Friday, March 28, 2014

Final Point 7

We took several things into consideration with this edit of our Macbeth: High School Edition. A lot of it was formatting- we changed the way we did line numbers and annotations for the print version, and also added a prototype of what the e-version would look like. We added a few more annotations for clarity's sake and went through the text with a fine-tooth comb for consistency in terms of font, italicization, bolding, etc. We edited our essay to fit the more specific guidelines and feedback we received. We also shortened the section on iambic pentameter, limiting it to just a page. This version also includes the secondary scholarly essay (full text). The bibliography was also separated into sections for better clarity.

Here is a link to our PDF: click here

5 comments:

  1. Hey! I've been assigned to peer review your project but your google drive isn't open for everyone to see. I think Professor Kerr sent out a message about it. Just so you know!

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  2. What an excellent edition your group is putting out! I actually set out last week to create a firm layout for our group's edition and took a lot of my ideas from your group's eBook. I applaud your work, and as such have only two concerns. The first regards your character list. A character list can be a great point of reference, and your descriptions might better serve the audience if they contain something a little more specific about the characters--some identifiable feature, aside from being a son, or a thane, or a wife, because so many of the characters are those things and it doesn't really distinguish them. Also, I like that you are using visuals, but some of them (like Shakespeare dressed in modern day clothing) seem kind of inserted without any purpose other than just being comical, and I think insertion without some indication of their relevance to students detracts from your edition. But seriously, great job overall!

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  3. Hey guys! This is excellent. You have very obviously put a ton of work into this and it shows. A few of my favorite things: the annotations out to the right side in your text- this helps keep your place. In studying the various plays we read that was something that I got messed up with. I also love the interesting tidbit boxes, and as a side note, I did not know that Shakespeare was married to an Anne Hathaway! Those were very entertaining to read. I think your audience will appreciate that as well.
    One thing I would be careful with is the student visuals. When I came across them they felt very out of place. That being said, if you used them in the right way, they could be great for providing entertainment. Just make sure that you incorporate them in such a way that they'll flow naturally on the page. Otherwise they could come off as distracting.
    One last little thing: in your character list, consider explaining what a "thane" is. I know you offer explanation later, in your "did you know" tidbits I believe, but there are lots of thanes and some people (me, for example, before I studied up) may not know what a thane is. Also, where you list (for example) SIWARD as Earl of Northumberland and then YOUNG SIWARD as "his son;" in situations like that, consider listing YOUNG SIWARD as "Siward's son" instead of "his son." It would offer a little more clarity.
    Overall, this edition is great. Keep up the amazing work!

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  4. You guys have done SUCH an awesome job to your edition. You really appeal to your audience with all the visual aids and just the language that you guys are using throughout. You do a really great job captivating your audience and helping them to engage with the play, especially with your intro.

    As Juliet and Laura said, your visual aids are fantastic, but some of them seem kind of random and out of place. I would just adjust them to make sure they are flowing well with everything else going on.

    Also, the portion entitled "Language in Shakespeare" is super fun and engaging, but it too seems a bit random. I feel like it would worked better toward the end of the edition with all of the other extra information. There were also a few phrases that you mentioned that I've never actually heard of and am not sure if your chosen audience would be familiar with either. It's a great, very creative idea, and it would be totally fine if you kept it. I just think some of the phrases would not be as familiar to your audience as others, so that it will not have the same effect as if they were familiar with them. I hope that made sense!

    Overall, you guys have set the bar super high! This is an AWESOME edition.

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  5. Hey, I was so impressed with the edition your group has composed thus far. I was blown away by the amount of supplementary material your edition has in addition to annotated text. I thought your sections of resources for students and teachers was very helpful and illuminating for those interested in Shakespeare from the perspective of academia. I also thought your sections introducing Shakespeare and iambic pentameter were well thought out and potentially very helpful.

    Although this is very minor, I would recommend adding a few more annotations to your edited text. The annotations you had were certainly were appropriate for high school students, but at times ran a little sparse. I would suggest adding contextual annotations as well, as further context could really help high school students. I also liked your, "did you know," section, but would recommend adding more entries or taking it out altogether.

    Overall though, your edition is super well put together! I felt like there wasn't much, if anything, that needed to be changed with your edition as it is very well planned and executed. Great job, I really feel like I have gained new insights from reading your edition.

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