1. The Basic Checklist

2. Chapter Overview 1. The Basic Checklist 2. Writing Effectively
3. Speaking Effectively
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

3. Lesson Overview What is the purpose of the basic checklist?
What are the six steps in the basic checklist?
What is your purpose?
Why is understanding your audience important?
What are ways of conducting research?
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

4. Lesson Overview How do you support your ideas?
What are the benefits of getting organized?
What are the organizational patterns?
What are the benefits of outlining?
What are the benefits of drafting and editing?
What are the benefits of fighting for feedback?
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

5. Quick Write
Imagine…
that a new community service organization at your school has decided to sponsor a program, the “Lunch Project,” to make, package, and deliver meals for a local outreach center.
The center serves food to the homeless in your community. One committee of the Lunch Project has the job of publishing a four-page monthly newsletter about the program. The newsletter, called Lunch Lines, will go to students, alumni, parents, teachers, local businesses, and community members.
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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6. Quick Write You are going to be a writer on the newsletter staff.
What do you think the purposes of the newsletter should be?
To inform?
To promote the program?
To solicit donations?
To profile the families helped?
Think about the kinds of stories you and the other writers might want to cover. Make a list of five specific story ideas. Share it with a partner in class.
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

7. Purpose of the Basic Checklist
The key to good writing is process
The basic checklist is a set of guidelines to help you through the process
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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8. Steps in the Basic Checklist
Analyze purpose and audience
Conduct research to support your ideas
Support your ideas
Get organized
Draft and edit
Fight for feedback
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

9. Your Purpose
Your purpose is what you want your audience to think, do, say, or believe after they’ve read what you’ve written
Some possible purposes of your writing:
to inform
to direct
to persuade
to inspire
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

10. Purpose Statement
A purpose statement is a single sentence that sums up what you’re trying to do—your “bottom line”
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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11. Understanding Your Audience
The better you know your audience, the better you’ll be able to write a message that will accomplish your purpose
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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12. Your Tone When you are writing, think about the tone of your message
Tone is not what you say, but how you say it
Pay close attention to how your writing sounds
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

13. Conducting Research
Research is the process of digging up information that supports your purpose—it can help you become an expert on your topic
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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14. Using the Library
Librarians (real, live human beings) can help you find information and give basic research advice
Free access to books and periodicals—most of which aren’t available on the Internet
Information has been critically reviewed—it’s more trustworthy
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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15. Using the Internet Convenient source of information
Search engines are a good place to start—such as Google or Ask Jeeves
But be careful! How do you know if information on the Internet is reliable?
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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16. Using the Internet
Ask yourself: Who created the website? What are the authors’ motives?
If you find the same piece of information at two or more sites, the chances of its accuracy are greater
It’s better to refer to original material than to rely on someone else’s interpretation of it
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

17. Supporting Your Ideas
Sort through the information that provides the best support
For a controversial question or problem, arrange the evidence in a logical argument
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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18. Using Good Evidence
A definition is the precise meaning or significance of a word or phrase
An example is a specific instance chosen to represent a larger fact in order to clarify an idea or support a claim
Testimony is the comments of authorities that are used to support a claim
Statistics provide a summary of data in a numerical format
Explanation makes a point plain or understandable or creates a relationship between cause and effect
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

19. Logical Arguments are Important
They make a case, or a series of statements intended to persuade others
They give your readers enough information to make decisions on your subject
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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20. Benefits of Getting Organized
Time Saver…
You’ll save time and frustration
Help your audience see your points
If you take the time to organize and outline your work before starting to write, you’re halfway toward your goal
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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21. Organizational Patterns: To Inform
Topical Pattern
Follows a logical order that reflects the nature of the material and the purpose of the writing
If you were writing about types of foods needed for the Lunch Project program, you might categorize the material according to the Food Guide Pyramid
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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22. Patterns: To Inform Chronological Pattern
Use this pattern to discuss events, problems, or processes in the sequence of time in which they take place or should take place (histories, processes, biographies)
In profiling a Lunch Project volunteer in the newsletter, you might tell, in chronological order, how the student became involved with the project
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

