Life of Pi Timed Writing Revisions Expectations and Reminders
for the English II Pre-AP Midterm
Revising writing is important, mostly because writing well is hard. We have revised multiple writing assignments so far
this year, and in doing so, hopefully you’ve been able to improve areas of your writing and grow as a writer. Because we
value what revising does for not only our writing, but also for our understanding of our own communication habits, our
strengths and areas for improvement, we’re going to revise our Life of Pi timed writing outlines and essays for the
majority of our midterm grade (85%). Read the information below to make sure you are familiar with the expectations of
this assignment. Take this opportunity to look at your own writing critically and with creativity.
Revision Expectations:
1. Address each piece of feedback received on the outline/tri-DEC essay by improving or changing whatever was
marked
a. This includes numbers associated with rubric comments, additional written comments, and anything
circled or otherwise marked
2. Something may only be marked once, but if it was a repeated error throughout the essay, you need to change it
wherever the fault appears (ex: using past tense, misspellings of repeated words, incorrect parenthetical
citations, etc.)
3. In order to fully address the feedback, you may have to rewrite a large part of a DEC instead of just changing a
few words or adding on to what you already have.
a. For example, if your commentary received any of the numbered rubric comments, you likely need to
start fresh and write new commentary. If you simply add on to what you already have, the commentary
may become disjointed or seem to ramble.
b. To rewrite commentary, utilize the commentary templates on my website, look back at the essay
models or at the commentary PowerPoints on my website from the first quarter. Commentary can be
difficult to write—do not expect that because you simply added another sentence onto what you
already have that you are fulfilling requirements of commentary
4. While I attempt to give comprehensive and detailed feedback, I may not mark everything. If you think, for
example, that you could improve the voice in your writing (your own writing style, your choice of words, etc.),
you should also revise for voice. You are not limited to revising only things I marked; this is your midterm, so feel
free to take ownership over improvements you think would benefit your paper.
Things to remember:
1. There is no limit to how much higher or lower of a grade your revision can receive from what your original timed
writing received
a. The timed writing was graded based on the context: you saw the prompt for the first timed during the
timed setting, it was a high-pressure environment, and you had limited timed to complete it. The
revision will be completed over the course of time, this is not the first time you’ve seen the prompt, and
you’ve received feedback.
b. This means that even if you were satisfied with the grade your original timed writing received, if you
complete minimal revisions, the revisions grade could be significantly lower than the original timed
writing grade
c. Alternately, if you were not satisfied with your original timed writing grade, the midterm grade could be
much higher than the original (this will require preparation, a lot of effort and thought, potentially
rewriting sections of the essay, etc.)
2. If you are unclear on what a piece of feedback means or how to best revise that element, it is your responsibility
to find out before completing the revision.
3. If you do not turn in your revisions on the day your midterm is due, you will receive a 0 for the revisions portion
of the midterm grade (85% of the grade).
4. 15% of the midterm grade will be an analysis/reflection over all of your written assessments thus far in the year
that you have received feedback on. You will complete this portion during the exam time for your specific class
period.
Midterm dates are as follows:
Tuesday, 12/15
1st: 1st period Exam
2nd: 2nd period Class
3rd: 3rd period Class
4th: 4th period Exam
A Day
(8:45-10:41)
(10:49-11:49)
(11:57-1:41)
(1:49-3:45)
Wednesday, 12/16
1st: 5th period Exam
2nd: 6th period Class
3rd: 7th period Class
4th: 8th period Exam
B Day
(8:45-10:41)
(10:49-11:49)
(11:57-1:41)
(1:49-3:45)
Thursday, 12/17
2nd: 2nd period Exam
3rd: 3rd period Exam
A Day
(8:45-10:41)
(10:49-12:45)
Friday, 12/18
2nd: 6th period Exam
3rd: 7th period Exam
B Day
(8:45-10:41)
(10:49-12:45)
I’m proud of how much you all have already grown as writers, and I’m excited to see what you produce with this
assignment. Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions!