ewrt1a reader writing resources

Table of Contents—EWRT resources

THE WRITING PROCESS..................................................................................................................................................................... 3TYPES OF MAIN IDEAS................................................................................................................................................................. 4MAIN IDEA EXERCISES........................................................................................................................................................................... 5PRACTICE FINDING THE TOPIC AND THEN THE MAIN IDEA IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS:................................................6PRACTICE FINDING THE TOPIC & MAIN IDEA....................................................................................................................................7IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS..............................................................................................................................................................................9SUPPORTING DETAILS..........................................................................................................................................................................11SUPPORTING DETAILS EXERCISES................................................................................................................................................13TEMPLATE FOR DRAFTING AN AUTHOR’S MAIN IDEA OR THESIS..............................................................................................15MAPPING AN ARTICLE......................................................................................................................................................................... 16MAPPING AN ARTICLE......................................................................................................................................................................... 17

ANALYSIS: RESPONDING TO WHAT YOU READ...................................................................................................18CRITICAL THINKING: ANALYZING THE TEXT...................................................................................................................................19THE READING COMPREHENSION PROCESS......................................................................................................................................20LEVELS OF QUESTIONING.................................................................................................................................................................... 21LEVELS OF QUESTIONS PRACTICE..................................................................................................................................................... 22LEVELS OF QUESTIONS PRACTICE..................................................................................................................................................... 23TONE....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE..............................................................................................................................................................25

PARAGRAPH AND ESSAY STRUCTURE................................................................................................................... 26THE PARAGRAPH.................................................................................................................................................................................. 27NARRATIVE VS. EXPOSITORY WRITING............................................................................................................................................28PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION IN WRITING:...................................................................................................................................30PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION EXERCISES.......................................................................................................................................31GUIDELINES FOR TOPIC SENTENCES.................................................................................................................................................35TOPIC SENTENCES................................................................................................................................................................................ 34PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT...............................................................................................................................................................38

PIE PARAGRAPHS....................................................................................................................................................... 40IDENTIFY P.I.E. ELEMENTS -- PRACTICE...................................................................................................................................42F.R.I.E.D. P.I.E. PARAGRAPHS...........................................................................................................................................................44P.I.E. REVIEW + F.R.I.E.D. ELEMENTS............................................................................................................................................45F.R.I.E.D. PARAGRAPHS......................................................................................................................................................................46THE P. I. E. PARAGRAPH + QUOTE SANDWICH.......................................................................................................................48THE "I" IN YOUR PIE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..50DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH E IN YOUR PIE?........................................................................................................................................51

ELEMENTS OF AN ESSAY...................................................................................................................................................................... 52THE STRUCTURE OF AN ARGUMENT...........................................................................................................................................53THESIS STATEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..54-59THE SIX "MOVES" OF ARGUMENT.....................................................................................................................................................60HOW TO WRITE GOOD INTRODUCTIONS..........................................................................................................................................62HOW TO WRITE GOOD CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................................. 63TRANSITIONS......................................................................................................................................................................................... 65

PRE-WRITING STRATEGIES....................................................................................................................................... 66PREWRITING: CLUSTERING................................................................................................................................................................. 67BRAINSTORMING TECHNIQUE............................................................................................................................................................ 68FREEWRITING........................................................................................................................................................................................ 69CUBING................................................................................................................................................................................................... 70

JOURNALISTIC QUESTIONS................................................................................................................................................................... 72ESSAY OUTLINE #1..............................................................................................................................................................................73ESSAY OUTLINE #2..............................................................................................................................................................................74ESSAY OUTLINE #3..............................................................................................................................................................................75ESSAY OUTLINE #4..............................................................................................................................................................................76ESSAY OUTLINE #5..............................................................................................................................................................................77ESSAY OUTLINE #6..............................................................................................................................................................................78

KWL worksheets---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------80-82

