Tuesday

Peer EditingInfinitives

1) Read through and mark-up text.

2) After you've finished editing the paper, tell the writer what you as a reader are finding in the text. Writer listens- no comments or explanation.

3) Engage in dialogue (writer participates) that explores possibilities for refinement, expansion, focus, clarification.Read it twice!

1) Read the paper through once (quickly) to get an overview, making marks in the margin to specific points you want to comment on further.

2) Read through a second time (more carefully). This time, comment fully on both form and content, following the below guidelines.

Thesis, Topics and Methodology

Identify the author's argument/thesis. What is it? Is it a fact, an opinion or a thesis? Try to paraphrase it.

What topics does the writer discuss? Does each successive paragraph in some way support the thesis? If not, make suggestions that will enhance the cohesiveness of the argument.

Mechanics/Paragraphing

Mark grammatical and spelling errors by circling them, (but don't try to correct).

Note sentence structure; does each sentence seem to convey a complete idea? If not, is it a fragment? If you think it is a fragment, write "frag" in the margin and underline the sentence.

Does each sentence make logical sense? Does each sentence seem to follow in a logical sequence from preceding sentences? If not, write "logic" in the margin and underline the sentence.

Is the material broken into paragraphs at logical points? Do the paragraphs each seem to lend support to the

overall thesis of the essay?

Organization

Does the writer follow a logical sequence of claims and evidence so that the paper is easy to follow?

Do the paragraphs seem to occur in a logical sequence? Can the impact of the argument be enhanced by changing the order of certain paragraphs?

Does the paper cohere as a whole? Do all the parts fit together in a clear relationship? Does the writer tie everything together with under a common thesis or through related themes?

Evidence/Reasoning

Is there sufficient textual evidence to support each claim?

Does the writer argue effectively, using reason and logical explanation to contextualize quoted material?

Do you "buy" the writer's argument, based on supporting evidence or reasoning?

Does the writer use proper citation method each time?

Introduction/Conclusion

Does the essay have a clear introduction? Is the conclusion satisfying?If not, make suggestions to help the writer

formulate strategies for these two important features.

Comments: Be sure to…

list major themes as they are apparent in the paper and comment on anything you notice the writer habitually

doing (for example, he or she may have a tendency to write long, tangled sentences that would work better broken into shorter sentences).

If you noticed a sentence that you have an idea of how to improve, rewrite it here for the writer.

Finally, be sure to comment on what the writer is doing right. Does she have a particular strength? A really powerful insight? Is his paper well organized? Good use of supporting evidence? Interesting discussion of findings? An especially well written phrase? Be sure to say so!

An infinitive is a verb form that comes after the word “to” and functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

To succeed takes courage, foresight and luck.

Alone in her cubicle, all she wanted was to survive.

Afraid to move, she froze in terror.His goal, to break into Fort Knox, was

never achieved.The student’s hope was to finish the

paper before school started.

Don’t Get Confused:“to” in infinitives and prepositions

Don’t confuse infinitives with prepositional phrases that begin with “to.” Remember that a preposition always ends with a noun or pronoun; an infinitive always ends with a verb.

Infinitive (verb): Remember to wash behind your ears!

Preposition (noun): We walked to the car wash.

The infinitive phrase includes the infinitive and the object of the infinitive or any modifiers related to the infinitive.

Even in New York, fans did not manage to buy the hype. TO BUY is the direct object of the verb DID MANAGE. THE

HYPE is the object of the infinitive.

The seemingly simple decision to appoint a Democrat caused controversy. TO APPOINT is an adjective modifying DECISION. A

DEMOCRAT is the object of the infinitive.

The gap provides a way to give Democratic candidates an edge in close elections TO GIVE is an adjective modifying WAY. The object of the

infinitive is CANDIDATES.

The respondents believe their neighbors are willing to vote for a woman. TO VOTE is an adverb modifying the predicate adjective

WILLING. In other words, it tells us the degree to which they are willing.

Two nonprofit organizations from opposite sides of the political spectrum plan to release a report blasting 25 Army Corps of Engineers water projects TO RELEASE is the direct object of the verb PLAN. REPORT is

the object of the infinitive. FYI: BLASTING is a participle modifying REPORT.

The corps has been trying to recast itself in a more ecosensitive light. TO RECAST is the direct object of the verb HAS BEEN TRYING.

ITSELF ( a reflexive pronoun) is the object of the infinitive.

Now Congress has to decide whether it wants to continue to be part of the problem, or if it wants to be part of the solution. TO CONTINUE is the direct object of the verb WANTS. TO BE

the object of the infinitive TO CONTINUE. PART is the object of the infinitive TO BE.

Writing with Infinitives One sentence with an infinitive subject Eg: To eat is my favorite pasttime One with and infinitive object Eg: I love to eat. One with a predicate noun Eg: My dearest wish is to eat myself into a coma. One with an adjective infinitive Unwilling to eat cow brains, she tipped over. One with an adverb infinitive Eg: She is unwilling to eat cow brains.

Infinitive or Preposition?

They went to the store. They need to go to the store.

Susie loved to stalk him down the hallway. Susie only wanted to meet him. Matilda ran to him.

He was hoping to discover another planet. He had to visit the space station. They then went to the moon. The cow jumped over the moooooooooooon.