Workshop Questions

DIRECTIONS: Please answer in complete sentences and take time and care in responding, as you will be graded on your answers. You do not need to write down the questions. Do not write any yes or no answers--give details and examples from the reading.
 
You should address all questions within a given section. 

Give the notes to the Paper Author when finished. They will hand it in to me next week at the beginning of class on the day your final paper is due, and you will both get credit for the assignment.

Last but not least, do not rush through this assignment. I will give full credit only to those pairs who took their time working through the assignment carefully, using the entire class period to do so.

1) Is the essay's thesis clear? Point out any areas where it could be clearer. Is it arguable? Is it well-qualified (specific)? Even if the thesis seems to be specific enough, suggest a way for the writer to make it even more specific and narrow (i.e. do they list the topics they plan to discuss in the body paragraphs?). *Importantly, does the thesis address one of the prompts given for class (it should not mix them together)?

2) Does the writer incorporate research from three scholarly* sources into the essay? Do the sources seem to be strong and relevant for the thesis at hand? Do not ask the writer to tell you about them, but judge them based solely on what is in the paper. Write what you know about the sources below and give any suggestions for what you need to know more about. Also please note if they seem to be forcing irrelevant sources onto their paper.

*Scholarly sources are sources written by active scholars in a relevant field such as English literature (in the last 10 years--no older) that have been peer reviewed, and that the paper author found through the Whittier College library's databases. They do not include things like: interviews with the author, .com or other websites, news articles or encyclopedias.

3) Does the writer incorporate plenty of quotes/paraphrases from the novel(s) and the outside sources examples in the essay? They should! Are those quotes strong enough to use? Which quote is the strongest and which is the weakest? Why? 

4) Does the writer provide convincing, sufficient analysis for each and every one of their quotations/paraphrases? Remember, analysis is as important than the quote itself. Make suggestions for improvement below, and be specific. The analysis should of course connect back to the thesis.

5) Is the paper organized? Do the main topics of the body paragraphs seem to build logically upon one another? Are the quotations logically organized? Give at least one suggestion for improvement.

6) What are some ways in which the author might expand their ideas further? Are there any logical connections they could be making that are missing from the essay? Is their critical thinking going deep enough, or are they staying at a surface level with their interpretations of the text? Give suggestions for at least two places in the essay where they can go deeper.