REVISION STRATEGIES................................................................................................................................................ 83PEER REVIEW COMMUNICATION: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS...................................................................................................84PEER REVIEW SHEET FOR ESSAY #1-4…………………………………………………………………………85-88WRITING CENTER TUTORIAL SESSION.............................................................................................................................................89THESIS CLINIC....................................................................................................................................................................................... 95

QUOTATIONS............................................................................................................................................................................................ 100THE LEAST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT USING DIRECT QUOTES.......................................................................105IDENTIFYING EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE QUOTE SANDWICHES.............................................................................................106MLA FORMATTING GUIDELINES.....................................................................................................................................................107

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The Writing ProcessThere are many steps to writing, and there is no perfect or sanctioned order—play around until you find the process that works best for you. Remember, breaks are important! Don’t jam all the steps into one night—try to leave time between the steps (anywhere from a few hours to a day or two) to give yourself time to re-focus your efforts and reduce your stress so you can make the most of your time. Break help you avoid the dangerous condition of “Mushy Brain” that can ruin an essay.

P r e w r i t i n g —Brainstorm, Free-write, Cluster

1. Collect Information. Make a list of all your impressions about the topic. The list doesn’t have to be in complete sentences, and don’t worry about spelling, grammar or punctuation-just get all of your ideas down. Don’t censor yourself and be as specific and detailed as possible.

2. Focus. Ask yourself, “What is the dominant impression I want to give my reader? What point do I want to make?” (This will help you create your thesis statement.) Choose the descriptions which convey your dominant impression. Pick the descriptions and information that work best.

Organizing—Writing Plans & Outlines

Think about how to organize your descriptions and ideas-what order will be the easiest for your reader to follow? Which main ideas are most important and relevant?

Drafting: Speed Draft, Rough Draft, Peer Review Draft

Try a “speed draft” first, one in which you try to follow your organizational plan, but don’t worry about mechanics (spelling, grammar, punctuation). A speed draft may be handwritten or composed on the computer. In a rough draft you can rewrite/type your speed draft, making any changes you think are needed. This, or a third, or fourth draft, will be the “good faith draft” you bring to peer review.

Revising: Rearrange, Tighten Up, Join Sentences, Explain, Give Examples!

Revision doesn’t just mean “correcting” grammar or “fixing” sentences. Give yourself permission to make significant changes, even to change your opinion about your topic. Think of revising as looking at your paper in a whole new way—a re-visioning of your work—not just looking at small or inconsequential parts of your essay, such as grammar or mechanics.

Look over the notes from peer response and re-read the essay to yourself with a pen or pencil in hand, making notes to yourself. Revise your draft as often as necessary to make it clearer and more fully developed. Make sure your paragraphs have topic sentences and you have a main point that you stick to throughout the essay. Make sure you have fulfilled the requirements of the assignment.

You are in control; you can make whatever changes you want. But in the end, don’t forget to ensure that it all hangs together, that the end matches the middle and the beginning.

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Types of Main Ideas

Purpose: Being able to identify and state the main idea of paragraph, article, or long passage is the basis for comprehension. When you understand what the author is saying, you can then respond to him/her and doing better on writing and reading activities.

Types of Main IdeasOn a basic level, there are three types of main ideas that you will encounter when reading.

1) Topic sentence2) Thesis3) Implied (inferred/unstated) main idea

Below is a brief definition of each type of main idea

1) Topic SentenceA topic sentence is the main idea of a paragraph. It ties the whole paragraph together. In writing classes we are taught to make the topic sentence the first sentence of our paragraph. However, in professional writing, the topic sentence can be the second sentence or even the last sentence of the paragraph. Thus, sometimes you need to read the whole paragraph to find the topic sentence.

2) Thesis Statement(s)A thesis statement is the main idea of a long passage or an article. It ties the whole piece of writing together. In writing classes we are taught to make this the last sentence of our introduction. However, professional writers may put this in the second paragraph or even at the end of the article, in the conclusion.

