S PRING R EAD R ESEARCH E SSAY Peer Editing Focus Questions

W ARM U P (2 A PRIL 2014) Reminders… Write the date Write the prompt (or a summary of it) Write for the ENTIRE warm-up time (5 minutes!) Prompt… Can money buy you happiness? Why or why not? Be clear and specific– and if possible, include examples that illustrate your position.

P EER -E DIT P ROCESS We will rotate the papers through TWO (2) edits every time. We’ll try to switch it up so new people are editing your work every week. Editors should be thorough, clear, and complete– though, obviously, also be kind! Your partners are depending on you to help them to make this piece the absolute BEST it can be. We are editing for that component’s specific requirements (and I’ll have some guiding questions to prompt you through)– but we’re also covering EVERYTHING else– MLA, citations, ideas, sentence fluency, organization, conventions, voice, word choice, etc. You MAY (and SHOULD!!) write on their paper. Please also be sure to write “Edited by (1/2): _____(YOUR NAME)____” at the bottom / end of each piece you edit. As always, flag me down if you have questions, comments, or concerns and I’ll be by to help!!

I NTRODUCTION : F OCUS FOR P EER E DITING : Length : Is this paragraph at least 8-12 sentences long? Should it be separated into 2 paragraphs? Do they need more/less? : Hook: Does the essay begin with an effective/engaging hook sentence? How could they improve their hook? Background Information: Is the book title, author, and genre mentioned? Does the author include information about the time/place in which the piece was written? Is this novel still popular/ relevant today? : Thesis Statement : Is a clear thesis statement present? Does the thesis statement prepare readers for what is to come in the essay/in the correct order (review of the book, author biography, literary analysis)? Is a BRIEF explanation provided as to the “point” of this research/analysis?

B OOK R EVIEW : F OCUS FOR P EER E DITING Summary : A summary of the plot is provided and EASY to follow. Do they need to add/take away any information? Review is Present: Is the writing similar to a “book critic” offering feedback on the strengths (and possible weaknesses) of the novel? Are quotes provided as examples of strong/weak elements of the novel? Point of View: The writing has a strong voice/opinion, but the author maintains writing in the 3 rd person. Length: Is the essay 1 ½- 2 pages long? MLA FORMAT: Spacing/ font/ citations? CHECK THEM ALL!

D RAFTING T IME You may use the next chunk of time to work on re-drafting your intro (if significant corrections were needed) and/or finishing out your book review. Be sure to check the requirements / rubrics before you do a final submit. Remember: just your INTRO is due to TII.com by 11:59 pm this coming Sunday, April 6.

P OETRY T ERMS By this Friday, April 4– you need to have the MIDDLE column of your poetry terms sheet filled in (definitions ONLY). Obviously, we haven’t read R&J yet, so you can’t include examples… yet.

S ONNET P RACTICE Also, by this Friday, April 4– I want you to have completed the practice sonnet handout (front AND back). This will help you to understand sonnets at a deeper level and further prepare you to write your own!

A UTHOR B IOGRAPHY : F OCUS FOR P EER E DITING Informative: Does the essay do an exceptional job of thoroughly, accurately, and clearly providing a biography of the author? early years education inspirations Accomplishments if dead- their death OR what they’re doing now MLA: Spacing/ font/ citations? CHECK THEM ALL!

L ITERARY A NALYSIS : F OCUS FOR P EER E DITING Topic: What 1 stylistic device did the author choose to focus their analysis on? Support: Does the author provide textual examples/support for their analysis? Do they cite this material correctly? Details: Check/correct their grammar, spelling, MLA format, point of view (NO “I”), contractions (change “can’t” to “cannot)

C ONCLUSION AND W ORKS C ITED P AGE Conclusion: Is there an effective/clear restated thesis statement present at the beginning of the paragraph? Is there a final call to action/ point made? Does the conclusion leave you satisfied and THINKING? Works Cited:  Centered title  Double spaced  12 font Times New Roman  Hanging Indents  Alphabetized  NO URLS