JENNIFER SHUM
My Revision Club Letters
Throughout the semester I had the opportunity to provide specific, critical feedback to my classmates through revision club letters and marked up rough drafts. Not only did this allow me to read and appreciate the techniques that worked well in the writing of other's, but it also helped me to articulate my thoughts on their work as well as see how I might have similar strengths and weaknesses in my own work.
For example, when commenting on how someone did a great job in making text relatable to readers (unit 2), it made me consider how I was including appropriate analogies and examples in my own writing. Similarly, when emphasizing the need to present a very clear and bold point (unit 4), it forced me to consider how I could ensure I was doing the same in my writing as well.
A selection of one letter from each unit can be found with links to the left.
10. Provide revision-based response to my peers.
Other's Revision Suggestions
Throughout the semester, I likewise had the opportunity to recieve feedback from peers to improve and expand the limits of my own writing. Although there were many helpful comments topic and writing specific given throughout the semester, it was especially helpful when I recieved comments on my general writing techniques, particularly when several people commented on the same thing.
Excerpts from Unit 1 and Unit 4 can be found with links to the left, where both peer readers address first long sentense structure/ syntax issues (unit 1) and later suggest stylistic word choice/first person writing in ensuring stance emphasis (unit 4). These comments helped me to simplify and clarify my writing for the final drafts seen in showcase.
11. Reflect on their writing processes and self-assess as a writer
Rough Draft Transformation
Each unit presented the opportunity to improve a rough draft with the comments and critiques of peers. However, the unit in which my writing changes most dramatically from rough to final draft was probably unit 3.
Having recieved feedback during revision club that the pictures included and the bolded blue header text made the piece more interesting to read, I proceded to go even further with the visual aspect of the piece for the final showcase draft. In addition, having been informed that the flow/structure of the piece was a little confusing (because the article focused sometimes on butterflies and sometimes on other biomimetic applications) I was able to visually restructure the article so that the butterfly content read through uninterrupted, with sidebars/graphics that could give readers further biomimetic info if they were interested.
The link to right is the original rough draft of the unit 3 assignment, which varies from the final draft found in the showcase section.
4. Revise my writing using responses from others, including peers,
consultants, and teachers.
More Than Meets the Eye.
Supplementary Pieces.
"Through revision club sessions during each unit, I had a chance to write specific points of critique on the pieces of others and determine the best ways that I could be helpful in the writing process of others."