3) Implied, Inferred, or UnstatedThis is the most common type of main idea that you will encounter when reading professional writing and other academic texts. An implied main idea is a main idea that is not directly stated by the author for stylistic effect. This means that there is no topic sentence that is directly stated in the paragraph or no thesis directly stated in the article. We aren’t taught to use them in writing because teachers want you to use structure.

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Main Idea Exercises

Definition: A main idea is the main point or topic that the writer of an essay or story is trying to make. Sometimes main ideas are also called thesis statements. Since main ideas sum up the writer’s ideas, they are usually only a few sentences long.

Purpose: Why should we care about main ideas? Because they are the key to good reading comprehension. If you can’t find the main idea of an essay, that means you are having trouble understanding it and remembering it, which means that you’ll have trouble taking a quiz, writing an essay, or discussing the material.

How to Find Them: In basic terms, main ideas consist of two parts:1) The topic 2) The author’s opinion on the topic

How long Should They Be? Because they sum up the writer’s ideas, main ideas are usually only a few sentences long (depending on how long the writing is).

For example: Read the following paragraph to better understand this:Spanking is a poor way to shape a child’s behavior. For one thing, the

spanking will result in feelings of anger and frustration. The child, then, will not learn anything positive from the punishment. In addition, the spanking may actually lead to more bad behavior. Having learned that hitting is okay, the child may attack smaller children. Finally, the spanking teaches children to hide certain actions from their parents. Once out of their parents’ sight, children may feel they can get away with the bad behavior.

What is the topic of this paragraph? (To find the topic ask: “Who or What is this topic about?”)

What is the author’s opinion of this topic?

Put those two together and you have the main idea!1

1 Of course, it can be more complicated than that, but we’ll go over that as we practice more.

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Practice finding the topic and then the main idea in the following paragraphs:

Extrasensory perception, or ESP, is an area that fascinates people. However, ESP is not documented by any convincing evidence. For instance, it would seem that ESP would be an excellent way of winning at games of chance, such as are played at gambling casinos. But casino owners in Las Vegas and Atlantic City report no problem with “psychics” winning great sums of money. For another thing, although great publicity is generated when a psychic seems to help police solve a crime, the value of such help has never been scientifically proven. Psychics’ tips are usually worthless, and a case is solved through traditional police work. And while audiences may be amazed at the feats of “mind readers,” the fact is that mind readers use simple psychological tricks to exploit their audiences’ willingness to believe.

1) What is the topic of this paragraph? (Circle what you think the answer is.)A. PsychicsB. ESP is not documented by any convincing evidence.C. Crimes are solved by police work, not psychics tips.

In response to customers’ bitter complaints about long lines, banks are trying new ways to shorten the wait or at least to make it more pleasant. One bank provides coffee and cookies so customers can munch while they wait. Other banks show action movies on a large video screen. One daring bank in California will pay a customer five dollars if he or she must wait more than five minutes for service. Still other banks offer the most obvious solution of all—they simply hire more bank tellers.

1) What is the topic of this paragraph? (circle the answer.)A. Waiting in lineB. Waiting in bank linesC. Hiring more bank tellers

Bonus Questions: 1) Is a main idea “general” or “specific” information?

2) Is there a sentence(s) in each paragraphs that tell you what the main idea is or will be?

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Practice Finding the topic & Main IdeaDirections: After each paragraph are three subjects. One is the topic, another is too general to be the topic, and the third is too specific to be the topic. Label each subject with one of the following:

T= Topic of the paragraphG= Too general to be the topicS= Too specific to be the topic

Afterwards, practice writing a main idea for each paragraph.

1) Before clocks were made, people kept track of time by other means. In ancient Egypt, people used a water clock. Water dripped slowly from one clay pot into another. People measured time according to how long it took one pot to empty and the other one to fill. Candle clocks were common during the Middle Ages. As such a candle burned, marks on its side showed about how much time had passed. A final ancient way to measure time was the sundial, which used the movement of the sun across the sky. The shadows moving across the face of the sundial showed what time it was.

