Freshman Forum Writing Well

1.PRE-WRITING ►The Writing Situation: Subject, Purpose, Audience What is your writing for? What method or technology will you use for it? How much leeway do you have? Who will be reading it? What do your readers already know or think about the subject? What is the aim of the assignment? Define a purpose. How should you project yourself in the assignment? (voice, tone) Is there a specific message readers should take away? ► Invention: Journaling, Observing, Free Writing, Brainstorming, Clustering, Questioning

2. Thesis- Organization- Critical Thinking ► Defining your thesis: 3 functions & 1 optional Thesis: 1. Narrows your subject to a single, central idea that you want readers to gain from your essay 2. Claims something specific & significant about your subject 3. Conveys your purpose May….. preview arrangement of ideas ► Schemes for organization Spatial- In describing a person, place, or thing, move through space systematically from a starting point or other features of location. Chronological- In recounting sequence of events, arrange the events as they occurred in time, first to last. General to Specific- Begin with overall discussion of the topic; then fill in details, facts, examples or other support. Specific to General- First provide support; then draw a conclusion from it. Climactic- Arrange ideas in order of increasing importance to your thesis or increasing interest to the reader. Problem-solution- First outline a problem that needs solving; then propose a solution. Scratch Outline, Formal Outline, Concept Map

2. Thesis- Organization- Critical Thinking Continued ► How to question your subject (Content) ▷Claims: Claims about past or present reality A claim of value A recommendation for a course of action ▷Statement of Fact vs. Statement of Belief ▷Evidence: Facts, Statistics, Examples, Expert Opinion, Appeals to readers’ beliefs or needs Questions to ask: Is it accurate? Is it relevant? Is it representative? Is it adequate? ▷Appeals Logical- factual evidence Emotional- appeals to readers’ emotions Ethical Appeals- gives you credit as a believable author ▷Acknowledge Opposing Viewpoints ▷Fallacies- errors in argument (either evade the issue or treat he argument as if it were much simpler than it is ▷Oversimplifying- to ignore complexities Hasty generalizations- inadequate evidence Sweeping generalization- stereotyping or using words like all, never, no one, etc. ►Ethos & Voice

3. Revising & Editing ►Checklist for self-editing Purpose- What is the purpose, does it conform to the assignment? Thesis- Is it defined? Does the paper stray from the thesis? Structure- Main points support thesis Development- Depth of details & examples Tone- How do the words & sentences add to the tone? Unity- What does each sentence contribute to the thesis? Coherence- How does the paper flow? Voice/Audience- To what degree does it connect to the audience? Tips of Practice- Take a break, then reread it. Ask someone to edit or react to it. Type the handwritten copy. Outline the draft. Listen to it read aloud.

3. Revising & Editing ►Wordle / Turn it in.com your essay Check for overused words Check for improper citations ►Checklist for collaborative editing ►Revising Paragraphs -Is the paragraph unified? Does it adhere to one central idea that is either stated in topic sentence or otherwise apparent? -Is the paragraph coherent? Do the paragraphs follow a clear sequence? Are the sentences linked as needed by parallelism, repetition, pronouns, consistency, and transitional expressions? -Is the paragraph developed? Is it well supported with specific evidence such as details, facts, examples? ○ circle words that repeat or restate key terms/concepts ▭ box words that link sentences and clarify relationships _ underline phrases that are in parallel grammatical form to reflect their parallel content ►Typical grammar/mechanics errors Spelling (difficult words, commonly mistaken words) Mechanics (capital letters, hyphens, abbreviations, italics, numbers) Punctuation (common errors –semi-colon, commas, quotation marks, apostrophes) Grammar (sentence structure, tense changes, verb form, subject/verb agreement, misplaced modifiers, fragments/run-ons)

Can You Catch The Mistakes? I have a spelling checker, It came with my PC; It plainly marks four my revue Mistakes I cannot sea. I’ve run this poem threw it, I’m sure your please too no. Its letter perfect in it’s weigh, my checker tolled me sew. Pg. 33 Little Brown