Chapter 2 A Walk Through the Writing Process

The Process of Writing  Prewriting is the stage in which you explore possible topics, choose a topic, and then gather details you can include in your writing.  Drafting involves putting ideas down on paper in a rough format.  Revising is the stage in which you rework your rough draft to improve both its form and its content.  Editing and Proofreading are the stages in which you polish your writing, fixing errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics.  Publishing and presenting are the sharing of your writing.

Prewriting  Choosing Your Topic  Invisible Ink Method – start writing about ANYTHING without looking  Find your interests  Narrowing Your Topic  Using a web or a THINKING MAP  Considering Your Audience and Purpose  Audience: Who are you writing to?  Purpose: What do you hope to accomplish?  Gathering Details  5W’s + H  Hexagonal Chart

Drafting  Shaping Your Writing  Focus on the Form  Narration – Tells a Story  Persuasion – Convinces  Exposition – Explains  Argument – Attempts to prove a point  Providing Elaboration  SEE Method:  Statement  Extension  Elaboration

Types of Writing  Modes of Writing:  Narration, Description, Persuasion, Exposition, Research Writing, Response to Literature, Writing for Assessment and Workplace Writing  Reflexive Writing:  Refers to writing for which you choose the subject and the form  Extensive Writing:  Is writing for which you are given a subject or range of subjects.

Revising  Using a Systematic Approach  Ratiocination – logical thinking  Color coding  Big picture to Small Picture  Revising your Overall Structure  Highlighting for evaluation  Revising your paragraphs  Color-coding  Revising your sentences  List all the first words  Delete repeats

Revising continued  Revising word choice  Be sure your words are what you want to say  Circling repeated words  Peer Review  Focus your peer reviewer  Target questions  Evaluate the peer responses  Ask for clarification

Editing and Proofreading  Address:  Spelling  Grammar  Usage  Mechanics  Accuracy  Legibility  Proofreading marks

Publishing and Presenting  Moving Forward  Building your portfolio  Save your work  Reflecting on your writing  Learn and Grow

Chapter 3 Sentences, Paragraphs, and Compositions

WHAT ARE THOSEEEEE?????  Sentence – a group of words with two main parts: a subject and a predicate  Paragraph – a group of sentences that share a common topic and work together as a unit of expression  Composition – paragraphs are organized around a main idea

Sentence Combining  THE FEWER – THE BETTER  Inserting Words:  Example: Earthquakes can be terrifying events. They are produced by nature.  Word Insertion: Earthquakes can be terrifying natural events.  Inserting Phrases:  Example: The surface of the Earth is a layer of rock. We call this layer of the Earth the crust.  Phrase: The surface of the Earth, called the crust, is a layer of rock.

Using Compound Elements  Uses FANBOYS:  For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So  Examples on page 30

Compound Sentences  Independent clause – one that can stand by itself as a complete sentence.  The girl swung on a wrecking ball.  Subordination/Dependent clause – one that NEEDS an independent clause to be complete.  Examples on page 32  FRAGMENT: When she was young.  When she was young, the girl swung on a wrecking ball.

Writing a Topic Sentence  Presents the main point of the paragraph  Frames or sets up for the supporting details in the paragraph

Writing Supporting Sentences  It should support your topic sentence  To support your idea, use:  Facts  Statistics  Examples  Illustrations  Instances  Placing Your Topic Sentence:  Topic, Restatement, Illustration

Unity and Coherence  Unity – all the parts of the paragraphs are related to on single key idea  THESIS STATEMENT: Main idea of your essay/composition  Coherence – page 38

Parts of a Composition/Essay  Introduction  Has some interesting claim  Includes Thesis statement  Body  Supports the thesis statement  Conclusion  Restates the thesis  Summarizes the major points  Effective conclusion – ends with a striking image or thought

Types of Paragraphs  Topical Paragraph – group of sentences that support one main sentence  Functional paragraphs – serve a specific purpose  To create emphasis  To indicate dialogue  To make a transition  Paragraph blocks – Paragraphs can be broken up to support one idea

Writing Style  Developing Style  Sentence Variety  Diction  Tone  Formal English  Do not use slang  Avoid Contractions  Use standard English and grammar  Informal English  Use contractions  Use slang and popular expressions

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR WRITING