__ Water clocks__ Measuring time before clocks__ Ancient inventions

Main Idea:

2) Have you ever wondered why the food in television advertisements often looks more mouth-watering than the same food at home? The reason is that TV advertisers use imaginative techniques to make food in ads look very appealing. According to one TV food stylist, Elmer’s glue is often added to milk in television ads to make it look white and delightful. Similarly, the steaming roasted chickens in many fast-food commercials rely on spray paint, not seasonings, to get that rich brown color. Likewise, Ivory Soap is sued to give coffee a fresh-brewed look.

__ Milk in TV ads__ Food in TV ads__ Television

Main Idea:

3) To reduce absenteeism, some businesses are using inventive techniques. One manufacturing company had each present worker pick a playing card each day. In each department, the employee with the best poker hand at the end of the week won twenty dollars. Attendance improved by 18 percent and remained high as long as poker hands were dealt. Another manufacturing plant distributed daily bingo numbers. When their bingo cards were filled, workers could spin a wheel and win from five to twenty-five dollars. This program was effective in reducing absenteeism and tardiness.

__ Business problems__ Using bingo to reduce absenteeism__ Reducing absenteeism.

Main Idea:

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4) For most of human history, societies were very small, usually having only fifty members. Based on how they made their living, there were several kinds of simple societies. The majority were hunting and gathering societies. Rather than living in a fixed spot, they moved in search of game and edible plants. Slightly more advanced simple societies lived by herding animals. They too, moved about as their animals required new grazing areas. Other simple societies mastered elementary gardening and thus tended to be less nomadic than the herders or the hunter-gatherers were. Nevertheless, they tended to stay in one spot just long enough to grow one crop and then moved on.

__ Human history__ Early societies__ Hunting societies

Main Idea:

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Implied Main Ideas

Directions: Sometimes the main idea is not directly stated in the paragraph. But all the ideas in the reading add up to the general point that the writer wants you to understand. In this case, the main idea is implied. Whether the main idea is stated or implied, you can construct a main idea sentence based on the wording of the topic you have identified.

For example, read the following paragraph about the vegetarian diet:

Studies show that vegetarians’ cholesterol levels are low, and vegetarians are seldom overweight. As a result, they’re less apt to be candidates for heart disease than those who consume large quantities of meat. Vegetarians also have lower incidences of breast, colon, and prostate cancer; high blood pressure; and osteoporosis. When combined with exercise and stress reduction, vegetarian diets have led to reductions in the buildup of harmful plaque within the blood vessels of the heart. (Hales, An Invitation to Health)

What is the topic? You probably decided “vegetarians’ health” or “the benefits of a vegetarian diet.” You need to ask, “What is the point the author is trying to make about this topic? What is the main idea?” You might say that her overall point is, “The vegetarian diet is beneficial.” Or, if you wanted to be more specific, you might say, “The vegetarian diet has a variety of proven health benefits.”

Identify Implied Main Ideas

Read the following paragraphs about food. For each paragraph, write the topic on the line provided, and then select the best statement of the main idea from the choices given.

1. From 1859 until 1875, the annual per capita consumption of raw sugar in the United States had varied from a low 18.6 pounds (during the Civil War) to a high of 42.6 pounds. By 1898, the year of the Spanish-American War, it has risen to 65.4 pounds per person per year. But ten years later, the figure was over 86 or nearly four ounces daily. The consumption of sucrose—processed sugar from cane and beet—reached around 115 pounds in the 1920s; but the present-day consumption of all processed sugars in the United States is higher than that. In the last three decades, sweetener called high-fructose corn syrup has captured an important portion of the sweetener marked. (Mintz, “Pleasure, Profit, and Satiation”)

Topic:

Implied main idea:

a. Because of political pressures, corn sweeteners have captured an important portion of the sweetener market.

b. From 1859 until 1875, the annual per capita consumption of raw sugar in the United States went from a low of 18.6 pounds to a high of 42.6 pounds.

c. The consumption of sugar per person in the United States increased steadily from 1859 to the present.

