A 10:002 or 10:003 Unit ~ Rhetorics of Portraits: Controversies of Representation

Your Name:______________________________________________________

Author's Name:__________________________________________________

1)     Read the paper all the way through. Go ahead and mark with a + in the margins any sections that stand out as particularly excellent. Use a * to mark sections that strike you as difficult to navigate. Jot down a few quick, initial impressions here.

2)     Without looking back at the paper: What is the media text (or other source of conflict)?

3)     Again, without looking back: What two positions does the author describe?

4)     Still no looking back: How does the author resolve the conflict?

STRUCTURE AND CLARITY

Now, go back to the paper.

5)     How does the paper begin? Did you find the opening lines compelling?

6)     Number the paragraphs.

7)     In what paragraph does the author introduce the media text?

8)     In what paragraph does the author provide a brief description of the text?

9)     In what paragraph is the first position introduced?

10)   In which paragraphs are the reasons for this first position elaborated?

11)   In what paragraph is the second position introduced?

12)   In which paragraphs are the reasons for the second position elaborated?

13)   In what paragraph does the author provide the resolution?

14)   How does the paper conclude? Does it leave you with a sense of fulfillment and closure? Does the conclusion summarize the key points?

15)   Are there any paragraphs that you have not identified in questions 6-15? Circle each entire paragraph and write its number here. Next to each number, jot down what happens in the paragraph. If the paragraph does not have a function within the essay, make a suggestion for revising or eliminating it in the margins.

16)   Are the ideas and information presented in an order that makes sense to the reader? How well-organized is the paper?

17)   How clearly were the two positions and the reason for the tension explained?

18)   Which ideas or positions did you feel were not detailed enough?

19)   Which ideas or positions were overemphasized?

20)   Think about the order in which the ideas were presented: would you suggest the author rearrange in order for thoughts or issues to appear sooner or later?

STYLE AND MECHANICS

21)   Look at the first word of each paragraph. Circle any first word that appears at the start of more than one paragraph. Write those words here.

22)   Look at the first word of each sentence. Circle any first word that appears more than twice in a paragraph. Write those words here.

23)   Find the longest sentence in each paragraph. Mark each off with brackets. Revise at least 3 of these sentences to make each more concise (fewer words) without changing the meaning or eliminating important content. Write your revisions here; your numbering will correspond to the paragraph numbers.

24)   Find and underline the shortest sentence in each paragraph. Make sure it contains a subject and a verb. If it does not, write FRAGMENT in the margins.

25)   Are the pages numbered? If not, write in page numbers at the bottom of each page.

OVERALL COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

26)   Look back to the areas you marked with a + or an * during your initial read through. If you haven’t addressed those areas yet, write here what you enjoyed or what concerned you in those sections. Use paragraph numbers to indicate the area of focus (eg. 1+ or 7*).

27)   List three strengths of the paper here.

28)   Make three suggestions for improvement here.

29)   Any other comments for the author?