Electronic Handouts
Prewriting Handouts (Week 1)
Simply put, this stage involves taking notes over the assigned readings. Many students have told me that they do not know what to write about after they read a difficult text. Often I find that these students have not written any notes or they have not annotated (written in the margins of their books). I plan to provide you with some prewriting methods/handouts/questions to help you crack/read difficult texts. Please review The Scott,Foresman Handbook (Chapter 3).
Brainstorming Guide
for Rhetorical Situation
Drafting Handouts (Week 2)
This stage is when "the rubber meets the road." It's when you put away notes and start forming paragraphs. This stage of writing is a time to accept all ideas and to not be hesitant. Later, as you refine your draft, you'll want to share information with one or two other email pals. Your may want to review The Scott,Foresman Handbook (Chapter 4). Here are some revision checklists your partners may want to consider:
Revising and Editing Handouts (Week 3)
Revision is reseeing, rethinking and often involves global
transformations--moving paragraphs, cutting paragraphs, adding paragraphs,
revising your thesis statement. Editing requires that you take a closer look at
the surface errors, the smaller details. Professor Cohen's Picky
Writing Rules are from my former--quite wonderful--professor who had a
humorous way of putting things. His rules, timeless and informative, are the
very same rules that can be found in traditional grammar handbooks. Learning
can be enjoyable at times and humor is a part of my teaching style, so I find
his pedagogy refreshing and workable. Let me know what you think.