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2. The statistics about food additive consumption in the United States are interesting. The average American consumes over 140 pounds of sweeteners every year. We eat over 15 pounds of table salt. And by eating processed and fast-foods, we also put a number of chemicals in our bodies that we are not at all aware of—between 5 to 10 pounds. (Adapted from Hales, An Invitation to Health)

Topic:

Implied Main Idea:

a. We eat a huge quantity of additives, especially if we include the sugar and salt.

b. We eat between five and ten pounds of chemicals per year that we are not aware of.

c. The average American consumes more than 140 pound of sweeteners every year.

3. Nitrites—additives used in bacon and lunch meats—add color and inhibit spoilage, but they have been identified as contributing to the development of cancer. Sulfites—additives used to prevent food such as dried apricots from turning brown—can cause severe allergic reactions.

Topic:

Implied Main Idea:

a. Nitrites can cause cancer

b. Sulfites can cause allergic reactions.

c. Some additives, such as nitrites and sulfites, pose health risks.

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Supporting Details2

Also known as the “I” of PIE or “Information” or “Evidence”

Definition:A paragraph, essay, or book contains facts, statements, examples-specifics which guide us to a full understanding of the main idea. They clarify, illuminate, explain, describe, expand and illustrate the main idea and are supporting details.

Purpose:In looking at supporting details, we can better understand the author’s main idea and argument. We can also form an opinion about the argument and whether or not we agree with it.

Types of Supporting Details:

1. COMPARISONS AND CONTRASTS in which one thing is shown to be like another OR in which one thing is show to differ from another.EXAMPLE: Skilled college students are like the unskilled students in their desire for a diploma. OR: Skilled students are different from unskilled students in that they use a method to read a textbook.

2. DEFINITIONS Explain what something means. Look for signal words like “is,” “or,” means,” “called,” “also known as,” consists of,” etc.

3. STATISTICS, FACTS, AND GRAPHS from scientific studies and research reports. Facts are provable.EXAMPLE: 75 percent of the students who do not attend class regularly receive grades of C or worse.

4. PERSONAL EXAMPLES AND OBSERVATIONS specific information that illustrates the point based on the writer’s own experience or reading; details that represent one piece of a whole concept. Look for signal words “such as,” “also,” “next,” and “for example.”

5. QUOTATIONS OR TESTIMONY from authorities or experts on the material; sometimes called informed opinion.EXAMPLE: Professor Smity admits, “I tell students they don’t need to attend my class if they don’t want to. I know, however, that if they don’t come, they won’t pass.”

6. VIVID DESCRIPTIONS words or phrases telling how something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels. Descriptions use sensory words to help readers get a mental picture of what they are reading. This also includes figures of speech (similes, metaphors,

2 Inspired by Natalie Panfili11

personification, and hyperbole).

EXAMPLE: The students took the exam from the professor’s hand, quickly looked at the grade, gave a sigh or relief and began to smile.

7. GOOD REASONS OR LOGIC rational explanations that answer the question “why.” Look for signal words like “because,” “since,” “due to,” “if…then,” and “however.”

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Supporting Details Exercises3

Read the paragraph below and then answer the questions.

Today, many people strive for optimal health, but a century ago, such a goal was unknown—people counted themselves lucky just to survive. A child born in 1890, for example, could expect to live only about 40 years. Killers such as polio, measles, and smallpox took the lives of a tragic number of infants and children in the days before vaccinations. Youngsters who escaped these threats still risked death from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis or typhus. In 1918 alone, 20 million people died in a flu epidemic. Millions more lost their lives to common bacterial infections like strep in the era before antibiotics. Environmental conditions—unrefrigerated food, poor sanitation, and air polluted by coal-burning factories—contributed to the spread and deadliness of these diseases. (Insel et al. Core Concepts in Health)

1. Underline the main idea.

2. List two different supporting details that support the main idea. Also tell which type of detail each one is.

Detail: Type:

a.

b.

