Shitty First Draft

This is the week your "shitty first draft" of your I-Search paper is due. I borrow this term from Anne Lamott, writer and author of Bird by Bird. She believes in shitty first drafts because, in the drafting stage, it is important to give yourself permission to get it all down,  knowing full well you will clean it up later. Read Lamott's essay here. It will motivate you to write, I promise. It will also make you laugh. 

http://buddha-rat.squarespace.com/shitty-first-drafts/

If you're someone who needs stricter guidelines for a draft, please know that your draft should be 6-10 pages long and should encompass the three phases of I-Searching (what I knew and assumed before I began, what I did and what I found, and what meaning does it have--to my teaching, to my thinking--now that my search is over). It should be double-spaced for easy reading and should be written in the first person voice ("I"). You should be sure to also weave in your participants' voices, as well as the voices of your secondary sources. 

And, though I am not the MLA police by any means, you all should be able to demonstrate, at this point in your careers, expert MLA format for in-text citations, works cited page, and paper formatting. Use your MLA skills in your draft to practice incorporating it into your writing routine, so to speak. And, please consult your MLA handbook instead of just guessing or hoping someone will fix your errors. Our in-class feedback session will focus on the substance of your writing--the story you tell and how you tell it--and not so much on correcting errors.  Please don't come to class expecting anyone to edit your paper!

The most important part about bringing your I-Search draft to class: 

BRING TWO COMPLETE COPIES.

(Also, a reminder that your Writer's Group reflection essay is due, as well as your Final Version of your "Coming Home Again" writing assignment.) 

Lots to do, folks. And, I know you can do it! Your I-Search presentations were amazing--ride that intellectual momentum into the sunset of this semester. See you on Wednesday!