1. On a paper that you have written, or on an essay chosen from the For Further Reading list, highlight the thesis and the topic sentence of each paragraph. Then, write a journal entry explaining to one of your peers exactly what this technique reveals and how it can help in revising an essay. 

2. Using an essay that you have written, or one chosen from the For Further Reading list, do a marginal annotation: beside every paragraph, write its main idea and function. What does this technique reveal?

3. Using one of your essays or a selection from the For Further Reading list, highlight every transitional word and/or device that you find. Analyze the function of these words and summarize your findings in a journal entry.