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This professor is a harsh grader she gave me feedback on my answers & sent me this:
Each question is an invitation to discuss the story, not to summarize it.
1. To set up your discussion, introduce the short story and set up the theme.
2. Make your response very specific to the short story we read in question
3. Do not summarize the text. Assume we all read it and know its plot.
4. Use full sentences; do not take the quote out of content.
5. Avoid sentences that are true because they are too general. If you do not need to read the poem to say something that your response is stating, then it’s probably not necessary; the aim is to discuss the poem. Therefore, if you wrote a general sentence and meant to talk about the poem, EDIT and DEVELOP your sentence to finally talk about the poem.
6. Avoid using long quotes.
7. ALWAYS comment on the quotes
Be mindful of:
1. TR = TRANSITION (How do you connect your thoughts and how you organize your response)
2. The quote sandwich – (You are to study and practice continuously throughout this semester to use the quote sandwich in your writing)
Ø The quote sandwich.
o You are to introduce the quote with your own idea and “blend in” short quotes in YOUR own discussion.
Ø Strive to provide analytical commentary, not paraphrasing when you comment on the quotes.
Ø Ideally, your commentary on the quote should be at least 3 times longer than the quote. It’s work in progress, so just keep writing! At some point, you’ll know the poem well enough and won’t feel the need to summarize or retell it.
Ø The quote does not speak for itself. We are interested in your interpretation
Ø No need to write “I think” because this is your paper, and you are thinking and writing it.
Ø Avoid typing “The author says.” Find out who wrote the poem and make sure to use the last name (NOT the first name) of the poet throughout your work.
Ø All poems should be capitalized and in quotation marks!! This is MLA standard.
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.