When
we write formal compositions (as opposed to our daily notebook entries), it
takes time, sometimes as much as 2 weeks. We won’t just write something once
and then move on; we need to learn that writing is a process, and that we need to do more than just make corrections and
type it up. We also need to work step-by-step, over a period of time, not wait
until the last minute to get started.
For
some projects, you will need a progress sheet, which I’ll explain
in class; click here
for a sample that you can print out. Each time you submit a draft or revision,
you’ll submit the progress
sheet with it.
1. Decide
what you’re going to write. Sometimes
I’ll give you a specific assignment, other times this will be up to you. Either
way, you need to make this decision before you get started. Whatever you
decide, remember that, unlike the writer’s notebook, we’re writing for an
audience now, which means you want other
people to read this.
2. Write
your Draft. This is your first
attempt to turn your idea into a publishable piece. The important thing here
is: Don’t get it right, get it written; don’t obsess over it, because you will write it again, no matter what.
But make sure it’s written in paragraphs;
if it’s not, I won’t even look at it.
· “How
long does it have to be?” Length is a product of purpose, not
vice-versa. How long your piece is depends on what you’re trying to do.
Basically, it has to be as long as it needs to be to accomplish your goal. I’m
more interested in what you’re doing
than in how long your draft is.
3. Hand
in your Draft. I will read it,
then give you a response on your progress sheet. My response will give you an
idea of what to do next, but you may not get your draft back yet…
4. Write
your Revision. It doesn’t mean
your first draft was “bad,” it’s just very important that you try again, that you write your piece
with a fresh approach, based on my response. Sometimes, you need to literally
start from scratch. You also need to be a little more careful this time, and
pay more attention to your language.
5. Hand
in your Revision. This time
I’ll go over it in a little more detail, correcting some of your errors and responding
to the overall piece. Usually, we’ll skip to step 8 from here, though you can
write a second revision if there’s time.
6. Write
your Second Revision (optional). Now
you’re getting close to what your final story will look like. You need to take
everything you’ve written, and all the responses, and write the best piece you
can.
7. Hand
in your Second Revision (optional). I
will respond once again and correct some of your errors again. Generally, you
will need to do most of the final editing yourself; I can’t correct every
mistake.
8.
Type your Final Draft. That’s right, type it. If you’re using a
computer, the text should be in one of these three fonts: Times New
Roman, Courier
or Arial, no others; font size 12, double space, ½”
indents, 1” margins, black ink, white paper 8½” x 11”, no extra spaces, no italics, no bold, NO
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Make sure your
printer is working, and has ink and paper, before
the project is due!
If you’re using a conventional typewriter,
apply the same spacing rules; type on only one side of the page. If you
absolutely cannot have it typed, you
may hand-write it, but it must be neat, double-spaced, and one-sided; use
loose-leaf paper only, not spiral or
bound notebook paper, and write in black or blue ink.
9. Read
your Final Draft carefully and
check for errors. Everybody makes them, so make sure you find them before I do,
because if I see a mistake, that tells me that you don’t know what you’re
doing. Go over it line by line, word by word, make sure everything is formatted
properly, make sure you correct all errors, make
sure your NAME is on it, before you print it out and before you hand it in.
10.
Hand in your final project. I’d like two copies of your final draft, so
that I may keep one. Attach your progress sheet, if it’s required, to one copy.
It
is very important that you hand in all of your drafts and revisions during the
writing process, because if you don’t, if any of them are missing, if you skip
a step, your project will not receive a
passing grade. YOU WILL GET AN “F” IF
ANY DRAFTS OR REVISIONS ARE NOT SUBMITTED, or if you do not submit a
required progress sheet. In other words, you can’t do the
whole project on your own in one or two days. You must engage with the entire process, over the course of the time
we’re working on it, and have proof that you did.
Writing
projects will be graded using rubrics,
which specify what characteristics I will be evaluating, and each level of
performance. Narrative writing projects are judged on CONTENT, TECHNIQUE and PROCESS,
which are rated excellent, good, fair or
poor. Click here to view the full assessment
rubric for narrative writing projects.
Writing
projects which are based on the English Regents exam, and similar essays, will
be assessed using the same rubrics that are used on that exam. The criteria are
MEANING, DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATION, LANGUAGE and CONVENTIONS, and are rated on
a scale of 1 to 6. For English 1-3, letter grades will correspond to Regents
scores as follows: 5=A, 4=B, 3=C, 2=D, 1=F. For English 4 and up: 6=A, 5=B,
4=C, 3=D, 2=F, 1=F.
For
full credit, the final project must be turned in on the day it is due. If
it is submitted after the due date, your grade will be reduced by one full letter grade (e.g., a B+ becomes a C+). Late projects
will only be accepted for a limited time; once the late deadline has passed, your
project will not be accepted under any circumstances, and you will
receive a zero.
Remember,
the only project that’s “wrong” is one that’s not handed in at all. Better to
submit something, even if it’s late, incomplete, or just not your best work,
and get some credit. Even
an “F” is better than a zero.
.