College Writing: Some Basics Presentation by Patricia Benjumea College Writing: Some Basics

Active Reading and Good Writing WHEN YOU READ Read your own personal narrative/interpretation into the text Question everything (WH-Questions) Read with a Pen/Highlighter in Hand WHEN YOU WRITE Show that your story and the text relate to one another Show how the mirrors in the text taught you something about yourself

How English 101 relates to all Humanities Courses: College Papers for English, history, sociology, psychology etc. all require clear supporting evidence for your claims. Why? “He Who Writes Reads Twice”

Choosing a Topic and Telling your Story Pick one topic, one argument, that you understand: “Clear thinking = Clear Writing” Do not try to explain everything Support all your claims with evidence: (ex. research, personal experiences, interviews, observations)

How to Avoid Writer’s Block The Voices of the Writer 1. Creator 2. Reviser 3. Editor Reading Critically Responding to the world Life experiences that taught you something Free writing/ Journaling Rethinking your ideas Elaborating Eliminating Cutting and pasting Getting feedback from peers Checking for unclear sentences Correct grammatical errors Final polishing of paper Check for spelling errors

Essays are About Voicing your Opinion Back up your opinions with support Avoid regurgitating your teacher’s opinions Know your audience Always sound professional (avoid Clichés) Make connections to your life experiences Make connections to your other classes and interests

What is a Thesis Statement? The answer to the prompt/question It depends on your purpose! Topic + Opinion = Thesis Statement Topic: In the poem I am Joaquin, the speaker reveals Chicano Identity as __________(opinion)

Introductions are Hooks! Some ideas to start Open with an arresting statement Provide background information Tell a story Explain your purpose Define something Provide an summary of a work (poem) Use an interesting quotation

Remember: The Basic Structure of the Essay Always End with a Bang! Remember: The Basic Structure of the Essay Introduction Thesis Statement Body Paragraphs Conclusion “Since the paper should open with a specific picture or argument or phrase, some echo of that original opening at the end gives the reader a sense that the paper has all been tied up in a nice neat package. Only then can we sleep in peace.” Dr. Dave