Essay 3 Draft 1 Points Report

Here's your score report for your Essay 3 Draft 1:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdEMyZ0dqRjNnNlUtSW1hTEE4aHZfX1E#gid=0.

Remember that I'm giving credit to stating and supporting your thesis (2 points), introducing and integrating paraphrase and quotes from your research (2 points), and putting together a complete and effective Works Cited page (1 point).

If you have any questions or if you're concerned about how your Essay 3 is coming along -- especially if you received a score lower than 5/5 -- I suggest you come to class this week and talk to me about your essay.

For more about working on your Essay 3, as well as upcoming deadlines and assignments, check out the previous blog post here.

Scores Report: Write-Ups 3 & 4 (and your reading assignment)

Here's a link to your scores on Write-Ups 3 and 4 (organized by the last four digits of your student ID):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdGFFUTU4VGt5SWVwZmFBNjRvMU53Q2c#gid=0.

Remember: The way I give points to write-ups is simple. I have four parameters that I give points to, and for each parameter, you either get a point or you don't. These parameters are ...

1) The summary section (basically, whether it's clear, organized, and finished), 

2) The response section (similarly, whether it's clear and organized, but also whether it matches the depth and organization of the summary somehow; in other words, are you responding to the ideas you're summarizing, as well as thoroughly developing your own point?), 

3) The citation (whether you did it or not, and whether you included most of the basic citation details for the article), and 

4) The overall write-up (whether or not you have a clear, complete, and organized overall write-up).

So take a look at your score, especially if you have anything other than a 4/4, and see if you can figure out which of these parameters you need to work on. I'll give you an initial hint: Many of you aren't doing so well on #2. (And, just as an added note to those who submitted your write-up late: I do take off a point for late submissions.)

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Finally, please read the next chapter in Atul Gawade's book, Better. This chapter is titled, "The Score," and it's goes from page 169 to 200. So it's not a short chapter. Whether or not we get to discuss all of it doesn't matter. In fact, whether or not we get to discuss it at all doesn't matter, either. What matters is this: It seems to me that your writing is improving as a result of reading Gawande's book. I'm seeing both Gawande's well-structured writing and his analytical approach to health topics come out in your writing, too -- in your own unique styles, of course. So let's keep going through this book, and let's keep working on emulating strong writing practices and making them our own.

Score Report: Critiques (Essay 2 Draft 1)

Here's your score report for your critiques of Essay 2 first drafts:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdGNuSXRZOEl3M3BLemp2X2duQ0RzQXc#gid=0.

Please note: If there isn't a score listed for one or both of your critiques, please make sure that you've shared and posted your critique in the right place (the comments section of your assigned critique partner's Essay 2 Draft 1 post). If everything seems to be fine, but you still don't see a score, email me right away.

Essay 2 Draft 1 Score Report

Here's your score report for your Essay 2 Draft 1:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdEpwWUNVYzlMUWd5OW5jUmRWdTdHcFE&usp=drive_web#gid=0.

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As you look at your score, please note that in looking over your drafts, I gave points to the following:

     1) Summary structure (one solid paragraph that starts with the thesis and basic details, then moves on to major points,

     2) Summary completeness (a summary made of strong, effective paraphrase that credits the authors for each major point),

     3) Response completeness (a direct thesis, followed by a point-by-point breakdown of your support for this thesis),

     4) Response structure (using each paragraph of your response to clearly do something different from the other paragraphs), and

     5) Citations (here I looked for substance, not format; I was essentially looking for all the important basic details that identify an article to be there, or at least most of them).

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Special note: If you think your essay is lacking on any of the above, don't just jump to your draft. Instead, start by taking down some notes. Then be sure to save a new draft of your essay, and start making your changes there -- never in your first draft! Also: You might consider using the above parameters as ideas to consider in writing your critiques.

Write-Up 1 & 2 Scores

Here is a spreadsheet of your scores on Write-Ups 1 and 2, as they stand now:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdEtmYWxLODllclJiNmN4Y1h3MEFEaEE#gid=0.

(Please note: If you don't see a score for any of your write-ups in this spreadsheet, and you did submit write-ups, please contact me as soon as possible.)

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(Update, 3/1/2014: I have just finished correcting a mistake in this spreadsheet. The current scores should be correct and up-to-date.)

Essay 1 Draft 1 & Critiques Report

As many of you requested, here's a spreadsheet detailing your (very simple) scores on your Essay 1 draft and your two critiques:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdHVwMlUxNHc1VjQtN3U5enpDMUdhT0E#gid=0.

Be aware: In grading your critiques I was mostly very forgiving -- but only in some cases. I gave many of your critiques a score of 3/3 simply because they gave a reasonable amount of feedback. Those critiques I gave a score of 2/3 were insufficient, but they still made some helpful comments. And those critiques to which I gave no score (meaning, a blank), these have either not been posted or were not in acceptable form to receive a grade.

Next time we do critiques (for draft 1 of Essay 2), I'll be more harsh in my grading.

If you have any questions or are confused about the spreadsheet, please email me.