We will handle our workshop today this way:

1. Divide up into groups of four people (as directed).
2. In each group, select one person with a draft to go first.
3. Have the author read his or her entire draft aloud to the group. Everyone else in the group should just listen at this point.
4. Now, have the draft's author read the entire draft aloud again. As the person is reading the draft this time, everyone else in the group should answer the following questions about the draft on a separate sheet of paper (which you will give to the draft's author at the end of class):
1. What is at least one information question that the draft answers?
2. What is the issue question that the draft tries to answer?
3. What is the central claim of the draft's argument?
4. How many reasons does the draft give to support its central claim? What are those reasons? Make a list and number each reason in order.
5. When the draft's author finishes the second reading of the draft, give the author some spoken feedback right away. Make one specific comment to the author about the best moment in the draft and/or one specific comment about the weakest moment in the draft. What really caught your attention, tickled your fancy, or made you think? Where did you get lost, bored, or puzzled?
6. Move on to the next draft in the group and begin again with #3 above.

Click here to go to the course syllabus.