Low Stakes Exploratory Draft

Please read careful:

Exploratory Draft:

An Exploratory Draft is an example of “low stakes” writing. You should begin by close-reading your article and developing a list of evidence you may or may not use (consider this the part of the process where you dump all your LEGO out on the table).

Then, start by framing a question for yourself–it should be something to do with the presence or absence of ableism in this article. Begin your draft by presenting your article to an unfamiliar reader–provide them with enough information to understand the writer’s project, including a summary and examples of your close-reading evidence. Include the question you’re asking.

Next, provide your analysis of the evidence. You might apply key concepts from Longmore or Jarman (which you would then need to define for your unfamiliar reader), comment on what type of rhetorical appeal is being made, or reflect on what the writer appears to want the reader to to think, believe, or do.

You should set aside about an hour to actually write your exploratory draft. Once you’ve begun, try to write without stopping. Don’t get hung up on word choice or perfect syntax, just start writing, imagining you’re introducing yourself to a stranger. Keep your fingers moving—on paper or on keyboard. If you get stuck or hit a wall, write out the questions or uncertainty that’s holding you up. It’s fine to use placeholders, like [insert better word here] or [like this but more serious]. Try to be as specific as you can.

There is no minimum word count for exploratory drafts, but keep in mind editing is always easier the more you have to work with. This draft should be a meaningful step toward the Formal Draft you will write and workshop next week, so do your future self a favor and put a good amount of thought in now.