Writing & Rhetoric II

English 308J

Instructor: David Sharpe
Ohio University, Athens OH

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LAB THREE-A

Announcements

DUE for START of LAB THREE-B
- feedback for a second Paper One (as described below), saved in the shared folder with the name reflection_writerlastname_yourlastname
- a polished rewrite of your Paper One (reflection_yourlastname_polished), saved in the shared folder
- look ahead at the topics for your Paper Two: Description, and have some idea of what you might want to write about
- text reading
  - Lunsford
    - The Writing Process: Ch6-7: Exploring Ideas, Planning and Drafting

Labwork

Introduction

Today we'll add more feedback to your Paper One, so that everyone has at least two sets of feedback (even more is better). Then, using that feedback and any perspective you've gained on your own original, you'll complete a polished version that I can respond to and give suggestions for improvement.

Today we’ll also introduce something brand-new. Word processing programs have many tools that writers often don’t realize exist. A significant one is Outlining. Depending on how systematic your thinking already is, you will love it or you will find it a challenge. In either case, it will both help your thinking about a topic to become more organized, and help your writing to grow from ideas into a complete and finished form.

Routine Startup

Open a second browser

the first browser shows these instructions. Press Control-N to open a second browser and use it to follow links and carry out the instructions.

Start your email in a third browser

If you didn’t save your Textbook Resources exercise (resources_yourlastname) in the shared folder during the last lab, please do so now.

Using an Outline

Outlining is a method of organizing that can help you find and clarify ideas. You don't need a word processor to use outlining, and you've already done a simple form of outlining by using headings and sub-headings in your papers. Even if you never use the outlining feature in Word after this class, this exercise will help you think in terms of classifications, groupings, and sub-groupings. That ability to organize your writing will help make it clear, complete, and balanced. Outlining is especially useful when you don't know ahead of time what you are going to focus on or emphasize.

All the instructions for this course are prepared throughout the quarter using the outline feature in Word. This tool is a wonderful time-saver and aid once you become familiar with it!

You will begin this exercise today, and save it to resume in the next class. Nothing needs to be done with this outside of the lab. Work on it until halfway through the lab time, then move on to the next project.

See a sample of an outline

View an introduction

read carefully Building an Outline

Experiment with a sample outline in Word

in the shared folder, select sample-outline and save as sample-outline_yourlastname in your personal folder or on the Desktop

follow the instructions in the document

Create your own outline

Start a new, blank document in Word, and change to the Outline view by clicking the Outline button at the bottom of the window. Save the new document in your personal folder or on the Desktop with the name outline_yourlastname

Begin your own outline on any topic, such as:

Types of music

A skill you know how to do, written as a series of steps

Types of movies

Types of vehicles

Add significant description and commentary wherever you can

IMPORTANT: type them in the proper place, then make these descriptions and comments ‘Body Text’ by using the double-arrow on the toolbar

if you want to be complete and systematic, you would add comments to all the headings at the same level (e.g., all level four headings)

Practice contracting and expanding levels to see the organization of your topic better

try to make the items at each level the same kind of category (e.g. "truck" and "van" are the same kind of item; "truck" and "Ford" are not)

Switch to Normal View for the document (one of the buttons at the bottom left of the window)

Revise to create one well-written paragraph from one section anywhere in your outline (just do as much as you can in the time you have). Do this by inserting and combining body text within the outline.

Add transitional sentences to make the paragraph flow properly (but this is an exercise only ... the degree of polishing is up to you)

You can incorporate the less important headings into the body of the paragraph

Leave the unused titles and comments where they are (you would delete them if this was a final version)

Save your finished exercise in the shared folder

you will have more time in the next lab to complete this … you don’t have to work on this outside of the lab. Just make sure the exercise-in-progress is saved in a personal folder or sent to yourself by email.

Feedback on Paper One, continued

You will be preparing one more set of feedback for another student, due by the start of next class. If you started a second feedback in the last class, save it as far as you went and choose a new name.

