Ratiocination

Before we begin… Get out a piece of paper and fold it in half to form two long columns. At the top of the page write “Ratiocinations for [title of your paper]”. This will be your tracking guide as you go back to consider revisions to your essay.

Step 1 Choose three different colored pens or markers. On your tracking guide write “step 1” in the left margin. Draw a line with each of your colors in the left column to be a guide for later. In the right column write next to each color thesis, supporting claim, and supporting detail.

Example ___________ Thesis Supporting Claim Supporting Detail

Step 1 Continued Using the legend you have created, go into your essay and underline your thesis, supporting claims, and supporting detail.

Step 2 On your tracking guide write “step 2” in the left margin. Draw a bracket […] in the left column of your tracking guide. In the right column write “sentence beginnings.” […]sentence beginnings In your essay, draw a bracket around the first word of every sentence in your essay.

Example [My] family lives in a hundred year old house on a fifty acre farm. [Nanny] and Pop, my grandparents, brought a double-wide onto the property about one month after my father bought the place making my life just about complete. [A] normal day began with a visit to my grandparents. [Not] to pay the respects of a grandson, I hate to admit, but because Nanny would make breakfast for me whatever time I got up; Mom doesn’t.

Step 2 continued On your tracking sheet, create a list of the words you put in brackets. Example: My Nanny A Not

Step 3 Choose two different colored highlighters. In your essay, highlight every other sentence a different color.

Step four Write step four in the left margin on your tracking guide. Draw a circle in the left column and write “pronouns – antecedent” in the right column. In your essay, circle every pronoun in your paper and draw an arrow back to the word it is replacing. Be especially mindful of the pronoun “it” in your paper.

Step five Write step five in the left margin on your tracking guide. Draw a square in the left column and write “to be verbs” in the right column. In your essay, draw a square around every “to be” verb. Count the total number of “to be” verbs in your essay and write the number on your tracking guide. When revising your essay try to reduce this number by half.

To Be Verbs Am Are Is Was Were Be Being Been Become Became