I feel like there were numerous points throughout the grading rubric that provided me with an opportunity for growth in my paper.
The first check mark was in the position/intro part was “Is your position statement sustainable – will the position support a nuanced and satisfying paper?” I think yes and no. My problem while going through after peer editing and meeting the writing fellow was that I realized while my thesis was ok, and my arguments supported it, it was not as clear or specific as it could be. I realized that if I made the paper’s intent clearer, the rest of my paper falls into place and can support the argument better.
The next check mark I noticed was one that I feel I have executed pretty well. “Do you clearly articulate how your evidence relates to your claim?” For the claim I put originally, each one of my quotes, and explanation of said quotes, definitely talked about why I chose that evidence to support my thesis and how it develops and explains my points better. Now that I rewrite my thesis, I feel it is something I can still execute well, but I will just have to switch around a few of my arguments and my reasoning for them.
The third item on the checklist that caught my eye was “Do your claim sentences work to develop or support your ideas as expressed in your position?” My claim, or topic, sentences I feel generally were good umbrella sentences. They were general enough so that my paragraphs could expand upon them, but specific enough that the reader can tell what my next argument or point may be. I again will have to switch these up as I write some new paragraphs and switch up my thesis, so I want to make a note to pay attention to those and make sure they are good enough to support my thesis.
The fourth and final checkbox on that list was more about my organization of my paper. “Does your conclusion – while rooted in your paper’s main themes – also introduce new directions for thought? My conclusion is definitely a part of my first draft that I think I rushed a bit to finish. It is underdeveloped, not really explaining anything or helping my argument. When I rewrite parts of my essay to support my new thesis, this is definitely a part of my essay I will be focusing on to help develop and support the rest of my essay.
