1. The Writing Process Unit 8

2. Stages of the Writing Process There are four stages to the Writing Process. There are four stages to the Writing Process. Prewriting Prewriting Drafting Drafting Revising Revising Editing Editing

3. I. Prewriting----Topic Determine your topic Determine your topic Ask yourself the following questions: Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Does it interest my readers? 2. Do I have something to say about it? Am I familiar with the topic? 3. Is it specific?

4. Audience Audience Audience Ask yourself: Ask yourself: Who is my audience? Who is my audience? Do my readers have any knowledge of my topic? Do my readers have any knowledge of my topic? What do my readers know about my topic? What do my readers know about my topic? What do my readers need to know about my topic? What do my readers need to know about my topic?

5. Determine Your Purpose Purpose: Purpose: Whenever you write, you always have a purpose. I am writing to: Whenever you write, you always have a purpose. I am writing to: Express Express Inform Inform Persuade Persuade Convince Convince Tell a story Tell a story To compare/contrast,etc To compare/contrast,etc

6. Explore Your Topic Pre-writing Techniques: Pre-writing Techniques: Brainstorming/Listing Brainstorming/Listing Freewriting Freewriting Clustering/Mapping Clustering/Mapping Questioning Questioning Discussing Discussing Outlining Outlining

7. Make a Plan After you prewrite, you will have many ideas on your paper. You are not ready to begin writing your paragraph yet. before you begin drafting your essay, you should make a plan. After you prewrite, you will have many ideas on your paper. You are not ready to begin writing your paragraph yet. before you begin drafting your essay, you should make a plan. Organize ideas written in your pre- writing; then make a plan for your essays. Organize ideas written in your pre- writing; then make a plan for your essays.

8. Planning your paper Thesis statement Thesis statement Information/supporting details Information/supporting details Order Order Structure. Structure.

9. Thesis Statement The thesis statement expresses the MAIN IDEA of your essay. The thesis statement expresses the MAIN IDEA of your essay.

10. Support Be sure to evaluate the information in your prewriting carefully in order to choose the best support for your topic. Be sure to evaluate the information in your prewriting carefully in order to choose the best support for your topic.

11. Order The Order is the sequence in which you present your ideas. The Order is the sequence in which you present your ideas. There are 3 types of order: There are 3 types of order: Time (chronological) order Time (chronological) order Space order Space order Emphatic order (order of importance: least-to-most, most- to-least) Emphatic order (order of importance: least-to-most, most- to-least)

12. Structure/Organization Consider how your essay will be organized; then create an Outline. Consider how your essay will be organized; then create an Outline. Sample Outline of standard Sample Outline of standard 5-paragraph essay: 5-paragraph essay: A. Introduction B. Body Paragraph 1 C. Body Paragraph 2 D. Body Paragraph 3 E. Conclusion

13. II. Drafting During the Writing Stage, you should During the Writing Stage, you should Create your essay’s Title Create your essay’s Title Compose a draft Compose a draft Try to write your ideas in an interesting way. Try to write your ideas in an interesting way. Do not worry about making mistakes. Remember, after you write your paragraph, you will revise and edit it. You have plenty of time to make it better. Do not worry about making mistakes. Remember, after you write your paragraph, you will revise and edit it. You have plenty of time to make it better.

14. Creating Your Title Your essay’s title should: Your essay’s title should: Be a reasonable length Be a reasonable length Reflect your topic Reflect your topic Be interesting and attention-getting Be interesting and attention-getting

15. Writing a Draft Basics of a good draft: Basics of a good draft: Has a well written and fully developed introduction and conclusion Has a well written and fully developed introduction and conclusion Has fully developed body paragraphs, each containing a topic sentence, at least two examples, and detailed support Has fully developed body paragraphs, each containing a topic sentence, at least two examples, and detailed support

16. Drafting-----Introduction Your introductory paragraph : Your introductory paragraph : Should be a minimum of 4-6 sentences Should be a minimum of 4-6 sentences Must have the following elements: Must have the following elements: 1. Attention grabber (hook): is an opening sentence that attracts the reader’s attention. 2. Background information: 3. Thesis statement:

17. Introduction, continued Attention Grabber (Hook) Attention Grabber (Hook) Telling a personal anecdote Telling a personal anecdote Beginning with a quotation Beginning with a quotation Using an opposite Using an opposite Asking a question Asking a question Beginning with fact/statistics Beginning with fact/statistics

18. Introduction-----Background Information It comes after the hook. It gives background information necessary to understand the topic. It comes after the hook. It gives background information necessary to understand the topic.