3 Many Thanks to Natalie Panifili!13

Main Ideas vs. Supporting Details

Sample SentenceThis would work better as…

1. Preserving local food traditions is an important component of maintaining cultural diversity even as world food production becomes more industrialized and standardized.

Main Idea Supporting Detail

2. The “locavores” are a San Francisco-based group that challenges people to try and eat food grown and produced within a 100-mile radius of their homes.


3. Eating local, seasonal produce is better not only for the environment, but also for your taste buds.


4. Alice Walker’s restaurant Chez Panisse first opened in Berkeley, California in 1971.


5. Alice Waters writes that “food is the one central thing about human experience which can open up both our senses and our consciences to our place in the world.”


6. Joining a CSA(Community Supported Agriculture) program is an easy, cost-effective way to enjoy seasonal produce from local farms.


7. The popularity of organic food is a good indication of the significant changes that are taking place in the American diet.


8. Former weeds now considered delicacies include dandelions, ramps (wild leeks), and fiddlehead ferns.


9. The CSA that I belong to, Eatwell Farms, is located in Winters, CA and is renowned for their heirloom tomatoes.


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Template for Drafting an Author’s Main Idea or Thesis

In “ ,”(article title)

the author (author’s name goes here)

argues, disputes, contends, maintains, claims, makes a case, reports, reasons, says, writes, finds, realizes, discovers, determines, notices, ascertains, discerns, finds (circle one) that . (thesis)

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Mapping an Article

Use the graphic organizer below to make a map to show the thesis statement (or main idea) and how three major points support it. This map can help organize your ideas for writing a paper. Remember, no two people will map a reading exactly the same.

Essay Title:

Author’s Name:

TOPIC:

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Mapping an Article

Use the graphic organizer below to make a map to show the thesis statement (or main idea) and how three major points support it. This map can help organize your ideas for writing a paper. Remember, no two people will map a reading exactly the same.

Essay Title:

Author’s Name:

SUPPORTING DETAIL:SUPPORTING DETAIL:SUPPORTING DETAIL:

AUTHOR’S MAIN IDEA/THESIS:

SUPPORTING DETAIL:SUPPORTING DETAIL:SUPPORTING DETAIL:

TOPIC:

AUTHOR’S MAIN IDEA/THESIS:

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Analysis: Responding to What You Read

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Critical Thinking: Analyzing the Text

Analyzing the text involves:

Questioning, evaluating, and responding to both the author’s ideas and the writing. Here are some questions of a nonfiction reading:

1. What is the author’s purpose in writing the article? (Why did the author write this article?)

2. Who do you think is the author’s audience?

3. What is the author’s tone?

4. What questions do I have about some of the ideas or points in the article?

5. How successful is the piece? Do I agree as a reader or do I take issue with some of the writer’s ideas? For example, how do my life experiences support or refute the author’s points (try to differentiate between statistics and ideas)?

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The Complex Task of Reading Comprehension

The Reading Comprehension Process

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Levels of Questioning

Background:In class you’ve been learning about how important questions are to active reading and learning. Questions help you discover and clarify information (such as on the first day of class when you worked on asking specific questions to get specific information from your partners). As well, we’ve also talked about how questions help you reflect on your processes as a reader and a writer so that you can improve your reading and writing skills.

Procedure:Though many times in class I have asked you questions to help get discussions started or to help you reflect on the assignments, you are going to work on creating your own questions, so that you can become more independent readers and writers. Of course, most of you already ask questions all the time; we, however, will be working on a specific type of questions.

Types of Questions: On a basic level, questions fall into three different categories: factual, inferential and interpretive, and critical and evaluative. Don’t worry too much about these names right now; we will be discussing them further throughout the quarter.

Level 1Factual

Level 2Inferential and Interpretive

Level 3Critical and Evaluative

Exact Words: Skim the Text for the Answer.

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

Reader & Text:Skim and searching can help, but the reader needs to interpret the text to get the answer.

Why?

How?

