a brief guide to responding to student writing article
A selected guide from the Harvard Writing Project’s Guides to Teaching Writing that provides practical advice on effective and efficient commenting. WrITINg CeNTer BrIeF gUIde SerIeS A Brief Guide to Writing the English Paper The Challenges of Writing About English Literature Writing begins with the act of reading. Available on JSTOR with login (Montclair State Univ. 20 University Rd., 6th Floor Your phone will most likely buzz again soon enough. Instead of making only one brief comment and moving on, say what you have to say and then go back over the statement and explain what you mean or why you said it or note other alter natives. Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/ohioans-have-invaded-the-lowcountry-and-some-folks-wish-they-would-leave/Content?oid=1946300, Inserting or Altering Words in a Direct Quotation, Shorten the Title of this Source in the In-text Citation. Or maybe ever. Get the reader’s attention by describing the subject in one of the following ways: Use a … Responding and Grading (Center for Writing, Univ. Okay, so maybe the average isn’t 90 seconds. The asynchronous nature of texting—that you don’t have to drop what you’re doing and reply this second—is part of its appeal. If you’re not sure where the boundaries are, consider the perspective of the person you’re texting. Let’s say you agree with the above post about abortion. ... • A response paper A response paper is a great oppor-tunity to practice your close reading skills without having to develop an entire argument. Usable Knowledge Oh, and if you’re ending a relationship, doing it via text decidedly sends a message, albeit not a sympathetic one. Having children when a woman is unmarried can cause severe problems for that child later in life. Maxwell AFB, AL 36112, Diagnosing and Responding to Student Writing, Brief Guide to Responding to Student Writing, Brief Guide to the Elements of the Academic Essay, Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) & Lower Order Concerns (LOCs), Effective Comments and Revisions in Student Writing. Writing Assessment: A Position Statement (Conference on College Composition and Communication) Do you think that all children who are raised without fathers cannot lead fulfilling and successful lives? How to Give Writing Feedback That’s Constructive, Not Crushing, 9 Powerful Writing Apps for Any Type of Writing Project, How to Write and Edit Efficiently on Your Phone. Provide short lessons on common errors seen across the class. Responding to Student Papers Effectively and Efficiently (Univ. Exceptions to this rule exist, but many are hectic and raise this question: why not talk on the phone? How you respond to student writing plays a large role in the quality of the student’s learning experience. That’s what some folks took from a 2018 study by Google, but it’s not exactly what the researchers wrote. A great way to introduce the article would be with the quote from Helen Keller: First, some messages don’t necessitate a reply. What follows are a few quick guidelines to help make sure those messaging manners are on point. The handout also discusses time management in the process. On rough drafts, comments should honestly assess where the draft is now and offer encouragement of where it could go. “This collection of essays offers several innovative options for introducing grading alternatives in classrooms, schools, and districts.” Many places repeating this factoid vaguely cite a wireless industry trade association as their source, but when I contacted them to fact check, that organization’s research team was unsure as to the claim’s basis or origin. Understand what an article review is. Not everything should be said via text. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. Haswell, Richard H., The Complexities of Responding to Student Writing; or, Looking for Shortcuts via the Road of Excess, Across the Disciplines, Vol. Let’s say you are writing an article on world travel. 29 Texting Abbreviations and How to Use Them, 3 Cool Features on the Grammarly Keyboard. (“I’m on my way” and “sorry, I’m running a few minutes late” are fine examples.). Responding to Student Writing – Principles and Practices, Responding to Non-native Speakers of English, Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, --Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, --USAF Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, --Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute, Officer Accessions and Citizen Development, Jeanne M. 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Guidelines for assigning a paper, marking it, and returning it that “are based on research studies of students’ attitudes to grading and teacher commentary.”. of writing two or three words, write seven or eight. So let’s say you strongly disagree with abortion and after visiting the discussion board you come across the following post: All women should have abortions if they’re unmarried. Look for patterns of grammatical mistakes and note them in the margin or in end comments. Say you text a colleague to ask an after-hours work question. 3 (Nov. 9, 2006). A response (or reaction) paper differs from the formal review primarily in that it is written in the first person. Remember that you have assumed the role of opposition; you strongly disagree with the claim that “all [unmarried] women should have abortions.” Take a minute to jot down some responses to this provocative claim. Henrikson, Lee, “Discussion Board”, October 6, 2011 via Flickr. “Ohioans have invaded the Lowcountry … and some folks wish they would leave.” Charleston City Paper. The story makes his readers interested in the article and keeps them reading to the very end. Now, let’s take a look at some examples of constructive responses: I understand your fear for the child’s quality of life, but which is worse—to never have lived at all or to face some challenges in life that could potentially make that child stronger? Responding to a student’s paper involves (1) reading it carefully while making marginal comments, (2) writing a final comment in which you sum up the paper’s strengths and weaknesses, then (3) deciding on a grade.” This link provides suggestions for completing these three parts to commenting on student papers. CONTACT US: There are three arguments here. Links to a wide range of resources, including book reviews and full articles. Includes best practices and time-saving strategies for responding to papers. This is a very controversial topic, and it’s important that you realize that others in the class may be very sensitive about any discussion relating to abortion. Resolution on Grading Student Writers (NCTE Position Statement) of Kansas Writing Center) The article emphasizes that effective feedback moves students from novice writers to expert