Workshop Evaluation Guide

The following is the Workshop Evaluation Guide that you must use as a reference guide to help you devise your peer-evaluation report. Read and evaluate your peer's essay and compose an evaluation report (minimum 300 words) examining the following areas:

Introductory Paragraph:

• Is the essay double-spaced and in proper MLA format?
• Does the opening of the essay grab the reader’s attention?
• In the introductory paragraph of the essay, does the writer solidly introduce Flannery O’Connor, the titles of her two stories, their publication years, their genre, possibly the cultural context of the stories, and/or any relevant background information.
• Two (2) Flannery O’Connor short stories must be used as primary sources, one of which must be “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
• Does the essay have a clear thesis statement that identifies both the subjects being compared/contrasted, and a plan of development that states the three literary devices the writer is comparing/contrasting?
• Is it clear which essay option the writer has chosen?
• Are the thesis and plan of development posted as the last sentence of the introductory paragraph?

Body Paragraphs:

• Is the author clearly using the comparative/contrast rhetorical method of development?
• Are there strong topic sentences at the start of supporting paragraphs that begin with appropriate transitional phrases, include the plan of development point being discussed in that paragraph and reinforce the thesis in some condensed way?
• Does the essay follow the plan of development?
• For subject-by-subject comparisons, has the writer used a distinct transitional phrase that connects the two sections of the essay?
• For point-by-point comparisons, has the writer used appropriate transitions to indicate a shift from one point to another as he/she alternates?
• Are there effective transitions throughout essay: use of transitional phrases and signal phrases at the start of each supporting paragraph, when there is a shift in thought, and when launching supporting examples and evidence (First, Secondly, Comparatively, Similarly, Additionally, Next, Conversely, Ion contrast, for example, for instance…etc.)?
• Has the author properly used six (6) secondary sources: literary criticisms, abstracts, overview, dissertations, graduate theses, biographies, forewords, introductions….etc.? Some can be used in intro and concluding paragraphs.
• Is one of the secondary source rebutted to/refuted and counter-argued?
• Is there a thorough analysis of each literary device for both subjects (paralleled points)?
• Is there convincing summarized, paraphrased, and/or directly quoted evidence that supports the author’s main point (thesis)? Quotes, paraphrased passages, or summarized passages (contextual support) must be directly relevant and should sufficiently support the writers argument.
• Has the author used at least two (2) relevant quotes and/or paraphrased passages for each literary device per story (i.e. three literary devices per story equals to 6+borrowed passages from the short stories: the primary sources)?
• Has the writer avoided placing quotes back-to-back?
• Is there correct integration (Triple E) and citation (MLA) of quoted, summarized, and/or paraphrased material?
• Has the Triple E formula been used? Present the example (your assertions), include the contextual evidence (quote) to support the example, and provide an explanation of how the contextual evidence supports the example and the thesis as a whole in order to make sure that readers understand why that source has been used within the essay. Connect the dots for them.
• Has the writer avoided beginning and ending paragraphs with quotes? Writers must begin paragraphs with strong topic sentences and end them with muscular concluding remarks.
• Is the essay focused and on track?
• Is the essay logical? If not, what are its vulnerabilities? Any holes in the author’s argument? Any fallacies?
• Is the argument compelling or is it flat? What can he/she do to make the argument appealing and convincing?
• Have the quotes been properly modified with brackets (if necessary)?
• Are long quotes 4+ lines properly formatted?
• Has the author avoided using too many lengthy quotes?
• Are there closing sentences at the end of supporting paragraphs that bring topic of paragraph to a close

Concluding Paragraph:

• Does the essay have a strong concluding paragraph that restates the thesis and plan of development?
• Does the author leave his/her readers with a final thought or a resolution?

Syntax:

• Has the author used the present tense in his/her comparative analysis of the stories?
• Has the author used careful use of diction (detailed descriptions, concise language, avoided slang, avoided fallacies or biased language…etc.)?
• Is there a combination of sentence forms (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex)?
• Is there parallel structure with parallel elements in a series (commas must separate three or more elements in a series)

Are there and of the following errors?

• Spelling errors and grammar errors
• Run-ons
• Fragments
• Slang and clichés
• Personal pronouns, such as you, your(s), yourself, me, I, mine, myself, we, us, our(s), and ourselves
• Repetition, especially at the beginning of nearby sentences
• Pronoun Agreement errors
• Subject-Verb Agreement errors
• Punctuation errors, such as comma, semi-colon, quotation marks, apostrophes, hyphen, ellipses…etc.

What are the main syntactical problems with the essay? Make a list, so that your peer can use it when he/she goes online for help.

Citations:

• Has author used the Gale Virtual Reference Library, Literature Resource Center, Professional Development Collection, and/or Academic Search Premier for the six secondary sources?
• Are there correct in-text parenthetical citations next to each directly quoted, paraphrased, or summed up passage?
• Is there a properly formulated Works Cited page with at least seven (7) entries for your eight sources (one for your O’Connor stories and six for your secondary sources