Summarize

Compare

Reader Moves Beyond The Text:

The text can help, but the reader also uses past experiences to find the answer.

Agree/Disagree & Why

Critique

What if...

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Levels of Questions Practice

LEVEL 1: FACTUALWrite Your factual question here:

Write the answer, cite the page number, explain its importance below.

LEVEL 2: INTERPRETIVEWrite your interpretative/inferential question here:

Write the answer, provide examples, and explain its importance below.

LEVEL 3: EVALUATIVEWrite your critical and evaluative question here:

Write the answer, provide examples, and explain its importance here:

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Levels of Questions Practice

LEVEL 1: FACTUALWrite Your factual question here:

Write the answer, cite the page number, explain its importance below.

LEVEL 2: INTERPRETIVEWrite your interpretative/inferential question here:

Write the answer, provide examples, and explain its importance below.

LEVEL 3: EVALUATIVEWrite your critical and evaluative question here:

Write the answer, provide examples, and explain its importance here:

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Tone4

4 Many thanks to Natalie Panifili

SERIOUS OR NEUTRALStraightforward and objective. Typically in textbooks, news stories and magazine articles.

SOLEMNFormal language. Dignified and grave. Used in eulogies and important government facts.

HUMOROUSAmusing or comical (Witty=sophisticated, clever)

CRTICALJudges what is good or bad about a subject. Can be positive or negative. Typical in editorials.

Believes humans are selfish and corrupt. Words are angry and pessimistic; no hope.

SARCASTICA direct personal attack to hurt or belittle. Words are harsh and bitter.

IRONICSays the opposite of what is really meant. Maybe in the language or the situation. Often added to other tones.

SATIRICDoes not state directly what is meant. Often uses exaggeration. Ridicules to show disapproval. Seeks change in actions and attitudes. May include ironcy, sarcasm, wit, humor.

TONEThe manner in which the writer expresses his or her feelings or attitude. Writers often combine a few tones. Determining the main tone can help you identify purpose and main idea.

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The Rhetorical TriangleThis triangle is a strategy for you, as a writer, to figure out what the overall

message of your essay will be. This strategy is used in the disciplines of composition, philosophy and speech and dates back to Plato.

Answering the three questions below helps you to figure out the relationships between you, your readers, and your topic so that you can better define your goals for a particular piece of writing and gain a better sense of purpose as a writer.

SUBJECT (topic)

3. What does my audience1. What do I know about my subject? need to know to understand

the subject?2. What else might I need to know to discuss this subject? 4. What does my audience

MESSAGE already know about the

(purpose) subject?

WRITER READER (speaker) (audience)

5. Who is my audience?

6. How do I want toportray myself to my audience?

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Paragraph and Essay Structure

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The ParagraphIn American academic writing, a paragraph is the basic unit of writing. It is a series of related sentences about one idea called the topic. A paragraph usually begins with a general sentence that introduces the topic and often sets up a claim or analysis related to the thesis statement that needs to be developed within the paragraph. This sentence is commonly referred to as the topic sentence, and it tells what the paragraph is going to be about.

The rest of the sentences in the paragraph provide the reader with specific support for the general topic sentence; that is, they either explain, describe, or illustrates the main ideas in the topic sentences. The main idea is called the controlling idea because it controls the information that is provided in the paragraph.

A paragraph has no specific length. It may be as short as five sentences or as long as fifteen sentences; it need only be long enough to support the topic clearly and completely.

Often a paragraph ends in a concluding sentence which signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with important points to remember. Concluding sentences can also help transition from one main idea to the next.

