Less is More

in 8010: Theory and Practice

Here at Mizzou the program requires that we read and respond to multiple drafts of students' writing. In "Less Is More in Response to Student Writing," Clyde Moneyhun presents what I think is an ordered way to make comments on students' writing. I don't know how well it would work in practice, for each student is different and has different issues with their papers. However, I think, for me, it would be a good reference.

First, Moneyhun comments on global topic issues (Strategies 327). Then, he moves to commenting on the organization and development of students' essays (328). And last, he comments on style and mechanics; however, he is quick to make the distinction that instructors should meet students where they are and even if it's say the third draft and they're having topic issues, to still stay with matters of topic and not move on to mechanics (Strategies 328). This method offers me some way of focusing myself so that I don't desolve into grammar, spelling, or punctuation corrections. Finally, I'd just like to note that Moneyhun prefers to "ask a question (rather) than make a specific suggestion" (Strategies 328). This is a refrain we heard in multiple instances in the readings for this coming week.

In "Another Kind of Teacher-Student Talk: Conversational responding and Revising," Seth L. Kahn suggests that instructors try to ask questions rather than simply make statements on students' papers using an informal, conversational tone (348). The Instructor's Guide to English 1000 at Missouri even mentions that it's best to "(c)riticize with a neutral tone" refrain from using the possibly offensive "huh?" or equally "discourteous" word, "unclear" in the margins of students' texts. However, the Missouri Guide doesn't draw the line at the occasional Frag. or Awk. unlike Kahn who says these abbreviations should be avoided in favor of more posing of questions because we "aren't likely to say 'Awk' or 'Frag' in the classroom..." (Strategies 348). Yes, on that, we can agree.

I'm still trying to figure out the math so that I can value paper #3 more than paper #2 or paper #1, and rank the multiple drafts so that students will make a concerted effort to write the drafts as best they can despite the fact that they have multiple tries on the each essay, especially if we take Elbow's advice and provide as many opportunities for "evaluation-free" writing (Allyn and Bacon Sourcebook 394).

In his essay, "Guidelines for Responding to Student Writing, Richard Straub suggests that instructors "concentrate most of your work with response in the first half of the course" (Strategies 365). What he means here is that commenting done well, models for students how to do peer reviews. In my mind, I was struggling with how to best integrate peer reviews and Straub's suggestion helps me plan my own course.