writers, Better Research Papers Workshop (Presentation by Dr. Heath Sledge to AWC Faculty, February 2017). ), Responding to Student Writing (8-Minute Video). Haswell, Richard H., Minimal Marking, College English, Vol. Various college-level writing faculty discuss the most important strategies for responding to student writing, Effective Comments and Revisions in Student Writing (WAC Clearinghouse). This is the time for teachers to push students to strengthen and possibly reframe or reorganize their arguments. If you disagree with someone’s post, you should aim to acknowledge your disagreement in a mature and respectful way, without belittling the writer; you should not respond angrily, not concede the point, not end the discussion. You might respond in a manner similar to the following: I definitely see your point about the child’s quality of life. A Guide to Writing a Response Paper Example It is not surprising you have no idea on how to write a response if you have been assigned to compose this kind of assignment for the first time. Why should the student bother to stay engaged? Interests? Commenting on Student Writing (Washington University in St. Louis). It is common for students to become experts at writing about one or two elements of composition, while neglecting everything else – for example, only focusing upon the … In fact, I know someone who dealt with a previous experience. A teacher’s response to a student’s work can play a leading role in the student’s development as a writer — but to leverage that potential, a teacher needs to understand where and how much to comment, and how to engage the student in the feedback process. – Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing About Art 2. You’re texting so as to be unobtrusive, right? Sommers has been researching teacher response to writing for decades. This page provides resources to help you comment effectively and efficiently on student writing. Responding to Student Writing Diagnosing and Responding to Student Writing (Dartmouth). Slow replies can be rude, but double texting is sometimes worse. Perhaps we might consider the logic employed in this post: while I understand your concern for the child’s quality of life, I do not understand that connections you’re drawing. At this point, you have two options: you can choose to respond to another post—one you find less offensive, or you can challenge yourself to respond in a way that fosters discussion and perhaps also challenges the writer of that post to consider a different perspective. See http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/ohioans-have-invaded-the-lowcountry-and-some-folks-wish-they-would-leave/Content?oid=1946300. Audience Analysis for Technical Documents. Moreover, these responses point to issues with the writer’s logic. A Brief Guide to Responding to Student Writing Principles of Responding to Student Writing Your comments on student writing should clearly reflect the hierarchy of your concerns about the paper. Give students short writing assignments where they focus on specific grammatical and rhetorical moves. An article review is written for an audience who is knowledgeable in the subject matter instead of a general audience. Maybe a non-response officially becomes rude after 20 minutes. Cover a range of different visual elements and design principles. !” – Responding to Student Writing Without Losing Your Life” from Teaching Excellence – Toward the Best in the Academy (Volume 20, Number 2, 2008-09) is published by the Professional & Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (www.podnetwork.org). But while these methods save teachers time, do they help students improve their writing? Some instructors assign weekly or biweekly discussion board posts or other regular informal writing assignments, and oftentimes they require you to respond to your peers’ writing. The Center for Research on Learning & Teaching website presents principles, strategies, and best practices for responding to student writing, Responding to Non-native Speakers of English (University of Minnesota). And the reasons to avoid doing so while driving extend far beyond decorum, but you get the idea. Most of the time when you are tasked with an essay about a book or article you've read for a class, you will be expected to write in a professional and impersonal voice. Let the writer know again and again how you are understanding her Lastly, expecting instantaneous responses will make you crazy any time one is not forthcoming. Sommers advises teachers to: ©2020 President and Fellows of Harvard College, How your comments on student essays can nurture stronger, more focused, and more determined writers, In the era of texting and social media, strategies for managing shifting language norms, A new focus on the way words connect — as a pathway to building the reading skills teens need for challenging texts. Secondly, some replies take time, like when you need to check your calendar, bank account, or horoscope before responding to an invitation. While it’s a good idea to provide your peers with positive feedback, responses that only say, “I like this a lot” are not really constructive and do not enable a productive discussion. The answer to the question of how to respond to student writing may be much more simple than it seems. Responding to your classmates can be an awkward or uncomfortable task because you might not want to offend them or say something silly. Website discusses several types of responses to student writing and effective use of margin and end comments. Teachers’ comments are supposed to show students where they have communicated their arguments well, and where they need to revise. Where are you writing today?#WriteAnywhere with Grammarly: https://t.co/C7jPJbWRe2 pic.twitter.com/GhPQAjllLO. Mention the author and title of the article you are discussing. Consider also whomever you’re texting near: Wordlessly pulling out your phone to field a text in the middle of a face-to-face conversation tends to read as “I don’t care much about this interaction.” Likewise, texting at the movies is a nonverbal invitation for strangers to hiss at you. “Comments and grades on student writing arguably constitute the most serious, sustained teaching intervention you can make in a student’s writing career. RESPONDING TO WRITING. Another great way to start your article is to use an attention-grabbing quote. The same principle works for responding to posts with which you agree. Major issues should be treated more prominently and at greater length; minor issues should be treated briefly or not at all. The Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation website provides several options for responding to student writing, Responding to Student Writing – Principles and Practices (University of Michigan). 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