Week 3: Self-Review

Following the activity  previously posted (a review of a sample student draft intro, approximately 30 minutes), my students did a directed self-review of their own draft using the exercise posted below.  I often use a directed self-review in advance of - and sometimes in place of - peer review.

In this case, the students will revise their intros and bring them back in order to participate in small group peer review session at the next class session.


WR 201:

Essay #1- The Ordinary, but Significant Person, Place or Thing (An Educational Memoir)

Workshop Activity – self-review


Now, read your own draft and answer the following questions.

1) What kind of attitude do you have about your chosen subject? What words or details reinforce this attitude? Should your attitude be made more explicit? Should you add words – adjectives, verbs, etc. – to create a stronger attitude? Locate places where you can add or change your word choice to strengthen this.



2) Look at how you use specific details and sensory description. Choose one sentence that shows you using detail and description at your best. Underline this sentence.



3) Choose two-three sentences that could benefit from the addition of specific detail and sensory description. Circle these sentences.



4) Consider any unadorned nouns you have used. (A noun is a person, place or thing.) Work your way through the draft, pausing at any unadorned nouns and try to add adjectives that will help reinforce the impression that you are building.


5) Look for 2-3 places where you could add one more sentence. Mark these with an >.


6) Finally, see if you have final sentences act as a bridge to the second part of the assignment. If you do not, try to write some now.

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