Transcript Ratiocination - Fort Bend ISD

Ratiocination
Before we begin…
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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
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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
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___________
___________
___________
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Thesis
Supporting Claim
Supporting Detail
Step 1 Continued
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Using the legend you have created, go into
your essay and underline your thesis,
supporting claims, and supporting detail.
Step 2
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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
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On your tracking
sheet, create a list of
the words you put in
brackets.
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Example:
My
Nanny
A
Not
Step 3
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Choose two different colored highlighters.
In your essay, highlight every other
sentence a different color.
Step four
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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
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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
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Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
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Be
Being
Been
Become
Became