WRIT 121 Audience Response for Essay 4

Audience Response for Essay 4

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: Explain the type of feedback you would like about your own essay.

Do so by clicking on your draft link in Writer's Workshop.

Then click on "reply," change the subject to your 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.

Come up with 3-5 questions that you would really like answers to from audience members.

What are the strengths of my paper?

What aspects of my paper am I unsure, unclear, confused or uncomfortable about?

What parts of the essay are not exactly the way I want them to be, but I don't know what to do with them?

How well do I relate what I'm writing about popular culture to my audience, this class? How do I consider comments made in chat or in the Writer's Café? How does my approach make my audience care?

Most of my sources have not been read by my audience. How well do I relay the context of a quotation or paraphrase I might use? Do I show the authority of my sources effectively?

Tip: avoid yes or no questions. They often elicit one-word answers.

Instead, use reporter questions--who, what, why, where, when and how.

For example, instead of asking, "Is my essay well developed?" ask, "Where in my essay do you think I need more examples?"

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 after Tuesday midnight, 11/10/2009, 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.

In other words, I must see that you've read and responded fully (step 3 below) to at least three drafts--and they must be in your batch if the drafts are turned in as noted above--in order to receive a response from me to your draft.

And you will earn credit for the prewriting, draft, audience response and reflection for essay 3 only if your responses to three other drafts are completed when you submit the revised essay to me.

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

After reading and listening to a draft from your batch, do the following:

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 question asked by the writer.

A number of you didn't do this last time. You will earn fewer points unless you do.

(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, add any other observations you had about what worked well in the essay, and where you think the draft needs improvement.

You can use the following questions I supplied for the first two essays if you find little to say (again, though, make sure that you first answer the questions that the writer asks you to respond to):

Which examples, word choices, details, stories, emotions, or such really stood out to you? In other words, which parts of the paper really struck you as effective?

What do you think is the thesis, the overall point that the essay 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 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?

Review the virtual lecture about thesis statements.

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

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

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 Writer's Workshop. (See Report>Grades for my response to your essays 1-3 audience responses to see if you are responding fully to class member drafts).

Step 4: Post your responses to class member drafts.

Click on Reply of the draft you've responded to.
Change the Subject line as follows:
- [Your name]'s response to [partner name]'s draft
- Example: Mary's response to Rachelle's draft
  - Doing so will make finding responses easier.

You can upload two ways:

Copy the audience response from your word processor and paste into the message box.
Attach the response file, but make sure you first save it as rich text format.

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 5:00 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, read three batch member drafts, answer their questions, make some other observations, post in Angel--you will earn 21 points.

If your audience responses are thorough, thoughtful and insightful, then you will earn 24-30 points. Again, expect it to take you a minimum of two hours responding to batch member drafts in order to present such answers.

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, 11/12/09.

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 4 page] [Post request for feedback] [Read/listen to drafts] [Respond to drafts] [Post responses] [Consider responses] [Grading] [Due date]

Created by Dan Holt 10/26/1997
Revised 11 Nov 2009 01:51 PM -0500