In recitation, sometimes a pupil will read his composition aloud, and teacher and classmates will make criticisms; sometimes papers will be exchanged and criticized by the pupils. On other occasions themes will be handed to the teacher without reading or discussion. The value of criticism by the pupils of one another's work depends upon the spirit of helpfulness in which the suggestions are made and taken. The earnest pupil will be careful not to antagonize his critic. He will understand that he may disregard a poor suggestion, but cannot afford to deprive himself of any real help that a critic can give.

1 Long experience in composition-teaching has convinced the author that it is important to see that every criticism or suggestion is understood.

Most important of all, however, is a pupil's criticism of his own work. Each pupil should endeavor to be as good a critic of his own compositions as of another's. Every reporter, short-story writer, and novelist has to criticize his own work, and as a possible writer of the future, each one should be eager to learn to correct thoroughly his own work.

The following Key may be used in correcting themes:

Key to Examiner's Criticisms.

A Ambiguous.

C Wants connection with subject or context (coherence).

Cap Use a capital.

1.c. Use a small letter (lower case).

δ or O Omit.

£ Emphasis.

F Force. Make the sentence more forcible.

G Grammar faulty.

K Awkward, clumsy, stiff.

M Margin.

P Punctuation.

'/ Use a comma. (Indicate other needed marks of punctuation in the same way.) Pen Penmanship. Poss Possessive case. (A check mark over the word is also suitable indication; thus: girl's, ¶ Paragraph.

" " Quotation marks. R Repetition of word or thought. Sp Spelling. S Sentence. T Tense. U Wants unity. V Vague.

W Word poorly chosen.

X Fault obvious. (The word or words may be underlined.) ? Error? Meaning? A Something should be inserted.

1, 2, 3, etc. Rearrange words, clauses, or sentences in the order indicated by the numbers. [ ] Omit the passage within brackets.

| The criticism refers to as many lines of the writing as this mark stands against. One of the foregoing signs placed at the beginning of a composition indicates that the fault is a prevailing one.

Note. The heavy-faced section numbers in this book may be used to call the pupil's attention to the discussion of a particular fault. Thus, 13 would refer him to The Heading, page 20.

When you find a "1f" in one of your margins, do not pass it by until you understand why it is there; if a "G" confronts you, be sure that you see just what is wrong before you try to right it; and should a "K" appear, work away until the phrase is natural and smooth.

It is most encouraging to know that great writers have had to do their work over and over again before it was satisfactory. We find Stevenson saying, "Yesterday I was a living half hour upon a single clause and have a gallery of variants that would surprise you."

And in March, 1891, he wrote:

"I had breakfasted and read (with indescribable sinkings) the whole of yesterday's work before the sun had risen. Then I sat and thought, and sat and better thought. It was not good enough, nor good; it was as slack as journalism, but not so inspired; it was excellent stuff misused, and the defects stood gross on it like humps upon a camel."

Happy is he who can see his defects; happier he who, with stout heart and infinite patience, toils incessantly to overcome them.

Exercises

35. Write a short theme on any subject based on experience. Follow the directions already given, and in revising take special pains to see that each sentence has a subject and a predicate. Bring your theme to class and act as critic of your own work, using the suggestions given in Exercise 30.1

36. Exchange themes and, as examiner of another's work, write your criticisms in the margin of the paper.

For example, against poor penmanship write "Pen"; against an incomplete sentence, "S"; against a line containing a misspelled word, "Sp." (See the suggestion about using section numbers on p. 29).

1 It is to be hoped that the teacher will take every opportunity to help pupils criticize their own compositions. In connection with this first exercise it will aid the pupils to have some papers read aloud and discussed, before they are asked to criticize their own work.