23. Patterns: To Inform Spatial/Geographical Pattern
Start at some point in space and proceed in sequence to other points
It is based on a directional strategy—north to south, clockwise or counterclockwise, bottom to top, right to left, and so on
Maybe Lunch Lines could publish a map and directions for getting to the community outreach center
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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24. Patterns: To Persuade Problem/Solution Pattern
Use to identify a problem and one or more possible solutions, or to describe an issue and possible techniques for resolving it
If scheduling deliveries for the Lunch Project becomes complicated, for example, Lunch Lines might publish an article on how to solve the problem
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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25. Patterns: To Persuade Cause/Effect Pattern
Use to show how one or more ideas, actions, or conditions lead to other ideas, actions, or conditions
You can begin with the effects, and then identify the causes, or vice versa
For instance, an editorial in Lunch Lines might discuss how poverty leads to unhealthy, high-risk behaviors
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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26. Patterns: To Persuade Reasoning/Logic Pattern
State a position and then provide support for it
Use this pattern when your purpose is to present research that will win over your audience
If you are trying to persuade teachers to support the Lunch Project, look at this issue through their eyes: Start out with the argument that they are most likely to accept, and then move on
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

27. Benefits of Outlining Outlining will: Test the flow of ideas
Ease the pain of writing the first draft
Help you focus on your purpose statement
Save you effort when
you edit
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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28. Drafting
Drafting is a quick, first writing of a paper, focused on ideas and not style
When you draft, you are a creator
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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29. Editing When you edit, you shift from creator to critic
Editing is the slow, careful examination of a piece of writing to correct and clarify ideas and to ensure the proper form
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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30. Three-Step Approach to Editing
First pass: the big picture
Arrangement/flow of ideas, purpose, length, introduction, conclusion, completeness
Second pass: paragraph structure and clarity
Organization of main points and support, unity of focus, topic sentences
Third pass: details
Unclear language, wordiness, and grammar and spelling errors; read your paper aloud as you edit o
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

31. Fight for Feedback!
Feedback is the response of another person to your writing
Why is a second pair of eyes necessary?
Even the best writers get so close to their projects that they can no longer see them objectively
You may omit vital information, fail to see a weakness in an argument, or overlook need for a transition
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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32. Accept Feedback To make good use of feedback, you need an open mind
Learn to accept criticism
Don’t take comments
personally
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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33. Review
Experienced writers know that the key to good writing is process
The basic checklist can help guide you through that writing process
The checklist has six steps: analyze purpose and audience, conduct research, support your ideas, get organized, draft and edit, and fight for feedback
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

34. Review
Your purpose is what you want your audience to think, do, say, or believe after they’ve read what you’ve written
The better you know your audience, the better you’ll be able to write a message that will accomplish your purpose
Research is the process of digging up information or evidence that supports your purpose. It can help you become an expert on your topic
For informative writing, you provide facts to support your ideas. For a controversial question or problem, you must assemble sound evidence as your foundation
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

35. Review
The organizational pattern you choose should depend on your purpose, the needs of your audience, and the nature of your material
You’ll save time and frustration if you take time to organize your thoughts and write an outline
When you draft, you are a creator. When you edit, you shift from creator to critic
Fight for feedback, accept it willingly and use it constructively—it’s an important step in the writing process
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

36. Summary What is the purpose of the basic checklist?
What are the six steps in the basic checklist?
What is your purpose?
Why is understanding your audience important?
What are ways of conducting research?
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

37. Summary How do you support your ideas?
What are the benefits of getting organized?
What are the organizational patterns?
What are the benefits of outlining?
What are the benefits of drafting and editing?
What are the benefits of fighting for feedback?
Chapter 2, Lesson 1

38. Next Done—the basic checklist Next—writing effectively
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
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