4.0 Week 4 Overview

1. Welcome to Week 4!

Hi everyone! In lieu of a video this week, I'm going to write out a quick weekly welcome. 

Overview:

This week, our focus is on revision! Please don't forget to return to the Peer Review Workshop in Week 3 to read the feedback from your peers, which will be available Monday at noon. 

Your first task is to read this little book. Good work, you, for getting started!

Instructor Review of Essay 1:

If you requested feedback from me, you'll have my comments on Essay 1 by Thursday. Please look at your peers' comments first and complete the Peer Review Response Survey before you view my feedback (it will appear as 4.1.2). 

2. Peer Review and What to Do

Handling Peer Review

Your second task for the week is to return to the Peer Review Workshop to find your peers' feedback. This will be available starting around noon on Monday. To view this, please return to the workshop in Week 3. You'll see your peers' feedback at the bottom of the page. You'll also see two grades: one for submitting your work on time, and one for providing timely feedback. 

You will likely find excellent feedback and commentary from your peers. However, sometimes, that excellent feedback can feel pretty critical at a moment when you're feeling vulnerable for having shared your work. This is a normal reaction to a critique. Even professional writers often despise and dread criticism, even when it's given kindly. Please make sure you do the following:

• Focus on what your peers said was working in your paper. These are things you can expand on!
• Focus on what your peers said your paper was about. If they don't yet understand, think of ways you can further detail your story and point.
• Finally, look at the questions they've asked as you try to add and revise the paper. Answer their questions somewhere, whether it's in the paper or in writing that you don't end up using. 

And, of course, remember that all feedback is just about a specific group of words on a specific day. It's not about you as a person or a writer. It's just those words on some screen on one day. Today's a different day! You're already a better writer.

After you've read and absorbed their feedback, take the short Feedback Review survey. You need to know the names of your reviewers and have the review nearby so you can fill that out. It will help me shape our groups in the future.

3. Tasks This Week

What to do this week:

• 4.0 Read this Overview (yay!)
• 4.0.1 Return to Peer Review Workshop (in Week 3) and read peer feedback.
• 4.1 Take Peer Review Response survey.
• 4.1.1 Read/view instructor feedback (if requested).
• 4.2 Unit #2: Reading #1
• 4.3 Revision Mini-Quiz and Reading
• 4.4 Revision exercise
• 4.5 Reading: Write like a Detective
• 4.6 Turn in Essay 1 (by Sunday, but the sooner the better!)
• 4.7 Read Essay 2 Expectations
• 4.8 Reflection/Response Forum #4 Post (no replies required this week)

Hey! That's a busy week. Take care and let me know if you need anything.