[Syllabus]

1. As a group, you will write a review of the book you read in your book clubs.

2. Individually, you will write short research pieces on the areas you want to annotate in your review. Possible topics could include: the author, the setting, connections with history, other topics mentioned in your book.

 

In a review, you express your opinion about the value or worth of a book you have read. However, you need to support your feelings with thoughtful explanations and specific references to the book itself.

· Prewriting

1. Choosing a Subject . . . Review the book that you have read in your reading groups.

2. Through discussion, keep track of your main feelings and opinions as you go along.

3. When you have finished discussion, read through your ideas, and decide which details you want to include in your review.  You will not be able to include everything.  Comment on the important parts of the book but don't give away too much of the story.

· WRITING AND REVISING

1. Working together, connect your ideas.  Make sure you identify the titles and author in one of the opening lines.

2. Look at sample reviews.  Most reviews name the title and author, include a brief summary of the book (without "spoiling" the book for the reader, comment on the book's strengths and weaknesses, and include a personal response.

3.  Read through your group draft making sure that you have stated your ideas clearly and completely.  Be sure that you have given the page number in parentheses after any direct quotations from your book.

 ANNOTATING

1. Using the notes which you took on topics for research while reading the book, decide which parts of the review you want to annotate and assign topics to group members.

2. Using internet or library resources, research your topics. Take notes on index cards or in a note file on your computer, and be sure to get complete source information for all written sources, and URL of all internet sites used. If possible, rely on good internet sites.

3. Word process your research topic. Be sure to use parenthetical notation for any quoted or paraphrased material. At the bottom of each page, put the source information (either the title, author, publisher, date of all books or the URL of all internet sources)

4. As a group, review and edit each piece, individually make connections between the pieces.

5. Be sure that you save all of your material to your account on the H drive.

6.  You will be given directions in class on how to publish your work as a website.