With the (adjective, adjective, noun) he (verb) and (verb) and (verb) and (verb) and (verb) the (noun) (preposition) (noun).  (Adjective), (adjective), (adjective).  


Give it a shot. You might surprise yourself.