Everyone
is expected to do some light revision--between one and two hours'
worth--between the rough draft of the final paper and the final version
(due Friday of finals week, or March 16). So what are your
classmates going to find helpful as they figure out what they've
already accomplished and what they could perfect?
For each of the classmates whose papers you're reading, please prepare
at least a decent-sized paragraph in which you tell them two things:
At least one thing that went well in the current draft.
At least one thing you still don't understand or that they could revise.
Most likely, you should find this pretty straightforward; we generally
find it much easier to examine someone else's writing than our own.
But here are some typical things we find in first drafts that the
authors will want to fix later on.
· Introduction and thesis statement.
If they wrote this before proceeding to the rest of the paper,
it's likely become out of date. Suggest what you think the paper
is actually about now that it's finished.
· Terminology.
Do they have good insights about the poems, but they've chosen
confusing language to express their arguments? Do they use too
many synonyms when they should stick to one or two key terms?
· Sections.
Has their outline become out of date? For example, if they
have three main points, is one too small, or a subset of another main
point? Does one of the sections actually show something different
that should now become part of their global argument?
· Mismatch between the label and the contents.
Did they say something good in the body of a paragraph--for
example, when discussing a specific passage--but the first and last
sentences of the paragraph don't capture their insight? (What
should be the main idea of the paragraph based on what they've
discovered?)
· Choice of material.
You've read these poems too. Is there some other passage
they should have considered? Is there some other point of view
they should take into account--at least by way of saying they don't
agree with it?
If you have a specific suggestion for how they could revise, by all
means let them know. But it's also extremely helpful if you
simply say "I don't understand" where a certain section is going, or "I
don't understand" what they're arguing about a certain passage.
Your classmates will definitely appreciate your help with this.
By the way, you're certainly free to footnote their papers as you
prepare your own final draft.