Dialectical Notebooks Suggestions for Improvement!

First Attempt This is your first attempt at writing a Dialectical Notebook, so it is a learning experience. See the rubric on my web-site. rubric After I go over some of the problems, I will suggest a way to move forward.

Follow the Directions! You have a two page hand-out. Review the directions!!!! FOLLOW THE SPECIFIC FORMAT GIVEN FOR WRITING THESE JOURNAL ENTRIES!!!!!!!!!

Written Responses Many did not follow the prescribed format: prescribed formatprescribed format 1.Establish context for the quotation.Include all relevant details. 2.Provide a personal response to the quotation. This requires that you use first person and make a connection between yourself and the quotation. (one or two paragraphs) 3.Point out what elements of fiction are the focal point of the passage and/or comment on the use of literary techniques. You must use literary terminology. (one or two paragraphs) 4.Provide a brief closing comment. Say something insightful about your quotation.

Written Responses Don’t just tell what the quotation says! This does not show much thought or insight. The personal response and the literary analysis are worth 10 points each and should be of about equal length.*** I will be collecting your work two more times. If you complete all the work, I will only count your two best grades.

Personal Responses The idea here is to show that you can make “text to self” and/or “text to the real world” connections. Point out something insightful that shows that you can relate the quotation to yourself or something in the real world. When you are insightful, you are not simply stating the obvious. You are proving that you have actually thought about what the passage means!

Elements of Fiction/Use of Literary Devices You must use the actual literary terms in this section of your writing! Clearly point out exactly what you are analyzing. This could include terms such as character development, characterization, theme (theme statements*), symbol, irony, setting, allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, etc

After You Second Set 1.I am seeing tremendous improvement from most of you. I have marked some, but not all. 2.Be sure to follow the writing format. 3.COMMON PROBLEM– Be sure that you are writing about the actual quotation and NOT the novel in general. You can refer to other parts of the novel, but your specific focus should be the passage you chose.

Final Notes Who vs. that*** Review how to write a correctly worded theme statement. Characterization defined--is a description of a character’s moral and behavioural qualities (their personality) using nouns, adjectives, and specific examples and quotations from the story. It does not normally describe the character’s physical description or dress. Character development—a change in the character’s personality / significant change in how they act.

Minor Adjustments Use MLA format, no cover page. No table of contents is necessary. Spacing—double space. Use MLA rules for prose quotations—works cited. Do not randomly skip extra spaces. In MLA, you simply double-space everything! Use present tense. Possessives and colon / semi-colon use!!!!

Minor Adjustments Do not ask questions. Make statements. Follow the organizational pattern provided. Use the present tense when you write about literature. Please name the chapter in your context paragraph.

Do you have questions? Now is the time to make things crystal clear.

Assessment 2 Choose two quotations from chapters (must be different chapters) Choose two quotations from chapters (must be different chapters) Due: Jan 13 Due: Jan 13 You have time to read and / or work on these this week in class You have time to read and / or work on these this week in class

The Visuals! Almost 100% of you simply provided pictures of things that happened in the novel, or images of things that exist in the novel. There is little evidence of thought or insight. The visuals should be about ideas from the novel, not just “things”.

The Visuals Most of you gave you visuals power to do and represent things that they could not represent. Examples:

Visuals—try this 1.Find an important idea from the chapter. 2.Think of how you can visually present this idea. 3.Think of ways to make this visual connect. Do this by adding details to your visual. 3.Think of ways to make this visual connect more specifically to the novel or the ideas you are trying to convey. Do this by adding details to your visual. 4.Finally, make sure to provide a clear and detailed explanation of what you intended your visuals to do.

Homework Any two chapters from 3-9 for Tuesday May 3. 1.If your mark improves, you get the higher mark. 2.If your mark gets worse, I will average the two grades 3.If you did not do Chapters 1 and 2, do them or you get an average for the first two! Your first grade is zero! Two more chapters for Monday May 9

Chapters 3-9 Almost everyone improved! Following the written directions and applying what we discussed in class was key to the improvements. Strengths: quotation choices, and personal responses Weaknesses: use of literary terminology and explaining elements of fiction

Homework Options— 1.Chapters 1 and 2 were formative and will not count as part of your grade (most cases) 2.Take your grade for chapters 3-9, which is used to calculate 10% of your semester grade. 3.Choose to cover two more different chapters from 3-9. You grade will be based on the two marks you receive for chapter 3 to nine work. DUE: Tuesday May 10 th —NO EXCEPTIONS