Teaching CO300 Writing Arguments

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Writer’s name

Editor’s name

The primary purpose of this worksheet is to insure that the writer has developed an effective analysis paper. Try your best to spot weaknesses in the essay you are reading. In effect, you will be helping the writer to make sure that s/he has a convincing argument BEFORE it is submitted in the portfolio.

1. Read the essay once and record your first impressions:
2. What is the writer’s thesis or claim?
3. Do you have any suggestions for improving the claim, particularly in terms of focusing?
4. What features of the selection from Aims does the writer concentrate the analysis on?
5. What textual evidence does the writer use? Where could the writer use more? (Make specific suggestions.)
6. What analytic evidence does the writer use? Where could the writer use more? (Make specific suggestions.)
7. Any other advice before the writer goes on to the next draft?