Post by WIDboard on Oct 12, 2011 7:41:09 GMT -5
Prof. Carol Hayes recommends asking students to engage in self-monitoring commentary on their own drafts after they have written them. Self-monitoring comments encourage students to be conscious of their writing processes and of their choices as writers. Prof. Hayes' suggested instructions to students are as follows:
Self-Monitoring Comments on Drafts
Once you’ve written a draft, take a step back and think about any questions or comments you have about what you’ve achieved in your writing. Use the “comment” function in Word to insert at least three questions or comments in the margins of the paper. This is your opportunity to communicate with your peer reviewers “backstage” about the choices you’ve made, to make your thinking about the moves you’re making more explicit. You might note places where…
• …you’ve made your primary argument--why that argument and why there?
• …you’ve drawn on key concepts from the course--why that concept, what does this concept help you do/understand/achieve in this paper?
• …you feel uncertain about whether you’ve gotten your point across (and why)
• …you are struggling with or confused about whether you are meeting the assignment (and why)
• …you are struggling with or confused about a particular concept (and why)
Note for the Instructor: If you have the time to look over drafts individually and respond to the students’ comments yourself, please note that it is important to respond to all of the student’s questions--and explain your reasoning (i.e., no “yes” or “no” responses!). If you don’t have time to look over drafts individually, you may still want to collect drafts so that you can skim through the students’ questions and then spend some class time responding to patterns of comments with the broader class. For instance, there may be widespread confusion over a particular concept, over conventions to a new genre of writing, over a particularly complex passage in the reading. These questions can give you a glimpse into the areas where a number of students may need help.
Self-Monitoring Comments on Drafts
Once you’ve written a draft, take a step back and think about any questions or comments you have about what you’ve achieved in your writing. Use the “comment” function in Word to insert at least three questions or comments in the margins of the paper. This is your opportunity to communicate with your peer reviewers “backstage” about the choices you’ve made, to make your thinking about the moves you’re making more explicit. You might note places where…
• …you’ve made your primary argument--why that argument and why there?
• …you’ve drawn on key concepts from the course--why that concept, what does this concept help you do/understand/achieve in this paper?
• …you feel uncertain about whether you’ve gotten your point across (and why)
• …you are struggling with or confused about whether you are meeting the assignment (and why)
• …you are struggling with or confused about a particular concept (and why)
Note for the Instructor: If you have the time to look over drafts individually and respond to the students’ comments yourself, please note that it is important to respond to all of the student’s questions--and explain your reasoning (i.e., no “yes” or “no” responses!). If you don’t have time to look over drafts individually, you may still want to collect drafts so that you can skim through the students’ questions and then spend some class time responding to patterns of comments with the broader class. For instance, there may be widespread confusion over a particular concept, over conventions to a new genre of writing, over a particularly complex passage in the reading. These questions can give you a glimpse into the areas where a number of students may need help.