Write your last name on the whiteboard and put a check beside a name that hasn’t been selected

Get a classmate's paper

In the shared folder, click on the reflection paper written by the student whose name you have selected and choose Save (not Open)

you will be working on the original paper, not one that already has comments (i.e. look for the file with only one lastname)

IMPORTANT: save the document in your personal folder or on the desktop with your own name added at the end of the filename (reflection_writerlastname_yourlastname)

This is a standard method of showing who has added material in collaborative writing. The most recent person is always at the end. Please take care to use the correct filenames – if you don’t, they will show up in the wrong place in the directory listing, and could get lost.

Prepare Track Changes for adding feedback

In Word, click the Review or Tools tab at the top, then click on the words "Track Changes", then "Highlight Changes", then have all the boxes checked, especially "Track changes while editing", and then click Options

Depending on your version of Word, you may see a tab that says "Review" and a drop-down list that says "Show Markup". Click Preferences to begin the next step.

Set the Options (or Preferences)

for Insertions, confirm the choice is "Underline" and change the color to Blue

for Deletions, confirm the choice is "Strikethrough" and change the color to Red

for Changed lines, change the choice to (none)

for Track Formatting, select no

for Track Moves, select no

for Use Balloons, change the choice to Never

click on OK

Click on the Word menu, then Preferences, then Edit. Look for "When selecting, automatically select entire word." If there is a checkmark there, remove it and click OK.

In some versions of Word, you'd click on the Office button at the upper left, then on Word Options, then Advanced.

To turn Track Changes on or off at any time, click on the icon with the words "Track Changes"

You can switch back and forth between two views of the document (you'll see a box at the upper left that lists the current view) -- try "Final Showing Markup", and "Original"

Please don’t use the "New comment" feature (it’s not compatible with some versions of Word)

Open a sample document with feedback
1. Open sample-feedback in the shared folder and scan it for ideas to use for your own feedback

Make suggested changes directly in the student document you have chosen

Make insertions and deletions that you think improve the writing. Comment within the text on what you think is written well and give specific re-wordings that might work better. Can the language be more efficient and direct? Try cutting words without damaging the meaning. IMPORTANT: you are not attempting to say that your suggestions are Right versus Wrong … you are offering an opinion in the clearest possible way, and the author is free to consider the change or ignore it.

in every case, don’t point out an error or weakness without suggesting a solution (that makes your comments constructive and improves your own writing abilities)

briefly explain why you are suggesting the change. Add comments by typing directly in the text and surrounding them with [[ and ]] to make the comments easily visible. Please don’t use the "New comment" feature (it’s not compatible with some versions of Word)

Write a response at the bottom of the paper, addressed directly to the writer. Point out the places in the paper that you think are strong, either in the content of what is being said, or how it is said, or both. Point out the places where the paper could be more effective. Raise unanswered questions or doubts, and suggestions on how to deal with them. How can the paper be more persuasive?

Check sample-feedback from the shared folder to see if anything additional can be done with your own feedback

Add the document that has your own feedback to the shared folder using the Name reflection_writerlastname_yourlastname. In addition, to ensure that the original writer will have access to your feedback, send it as an attachment by email with the Subject Line: reflection feedback (you don't need to CC me for this).

When you find that your own review has had feedback added, open it and check it using Tools / Track Changes / "Final Showing Markup" (select this in the box at the upper left). If you don’t see any comments at all, confirm that "Final Showing Markup" is selected.

You will have time in another lab to use these suggestions. Wait until then to revise your paper.

Paper One Rewrite

In Word, open your original Paper One from your disk (or from the shared folder), and save as reflection_yourname_polished on your flashdrive or on the desktop (using a new filename keeps your original intact)

Open the documents that give you feedback on your paper (use File / Open as many times as you need to)

Minimize all but your own paper and the annotated one you want to work with first, then click on Window / Arrange All to divide the screen between them

If you don’t see any comments at all, a box at the upper left is probably showing "Final". Open up the choices in that box and select "Final Showing Markup".

Rewrite and improve your paper, taking into account the feedback you have received. You don’t have to accept suggestions (you’re the boss of your own writing!), but at least seriously consider whether an improvement is needed, and how best to do it. Do this without having Track Changes turned on.

As you work, check to see if more feedback has been added to the shared folder and make use of it
If you finish the polishing during the lab, close the document and copy it into the shared folder

if you need more time, have this completed by the start of next lab

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