1. Getting the Most from Writing
Nichelle Puder
English 1301
Freshman Composition I
Houston Community College System

2. The Writing Process
Getting Started

3. (1) Analyze Your Assignment
Time Restraints
(In or Out of Class)
Sources
Library
Interviewing
Purpose
What Is My Reason For Writing?
Audience
Who Am I Writing To?
Tone
What Kind of Impression Should My Writing Give?

4. Diagnostic Writing Assignment
Time Restraints
Outside Source Use
Purpose
Audience
Tone

5. Analyze Your Assignment Continued
Purpose
(WHY AM I COMPLETING THIS ASSIGNMENT?)
Persuade
Inform
Entertain
Express Feelings and Attitudes
Analyze
Debate
Criticize
Define
Compare/Contrast
Narrate/Describe
Amuse
Academic Audience
(WHO AM I WRITING FOR?)
Expects:
Correct Information
Standard Grammar and Spelling
Logical Presentation of Ideas
Stylistic Fluency (Word Choice and Sentence Structure)
Define Terms and Support Generalizations with Specifics
Express Thoughts Clearly and Accurately

6. Analyze Your Assignment Cont.
Point-of-View
What side of the story should I tell?
First Person: I, me, my.
Second Person: You, Yours, We, Us, Our
Third Person (Academic): He, She, It, They, Names, Nouns

7. What Kind of Essay (Rhetorical Mode) Am I Writing the Essay In
Illustration
Proves a point using specific examples.
Narration
Tells a story about a sequence of events that happened.
Process
Informs the reader about how to do something, how something works, or how something happened.

8. What Kind of Essay (Rhetorical Mode) Am I Writing the Essay In
Description
To describe using vivid details and images that appeal to the reader’s senses.
Definition
Explain what a term or concept means by providing relevant examples.
Classification
Sort the topic’s qualities to help readers better understand the topic.

9. What Kind of Essay (Rhetorical Mode) Am I Writing the Essay In
Comparison and Contrast
Presents information about similarities (compare) and differences (contrast).
Cause and Effect
Explains why an event happened (the cause) or what the consequences of the evert were (the effects).
Argument
Takes a position on an issue and offers reasons for the position.
Analogy
Compare topics that at first glance seem quite different.

10. (2) Choose a Topic and Prewrite
Focused Free writing
5-15 Minutes of Concentrated, Nonstop Writing about Your Topic.
Then, Review What You Have Written.

11. (2) Choose a Topic and Prewrite
Listing or Brainstorming
A Way of Listing Information About Your Topic.

12. (2) Choose a Topic and Prewrite
Clustering
Use the Main Circle For the Writing Topic.
Other Categories Other Individual Circles.
Smaller Circles Per Idea

13. Choosing Topic/Prewriting Cont.
Asking Journalistic
5W’s and H
Why?
What?
When?
Where?
Who?
How?

14. Choosing Topic/Prewriting Cont.
Journal Writing
Researching with Internet Search
Discuss With
Peer, Outside Source
Interview Someone

15. Narrow Your Topic Through Previous Prewriting
Clustering and Listing Work Well

16. (3) Plan (Map Out an Approach)
Use Prewriting to Create an Outline.
Formal
Informal
Create a Thesis Statement Which Is
The Central Point the Essay Supports
More Than a Title, a Statement of Fact, or an Announcement.
Carefully Worded and Accurately Predicts Your Essay’s Direction, Emphasis, and Scope

17. (4) Write – Draft the Paragraph
Remember to Include
Topic Sentence
First sentence in paragraph.
Narrows topic.
Gives central idea.
Body of Paragraph
Support Through Examples and Details
Order
Organization/Transitional Words and Phrases
Strong concluding sentence.

18. (4) Write – Draft the Essay
Introduction and Thesis
Start Where You Think Your Writing Is Going to Be Productive
If Need Be Skip the Introduction and Return To It Later
Use the Thesis As Your Guide
Body Paragraphs and Conclusion
Remember to Include
Topic Sentence
Support Through Examples and Details
Order Organization/Transitional Words and Phases
Strong Conclusion

19. Additional Comments On Order
Chronological
1st, 2nd, 3rd, finally.
Emphatic
Most Important to Least
Least Important to Most
Spacial
Up/Down
Side to Side
Right /Left

20. Additional Comments On Order
Logical
In Addition/Moreover/Furthermore
Comparison
Similarly/Likewise
In the Same Way
As Well/In a Like Manner
Thus
Contrast
However/On the Other Hand
Though/Yet
In Sprite Of

21. (5) Revise Re-See What You Have Written Look For Major Improvements In
Content
Enlarging or narrowing the thesis.
Adding more examples or cutting irrelevant ones.
Organization
Reorganizing Points
Changing Paragraph Order

22. (6) Edit Check Grammar Fragments Run-ons Subject-Verb-Agreement, etc.
Word Choice
Spelling
Punctuation
Mechanics
Capitalization
Abbreviation
Apostrophes, etc.

23. (7) Publish (Prepare Writing Before Submitting or Sharing)
Prepare Final Copy
Incorporate All Editing Changes.
Follow Design Requirements
Format your final copy following instructor’s requirements.
Proofread the Text
Check your writing one last time for errors.