Week 7

Plans for Today:

• Warm up
• Discuss Naming What We Know Threshold Concept 4.4 "Revision is Central to Developing Writing"
• Revision Activity

Warm Up:

Respond to NWWK, 4.4, “Revision is Central to Developing Writing”:

• What are the benefits of revising your writing?
• In this chapter, Downs notes “The threshold concept that revision is central to developing writing can be difficult in a number of ways. Novice or unreflective writers, especially students, may see revision as punishment for poor performance” (67).
  • What is your experience with revision?
  • Do you agree with this? Provide some specific examples perhaps from other classes or in high school.

Discussion:

• Revision process?
• "First, unrevised writing (especially more extended pieces of writing) will rarely be as well suited to its purpose as it could be with revision. Second, writers who don't revise are likely to see fewer positive results from their writing than those who build time for feedback and revision into their writing workflows" (66)

Revision Activity

• On your own, look at the comments you received during our peer review session last week. Think through the comments given to you and revise. If you do not agree with some comments, you don't have to change your work, but think carefully.
• If you were absent for the peer-review session, let me know and I can look at your writing and offer you advice.

Homework for Wednesday:

• Make sure you are catching up with the assignments if you are behind. The midterm is next week and everything must be in your folders on that day for me to grade. (see schedule)
• A good goal would be to get your Reflective Overview and your Research Checkpoint completely drafted this week so you can revise next week.

Plans for Today:

• Discuss Naming What We Know Threshold Concept 4.6 "Writing Involves the Negotiation of Language Differences"
• Look at examples of Reflective Overviews from last semester

Group up, share, and discuss (10-15 minutes):

• Have your Naming What We Know book at the ready.
• In groups, find two quotes from the reading and write down what these quotes mean. After that, relate something you've seen in the media, music, your personal life, school, or anything else you can think of to these quotes to explain.
• One of you will need to speak for your group to share what you found so make sure that you are all in agreement with your quotes and examples.

Remember, when other groups are talking, give them your respect and attention.

RO Examples from Last Semester

• Blackboard, under "writing examples"

No face-to-face meeting in class today as I will be at Texas A&M University-Kingsville presenting my work for a conference.

This also means I won't be on campus for my office hours. If you need to meet with me, send an email and we can set up a time outside of office hours.

In place of class, I am asking you to do the following:

• You may choose to focus on either your Midterm Reflective Overview or your Midterm Checkpoint for this assignment. This is pass/fail grade. If you complete the assignment this will be factored into your midterm grade. If you do not complete the assignment, you won’t get credit.
• Using the amount of time you would have spent in class, draft a section of your RO or Midterm Checkpoint. If you have already drafted the entire document, revise a section.
• Copy the section you drafted or revised and place it in a word document to submit to Blackboard (the link is under "assignments" and is called "Draft Write Up."
• In a small paragraph at the end of the document, explain to me what you did in terms of revision or drafting.
• This is due Friday, March 1st by midnight!

Homework for next week...

• The Midterm Portfolio is due March 8th at midnight! Work on your Reflective Overview and Research Checkpoint as well as check out the assignment description and the rubric (see Portfolios for all of these documents).
• You should have at least a full draft of the Reflective Overview and Research Checkpoint in your folder by Monday.

Please email me if you are having any trouble with the assignments! I will help.