As your syllabus states, for each essay that you write, you will have the opportunity to share a draft of your paper with class members.

Step 1: Post a request for feedback. 

Note that this is an additional step from last time. (These need to be posted no later than Tuesday midnight.)

Ask 3-5 questions that will elicit the type of feedback you would like about your own essay.

• Do so by clicking on your draft link in Writer's Workshop.
  • (And if your draft link has a Post title line something like "essay 2 draft" click on Edit, and change it to the title of your essay.)

• Then click on Reply, add to "Post Title" your name and request for feedback and then type what you would like to hear from your batch partners.
  • So if I were doing it, I'd put Dan's request for feedback.

You can use the following questions to guide you in requesting feedback about your draft. And please do so if you can't think of much to ask. But don't just paste these into the Writer's Workshop. These are questions to ask yourself.

• Come up with 3-5 questions that you would really like answered by audience members.

1. What are the strengths of my paper?

2. Which aspects of my paper am I unsure, unclear, confused or uncomfortable about?

3. Which parts do I know are not exactly the way I want them to be, but I don't know what to do with them?

4. How well do I use our shared knowledge, the articles we discussed in Writer's Café or chat, to relate well to my audience, this class?

Step 2: Read and listen to the drafts of other class members.

• Read the drafts of those who have posted their essays in the same Batch as you have. Also, check Writer's Workshop, voice, and listen to the audio draft while reading.

• Recall that the minimum number you need to read and respond to is three.  So if there are fewer than four in your batch when you set out to read drafts after Tuesday midnight, 9/29/09, go read ones from other batches.

• However, if there are three others in your batch, please read and respond to those drafts. If you instead read and respond to those in other batches, your batch partners won't get as much feedback. And I will reduce your audience response grade.

By the way, if you respond to more than three drafts, following the procedure explained below, I will give you extra points for doing so. (However, this counts only if you have read and responded thoroughly to those in your batch. And the maximum number of extra responses for which you can earn extra points is two.)

Step 3: Respond to the drafts you read.

Tip: write these in your word processor first, in case your browser crashes.

First, respond to the writer's request for feedback posted with his or her draft.

• copy the request,

  • (do it this way so it's easy for your partner to follow your answers)

• paste it into a blank page of your word processor and

• write your responses to each point made or each question asked by the writer.

(Note: if your batch partner neglects to post a request for feedback when you respond to drafts, just move on to responses below. Do, though, give your partner till Tuesday midnight to post his or her questions.)

Second, write answers to the following questions by

• copying the questions,

  • (again, this helps your partner follow your answers more effectively)

• pasting the questions into the same page as that you used for the request for feedback and

• writing the answers under each question.

And, if you already answered the question when responding to the request for feedback, simply refer the reader to the previous response.

1. Which examples, word choices, details, stories, emotions, or such really moved you or impressed you? In other words, which parts of the paper really struck you as effective?

2. What do you think is the thesis, the overall point that the paper seems to make?

• Copy and paste what you think the thesis is under this question.

• If you're not sure which sentence seems to be the thesis, in your own words write the main point--in a full sentence--being made in the essay.

• What is significant, interesting or curious about the thesis? (Hint: does it clearly express something unique or fresh about the subject?)

• If the thesis is dull or obvious, how can the significance be improved? (And do note that by obvious, I mean a point made that most adults find uninteresting because it is too elementary.)

Review the virtual lecture about thesis statements.

3. Which part of the essay would you like to have seen more detail or more examples? In other words, what questions do you have about the subject that weren't answered by the essay?

4. Where was the essay hard to follow as you were reading?

5. How does this essay relate to the reading we did from Ross or Shumway? Is there any point that our authors make that might support or contradict what the writer says? Note the paragraph number from the article.

And make sure your responses are thorough and specific. They will need to be so in order for you to earn full credit for this assignment. Plan to spend at least two hours responding to batch members in the Writer's Workshop. If you haven't looked yet, check my comments on your audience responses for essay 1 in Angel Reports>Grades to see if you need to beef up your responses.

Step 4: Post your responses to the writers.

• Click on Reply of the draft you've responded to.

• Type into the Post Title the following:

  • [Your name]'s response to [partner name]'s draft

  • Example: Pam's response to Jamie's draft
    • Doing so will make finding responses easier.

You can upload two ways:

1. Copy the audience response from your word processor and paste into the message box. 

Or

2. Attach the response file, but make sure you first save it as rich text format. Especially upload this way if your pasted response is hard to read.

Step 5: Read responses from your batch partners.

• Before completing your revised draft, make sure to read and consider how your batch partners responded to your draft.

• Remember that these responses are from members of your audience, this class.

  • Consequently, you have a rare opportunity to see how your essay is affecting them.

  • Obviously, you won't necessarily revise your essay based on everything they say. But do consider changes that might help them more clearly understand what you are expressing.

    • Especially consider changes to aspects of your essay that more than one person comment on.

• Also, you will be asked questions about the audience responses in your reflection, which will be available by Friday 5 p.m.

Grading

The total number of points you can earn on audience responses is 30.

If you fulfill the minimum requirements--post a complete draft, post a request for feedback, listen to and read three batch member drafts, respond to the request for feedback, answer my questions, post in Angel--you will earn 21 points.

If your answers are thorough, thoughtful and insightful, then you will earn 24-30 points.

And a complete audio version earns another 10 points.

Due Date

Audience responses will present you fewer benefits if you don't receive them with sufficient time to reflect on the feedback and then revise your paper.

• Thus, all audience feedback needs to be completed by Thursday midnight, 10/1/09.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me or e-mail me. My phone number and office hours are right above the Table of Contents on the Online Syllabus. I do have voice mail for my phone if I'm not in.

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[Essay 2 page] [Post request for feedback] [Read drafts] [Respond to drafts] [Post responses] [Consider responses] [Grading] [Due date]

Created by Dan Holt 9/29/1997
Revised 28 Sep 2009 12:27 PM -0400