3 Easy Commenting Tips when using NowComment (Public Template)
Author: Heidi Weber
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Tip 1: Use both the summary and full comment boxes when commenting to give a top notch response!
When you click on a red “+”, you are starting a conversation. You can comment on a single sentence, entire paragraph, or the whole text. Let’s try it! Click on the red “+” to the right of “General Document Comments”. You will get a pop up box that has two text boxes.
The first box is titled “Summary of Comment”. Here you are limited to 1 or 2 sentences for your main idea or key point. Please write a sentence telling everyone what your favorite thing to do is.
The next box is titled “Full Comment (optional)”. This box lets you give more details. Now give us 3 reasons why you like the favorite thing to do you put in your summary.
These two boxes let you give other readers a main idea (summary of comment) and provide supporting details (full comment). You will find this helpful when you make a claim about something (summary of comment) and then need to explain why the text evidence you are commenting on supports the claim (full comment).
Let’s practice with this sample text. Read this paragraph and comment on one sentence that you find interesting.
Stella told me that some circuses move from town to town. They have humans who dangle on ropes twining from the tops of tents. They have grumbling lions with gleaming teeth and a snaking line of elephants, each clutching the limp tail in front of her. The elephants look far off into the distance so they won’t see the humans who want to see them.
Let’s practice with an image:
How about a video! Watch this video:
Would you like to use this strategy? Comment yes or no in the summary and give your "because" in the full comments.
Tip #2: Different conversations for different ideas
You can have more than one conversation going on.
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Use reply to continue talking about the same idea with others. Just use “reply”
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Start a new conversation (red “+”) to change what you are talking about. This is great if you notice something different about the same piece of text. See the samples for this piece of text:
Dan loved collecting things. He collected baseball cards, autographs of famous outlaws, Civil War weapons, rare coins, and every cast he’d ever had since kindergarten (all twelve of them). At the moment, what he liked collecting best were charcoal rubbings of tombstones. He had some awesome ones back at the apartment. His favorite one read:
PRUELLA GOODE
1891-1929
I’M DEAD. LET’S HAVE A PARTY
Notice how Percy J. inferred that Dan could be a daredevil. He made a claim in his summary. Then he explained why he thought that in his full comment. Ivy C. replied to Percy J.’s comment. Then Ivy C started a new conversation about the whole paragraph.
You try! Reply to one of the comments and then start a new conversation with a connection you might have (something you like to collect).
Let’s practice with an image:
See how you can comment about the entire image like Percy J. did or about selected areas like Ivy C. did? Percy thinks this image is fake. Ivy thinks it is real. Who do you agree with? Reply to the person you agree with stating “I agree” in your summary and then explain why in your full comment.
Tip #3: Things to remember
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You don’t need to add names when replying. If you use “reply” then your comment will automatically go under the person you are addressing. Your name will automatically show up.
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Check to see if you are commenting about the whole text or image, or if you are commenting on a paragraph or single sentence. It is easy to make general comments but as close readers, you should be looking for specific text based evidence to comment on as well. It shows you are analyzing and evaluating claims an author is making.
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Use the summary part to get to the point. Keep it short and simple. Then really explain in your full summary!
Try this to prove you can be a NowComment pro:
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Select the entire “Tip 3” heading and choose one of the main ideas below as your summary. Then explain why in the full comment.
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Always re-read your comment before you click “reply” or “start conversation”
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Be digitally respectful
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Support your claim with evidence
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Reply to either Ivy C or Percy J’s comment about being a NowComment Pro.
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