Unit 4: Revision Fun Time!

Remember that your homework for Fri 12/4, Mon 12/7, and Wed 12/9 is to apply the
previous days activities to your entire paper and write one paragraph about how that
revision benefited your paper.
Schedule (based on what you wanted to cover in class):
Wed 12/2

Detail and Development // Intros and Conclusions

Fri 12/4

Organization and Transitions

Mon 12/7

Grammar and Sentence Structure

Wed 12/9

Finish up // Final Reflection // Course Evals

Fri 12/11

STOP DAY, NO CLASS

Finals Wk.

Class will not meet, office hours by appointment only*

Fri 12/18

WP4 due at 10:30 am via BB

Please attach the revised draft and the cover letter/reflection as 2 separate MS Word documents.
Your grade for the final project will be posted on Blackboard. If you would like detailed comments
on your WP4, please let me know via email before you turn in the project.

*Please note that I will be unavailable for meetings the Tuesday and Friday of finals week.

GRADING CRITERIA

Revision (worth 50% of project grade):

I have based these criteria on the issues you identified in class. I have listed them in order of
importance and given you some questions to think about as you revise, though some questions may not
be applicable to both projects. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. It may also be helpful to
consult the rubric for the original project (posted on Blackboard).

Controlling Idea/Theme
Is my controlling idea or theme clear? Does it guide the content and organization of my paper?
Does it take a strong stand, come to an important point, or make a significant claim? Do I stick to this
controlling idea throughout my paper?
Content and Supporting Evidence
Does ALL of the content I included support my theme? Are there any irrelevant pieces I can
eliminate? Do I support each claim with valid evidence? Is my supporting evidence effective for my
genre? Does it come from a reliable source? Does my supporting evidence prove or explain the point I
am trying to make? If applicable, do I use quotations effectively and sparingly (relying primarily on
my own thoughts and voice)? Is all outside information cited both in-text and in a Works Cited page?
Coherence and Organization
Does my paper make sense? Is it broken into manageable paragraphs? Does each paragraph
stick to only one topic (but cover that topic fully)? Are there any issues I bring up twice that would be
better off presented together? Does it follow a logical, topical organization pattern? Are transitions
smooth, natural, and effective?
Introduction and Conclusion
Does my introduction effectively set up my controlling idea? Does it give adequate (but not
excessive) background information? Does it hook the reader somehow? Does my conclusion
effectively wrap up the paper without giving a step-by-step recap? Does it bring the paper full circle,
back to the controlling idea? Does it explain the importance of or state the implications of my central
claim/controlling idea?
Sentence-Level Revision
Are my sentences clear and concise? Did I read them out loud to ensure that they are fluent and
easy to read? Are they specific? Do they offer concrete detail? Do I use the right words to convey my
message? Is my tone appropriate for the genre?

Spelling, Grammar, and Formatting

Does my paper follow the conventions of Standard Written English? Did I proofread it for
spelling and grammatical issues? Does it follow MLA formatting conventions (see
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/)? Did I consult Amanda or the Writing Center with
any questions?

An above-average paper will show evidence of substantial revision based on all of the criteria listed
above, as well as other criteria that the author deems important. An average paper will show evidence
of revision based on all of the criteria listed above. A below-average paper will show evidence of
revision based on several of the above criteria.

Cover Letter (worth 50% of project grade):

You will be graded primarily on thoughtfulness, thoroughness, completeness, and depth of reflection.
Writing criteria such as organization, coherence, wording, and grammar will be a small part of your
grade. Your cover letter should be at least 1000 words long and answer all of the following questions,
though not necessarily in this order.
a. Before we began this unit, how did you define revision? What was your revision
process? How did this definition and process change over the course of the unit?
b. What did you revise in your paper and why? Make sure to give specific, concrete
examples. This is your chance to show me how hard you worked on this project.
c. How did your revision priorities change over the course of the unit? If they didnt, why
do you think that is?
d. What are you most proud of in your revision?
e. What do you wish you could have improved more in this unit? Why couldnt you do
that?
f. How do you feel about your paper now compared to how you felt about it before
revision? How did revising your paper improve the quality of the paper itself and
improve your skills as a writer?
g. What was the most important thing you learned in this unit? What did you learn in this
unit that you would like to apply to future writing situations (inside or outside of class)?
h. Any other issues you would like to address