SWA#9

When I write an exploratory paper I pick a topic, find sources and make notes, write a draft, and then revise it. I tend to write as I go along without prior planning to the paper and write down what comes to mind at the moment and then revise it when I read it again later. Two things from this chapter that could help me is asking questions about my paper when revising and making an extended list or outline. Both could help because my writing process could use more structure and more of a process to write my paper correctly. Asking the questions will allow for me to be more thorough with what needs to be in my paper. Making an outline would help me make sure I have the topics I want to discuss in my paper.
An outline is like a “skeleton” of a paper, as the book calls it. It provides a way for the writer to not have to stop and think about what to write about next because the outline does it for you. It provides a way to see a good organization on what the paper will be about so it is easier to write and put together correctly.
Three things that could be useful to me on revising my paper looking at my draft as a whole, finishing it in time to put down and read later, and asking revision questions about my paper. If I print out my paper, like the book says to do, and look at it as a whole it will be easier to catch mistakes and read more smoothly. Finishing it in time to put down and read a day later would help me because it would give me a break from writing the paper. If I write to long, I tend to just put things down at the end to finish it without really paying attention. It would give my mind a break and be able to fix mistakes I maybe would not have seen earlier. By asking questions about my paper while I am revising it, it will help to catch things that I might not have paid attention to in the first place. It gives me something to look for specifically instead of glancing over the paper.
An exploratory is written for the author and the reader to better understand an issue. It provides information from all views and allows for a deeper understanding of the issue. If an author is going to write a position paper, writing an exploratory paper first gives the author background information from past and present on his/her topic. When a writer and a reader get information-facts and opinions-it lets them all get a better understanding of what the topic truly is. Before a position can be taken by an author, he/she needs to be able to support their opinion and have a well established argument with facts from their research to back up their position.
Some ways to conduct peer review are one, to get in a small group with three or four of classmates, giving them all a copy of your paper, and reading it a loud so as you do your peers can critique it and mark problem spots. Another way is to read them silently in groups and students make notes on them before discussing them one by one a loud. Another way is to have a partner and switch papers to take home allowing for extra time to read more than once. Peer review has several advantages. It makes the writing process more sociable and is able to provide immediate feedback on your paper from someone else. It gives the writer a chance to hear what an audience thinks of his/her paper. After all, it is written for others to read and like. Someone will always have suggestions on how to make the paper a better one even if it has been critiqued over and over. It helps to have others opinions.