The Formal Writing Assignment: From Parts to Whole

The Formal Writing Assignment: From Parts to Whole
Lillian Bridwell-Bowles, Professor of English; Director, CxC
120 Pleasant Hall
Louisiana State University
In order to provide some writing instruction for students in courses in their majors, faculty members
sometimes break down an assignment into a series of less formal assignment steps. Between the time
that an assignment is announced and the time that it is due in final form, you can design many activities
to which you can respond with a few words, checklists, or simple rubrics. In larger classes you can also
build in class time for peer feedback or ask students to exchange feedback electronically outside class.
I have tried all of these at one time or another, and I’d be happy to meet to discuss them with you.
Here's a fairly thorough list of steps (no one does them all!):
1. Possible Questions
• Questions based on a preliminary inspection of the textbook and/or analysis of
appropriate course material questions
• Preliminary proposal outlining beginning questions and areas of interest
From you: A line or two of response
2. Key Resources and Types of Evidence
• A list of major sources and general comments about their importance
From you: Quick evaluation [+/-] and suggestions for more sources
3. Summary and Critique of Key Readings
Peer review: Give students some criteria by which to determine which readings are “key
readings.” Have them tell each other how they plan to incorporate these sources in their
papers.
4. Outline of Overall Structure
From you: Discuss genres and conventions of the field in class.
Peer review: Assign group members to read drafts and prepare a brief outline of the
structure they see in papers. Compare writer’s version to readers’ versions in group
discussion.

5. Proposal for the Final Paper
• A proposal includes the question or thesis, key resources, and the proposed structure for
the paper—all revised on the basis of feedback in the steps above if you use them.
From you: The full proposal is the best time for your major time investment. Careful
commentary now will pay off more than commentary on final products at the end when
nothing more than your overall assessment and a grade are at stake.
6. The Rough Draft
From you or from peers? People are divided about whether it is better for the professor to
comment on rough drafts or whether peers can do this job well. If peers understand the
criteria and are motivated to work collaboratively, they can do a good job. If you have a large
class, you probably have no choice. In my large classes, I have left the job to peers, but I’ve
read through all of the drafts and prepared comments on common problems and successes
that I summarize in class time. I use lots of overheads with examples. They know I’ve read
the drafts, but I’ve saved hours because the peers have made the comments on individual
drafts.
To grade or not to grade? People are also divided about whether to grade the rough draft.
Some say that students won’t invest much if you don’t. This has not been my experience
because I stress that this is the time to put the most work forward and get the most feedback
before the grades are at stake. You might have a different experience.
7. Revision of the Rough Draft
Peer review again? If students have worked to help each other with the conception and
organization of the draft, they often want to meet one more time to see the substantive
changes—before they polish and copy-edit the final paper. The rationale here is that once it’s
copy-edited, it’s finished! If there are major logical problems or problems with deficient
evidence, for example, it’s better to revise before the proof-reading stage.
8. Editing and Proofreading of Final Draft
• Editing of draft for style, structure, mechanics
Final Peer Review (optional; might be done in one stage with substantive comments, editing,
and proofreading concerns discussed in one meeting—see comment above)
9. Final Paper and Self-Evaluation: "What I would do if I were to revise this paper…"
• One-page memo, turned in with paper. Could include evaluation of peer review group.
From you or your assistants: In smaller classes, I have given a “critic grade” to give students
credit for their comments on others’ drafts, and I use this information (along with observation)
when I give them this grade. In larger classes, if peer group meetings take place in recitation
sections, the teaching assistants have evaluated peer review groups.
From you: Brief summary comments, perhaps a grading rubric, and a grade.