19. Introduction---- Thesis Statement The last sentence in the introduction The last sentence in the introduction It gives the topic and the controlling idea of the entire essay It gives the topic and the controlling idea of the entire essay It is an opinion; not fact It is an opinion; not fact You must state your position on the topic; it is not an announcement. You must state your position on the topic; it is not an announcement.

20. Thesis Statement It should have only one controlling idea. It should have only one controlling idea.

21. Drafting----- Body Paragraphs Each body paragraph should have the following elements: Each body paragraph should have the following elements: Topic Sentence—main idea of boy paragraph: It should explain the point(s) you mentioned in the thesis. Topic Sentence—main idea of boy paragraph: It should explain the point(s) you mentioned in the thesis. Supporting sentences: Supporting sentences: 1. Primary Support— examples/reasons 2. Secondary Support—details Transitions Transitions

22. Body Paragraphs: Topic Sentence A Topic Sentence expresses the main idea of the body paragraph. A Topic Sentence expresses the main idea of the body paragraph. Begin each body paragraph with a Topic Sentence that Begin each body paragraph with a Topic Sentence that Narrows the focus of the paragraph Narrows the focus of the paragraph Supports the Thesis statement Supports the Thesis statement

23. Drafting-----Conclusion The concluding paragraph should The concluding paragraph should Contain a minimum of 4 sentences Contain a minimum of 4 sentences Summarize the main points/ideas Summarize the main points/ideas Restate the thesis statement, but do not repeat/copy the thesis Restate the thesis statement, but do not repeat/copy the thesis not introduce any new ideas not introduce any new ideas Create a concluding statement. Create a concluding statement.

24. III. Revising You should look for: You should look for: Unity—everything refers back to main point. A paragraph has unity when all the sentences support one single idea. Unity—everything refers back to main point. A paragraph has unity when all the sentences support one single idea. Support—examples/reasons and details Support—examples/reasons and details Coherence---The ideas have a logical flow. The relationship between the sentences is clear and one idea connects to the next. Coherence---The ideas have a logical flow. The relationship between the sentences is clear and one idea connects to the next.

25. Revising: Unity Unity is achieved when everything refers back to/supports the main point/thesis statement Unity is achieved when everything refers back to/supports the main point/thesis statement All topic sentences should explain/support the thesis statement. All topic sentences should explain/support the thesis statement. Do not include any ideas that are irrelevant. Do not include any ideas that are irrelevant.

26. Revising: Support Support is achieved through enough examples, reasons, and details. Support is achieved through enough examples, reasons, and details. Each body paragraph should include at least two examples to support the main idea of the paragraph. Each body paragraph should include at least two examples to support the main idea of the paragraph. Each example should include at least one specific detail that further illustrates the point. Each example should include at least one specific detail that further illustrates the point.

27. Revising: Coherence Coherence is achieved when the ideas have a logical flow; one point leads to another. Coherence is mainly achieved through the use of transitions. Coherence is achieved when the ideas have a logical flow; one point leads to another. Coherence is mainly achieved through the use of transitions. Transitions—words & phrases which connect your sentences so that your writing flows smoothly. Transitions—words & phrases which connect your sentences so that your writing flows smoothly.

28. IV. Editing Editing is correcting your grammar, punctuation and spelling. Editing is correcting your grammar, punctuation and spelling. Have I used complete sentences? Have I used complete sentences? Are my language conventions correct? Are my language conventions correct? 1. Spelling 2. Capitalization and Punctuation, and 3. Grammar.

29. Questions Do you have any questions? Do you have any questions?