teaching with writing - a sequence of assignments leading to a formal paper - creating assignments

teaching with writing

A Sequence of Assignments Leading to a Formal Paper

Lillian Bridwell-Bowles, Professor, English

In order to provide writing instruction for students, it helps to break down an assignment into its component parts. Between the time that an assignment is announced and the time that it is due in final form, there is a series of steps and stages for which you can design activities. Here's one kind of breakdown.

1. Define Possible Questions
Preliminary proposal outlining areas of interest; preliminary inspection of textbook and/or course materials; and analysis of appropriate questions
A line or two of response from instructor

2. Identify Key Resources and Types of Evidence
A list of major sources and general comments about their importance
Quick evaluation and suggestions from instructor

3. Summarize and Critique Key Readings
Peer review

4. Outline or Describe Overall Structure
Look at connections between content and form; conventions of the field
Peer review; possible comparison of writer's versus reader's versions

5. Propose the Final Paper
Includes question or thesis, key resources, proposed structure for paper, revised on the basis of feedback in steps above
Instructor review

6. Write the Rough Draft
A "zero draft" for major revision
Peer review

7. Use Criticism to Revise the Rough Draft
Revision of first draft for substantive matters of content, structure, adequacy, relevance.
Peer review

8. Prepare the Polished Final Draft
Editing of draft for style, structure, mechanics
Peer review, if necessary, before instructor evaluation

9. "What I would do if I were to revise this paper…"
Self-evaluation, possible instructor response