OCC Week 7: Reading Strategies

This week, you read about a number of strategies for more effective reading. In class, we focused on and practiced one such method--annotation.

We said in class that the key to effective annotation is to think of it like conversing with the author. Hence, you are responding to the text the way you would in a face-to-face discussion. This is especially helpful in research situations, as the author's ideas can help you answer your research question.

A way to visualize this is to think of your sources as people discussing your topic over dinner. You ask each the same question (your research question), and they then respond with answers (the sources). Not all of the answers will be the same. Often, you will have to decide which answers make sense to you and which you find problematic. In doing so, you should be able to develop what you see as YOUR answer.

Your paper then becomes your response to these people. Annotation is the first step; it allows you to start forming your response to each source and, hence, how each source can be used in your paper.

With this in mind, please answer the following in your comment:

1. What reading method(s) have you used to comprehend and use complex texts (books, articles, essays, websites, etc.) in the past? Have they been effective? Why or why not?
2. In your past experiences, what have you found challenging about incorporating research into your writing?
3. How did using annotation in class make reading complex material easier for you? What did you difficult about using this method?

CCC Week 7: Reading Strategies

This week, you read about a number of strategies for more effective reading. In class, we focused on and practiced one such method--annotation.

We said in class that the key to effective annotation is to think of it like conversing with the author. Hence, you are responding to the text the way you would in a face-to-face discussion. This is especially helpful in research situations, as the author's ideas can help you answer your research question.

A way to visualize this is to think of your sources as people discussing your topic over dinner. You ask each the same question (your research question), and they then respond with answers (the sources). Not all of the answers will be the same. Often, you will have to decide which answers make sense to you and which you find problematic. In doing so, you should be able to develop what you see as YOUR answer.

Your paper then becomes your response to these people. Annotation is the first step; it allows you to start forming your response to each source and, hence, how each source can be used in your paper.

With this in mind, please answer the following in your comment:

1. What reading method(s) have you used to comprehend and use complex texts (books, articles, essays, websites, etc.) in the past? Have they been effective? Why or why not?
2. In your past experiences, what have you found challenging about incorporating research into your writing?
3. How did using annotation in class make reading complex material easier for you? What did you difficult about using this method?

OCC Week 6: Revising the Paper

This week, we discussed the purposes and strategies for revising. We said that revision is "seeing the ideas again in order to improve ideas and correct mistakes". It is where we shift thoughts around, add or remove ideas, tighten the unity of our paper, and ensure that our ideas are in the best form.

Remember, revising is the third stage of our writing process. In terms of the total time spent on a writing project, it should make up 50%-60% of the efforts.

As a part of our revision process for this paper, we participated in a peer review. We said that a peer review can be beneficial in many ways. Here is your chance to reflect on how our peer review can help or has helped you revise your draft.

Please respond to the following questions in your comment:

1. How have you revised in the past? Did you spend 50% of your time on this process?
2. Name and explain two strengths that the peer review revealed about your paper.
3. Name and explain two things that the peer review exposed about your paper that needed improvement.
   
4. Other than peer review, what revision technique(s) will you use for this paper or in the future?

B&S Week 5: Inside-out Drafting

This may be your first opportunity to use the Inside-out Method to draft a paper. Remember, the Inside-out Method focuses on developing the body paragraphs first. This is done by working out each pattern or category (and sub-categories) of details one at a time in terms of how they answer your main question(s) for the paper. For example, if our question for the paper was "How expensive is the prom?", we would try to address how each specific detail associated with attire (gowns, tuxes, suits, etc.) answers that question. Once this is done, do the same for the accessories, the transportation, etc.

One key point for Inside-out drafting: don't try to write the first draft as if it will be a perfect paper. It won't. The sooner you accept that we are using a process for developing a strong paper that can't be perfected at this stage, the more free and effective your drafting stage will be, not to mention your stress and frustration levels will be minimal.

Now that you are in the process of drafting the paper (or, perhaps, finished with the first draft), please address the following in your response with specific examples/ideas:

1. Did your prewriting help you find ideas to start drafting?
2. How did the Inside-out Method make your drafting of the paper easier or more effective?
3. Did you struggle in any way using this method? How so?
4. Now that you have used the method, what will you modify or change next time you use it?

B&S Week 4: Illustration and Classification

Last week we focused on prewriting as a tool for narrowing topics, generating possible paper content, and finding a good research question. We connected this to analysis, a method of thinking that asks what something means, how it works, or why it does what it does.

This week in class, we discussed illustration and classification, two modes of thinking that can help us write our ideas in an organized, coherent manner. We suggested that illustration uses examples in order to show an idea or prove a point and that classification groups items together in meaningful ways. It should be clear that analysis can help us develop either an illustration paper, helping us identify and organize specific examples that support ideas, or a classification paper by identifying specific items that should be grouped together based on specific, concrete traits.

That said, you were assigned to write either an illustration or a classification paper. Using the topics found in the assignment sheet for the paper, complete the following:

1. Provide some prewriting for the topic you believe you will write your paper on for this assignment. You may choose any method you wish--freewriting, listing, mapping, etc.
2. Develop a research question that your paper will answer.
3. Inside-out draft one possible paragraph based on your research question and your prewriting.

OCC Week 5: Drafting the Paper Inside-Out

This may be your first opportunity to use the inside-out method to draft a paper. Remember, the inside-out method focuses on developing the body paragraphs first. This is done by working out each pattern or category (and sub-categories) of details one at a time in terms of how they answer your main question(s) for the paper. For example, if our question for the paper was "How expensive is the prom?", we would try to address how each specific detail associated with attire (gowns, tuxes, suits, etc.) answers that question. Once this is done, do the same for the accessories, the transportation, etc.

One key point for inside-out drafting: don't try to write the first draft as if it will be a perfect paper. It won't. The sooner you accept that we are using a process for developing a strong paper that can't be perfected at this stage, the more free and effective your drafting stage will be, not to mention your stress and frustration levels will be minimal.

Now that you are in the process of drafting the paper (or, perhaps, finished with the first draft), please address the following in your response with specific examples/ideas:

1. How did this method make your drafting of the paper easier or more effective?
   
2. Did you struggle in any way using this method? How so?
3. Now that you have used the method, what will you modify or change next time you use it?

CCC Week 6: Revising the Paper

This week, we discussed the purposes and strategies for revising. We said that revision is "seeing the ideas again in order to improve ideas and correct mistakes". It is where we shift thoughts around, add or remove ideas, tighten the unity of our paper, and ensure that our ideas are in the best form.

Remember, revising is the third stage of our writing process. In terms of the total time spent on a writing project, it should make up 50%-60% of the efforts.

As a part of our revision process for this paper, we participated in a peer review. We said that a peer review can be beneficial in many ways. Here is your chance to reflect on how our peer review can help or has helped you revise your draft.

Please respond to the following questions in your comment:

1. How have you revised in the past? Did you spend 50% of your time on this process?
2. Name and explain two strengths that the peer review revealed about your paper.
3. Name and explain two things that the peer review exposed about your paper that needed improvement.
   
4. Other than peer review, what revision technique(s) will you use for this paper or in the future?