A paragraph will look like this:

Topic sentence (includes topic and opinion)

Several sentences that support the topic sentence

analyze

explain

describe

illustrate

comment

concluding sentence

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Narrative vs. Expository WritingVersion 1

One very hot summer morning, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother interrupted Red from her play in

the brightly-colored flowers in the garden, telling her to deliver a basket of goodies to her

grandmother, who was very ill. Red’s mother warned her not to talk to strangers on her way through

the woods to her granny’s house, for she had recently read in the newspaper that a wolf disguised as

a narcotics agent was lurking in the woods, waiting to accost little girls as they passed by. Striding

through the woods, Red was approached by a man who introduced himself as Mr. Wolf, the local

narcotics agent. “Where are you going, little girl? And what do you have in that basket?” he asked in

the most threatening manner. “I’m bringing some goodies to my grandma,” she said. “Delivering

goodies?” he said. “Do you know what the penalties are for selling goodies in this state?” “But it’s not

what you think,” she protested. “Just tell me where you’re going so I can investigate further,” he

demanded. “But—” she tried to say. “Tell me where you’re going or I’ll throw the book at you,” he

snarled. “To my granny’s, down at the end of the pass,” Red said. “Aha,” said Mr. Wolf, who then got

into his private helicopter he had hidden behind the trees. When Red arrived at her grandmother’s,

Mr. Wolf was already waiting for her. “Darn,” she said, as he pounced on her and gobbled her up.

What is the point of this paragraph?

How is this paragraph organized?

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Version 2

Little Red Riding Hood is gobbled up by a wolf because of her own stupidity. First, she does not

listen to her mother’s warning about not talking to strangers. When her mother asks Red to deliver

goodies to her sick Granny who lived on the other side of the woods, she specifically tells her not to

talk to strangers along the way, but when Red is stopped by Mr. Wolf in the woods, she does indeed

talk to him. Her protests and distress demonstrate that she speaks to him out of fear, fear Mr. Wolf

creates by telling her that he is a narcotics agent and by speaking to her in a threatening manner. Her

response to him also indicates her stupidity. She believes the man is an officer of the law simply

because he tells her he is, but she neglects to ask to see his credentials. And believing him to be an

officer, she tells him exactly where she is going. This, of course, is her greatest act of stupidity. She

could have avoided her miserable fate by simply not telling him where she was going. Knowing her

destination, Mr. Wolf is able to get to Granny’s house before she does, waits for her in that secluded

place, and pounces on her when she arrives, safe from witnesses. Thus Red helps set the trap for

herself, realizing what a fatal mistake she had made only when the wolf actually gobbles her up.


How is this paragraph organized?

How is version 2 different from version 1?

What effect does each paragraph have on you as a reader?

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Patterns of Organization in Writing:Signal Words

Classification

Sequence Simple List

Compare

Contrast Cause Effect Definition

Example

Categories First, second, third, etc.

1,2,3, etc.

Compare, in comparison

Although Because/cause

As a result Define For example

Characteristics

Next A,b,c, etc.

In the same way / manner

As opposed to

Due to Consequently

Is/is defined as

For instance

Classes Most important

First, second

Like / alike / likewise

But For this reason

Hence Known as

To illustrate

Elements Last Also Parallels Conversely On account of

In effect That is Specifically

Features Now Next Resembles

Difference Since Results in Means Such as

Groups Finally In addition

Similar (ly)

However Why The outcome is

Or

Kinds Furthermore

As In contrast to

Therefore We can state

Numbers Later Instead ThusParts Stages Neverthele

ssSorts Steps On the

contraryTypes Then On the

other handWays When Rather than

UnlikeWhereasYet

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Patterns of Organization Exercises

Directions: Please read the following paragraphs and circle signal words you notice and answer the questions after the paragraph.

1. Sexual harassment in the workplace is defined as a form of sex discrimination that violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It applies to employers with 15 or employees, as well as employment agencies, labor organizations, and the federal government. It is known as unwelcome sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment means when it affects a person’s employment, interferers with their work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

a. What is the organizational pattern of this paragraph?___________________________________

b. What is the topic of this paragraph?____________________________________________________

c. What is the main idea of this paragraph?_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. If you feel you are the victim of sexual harassment at work, there are several routes you can take to file a complaint. Don’t keep it to yourself. One avenue is a hotline that is set up for such a purpose. Call it. A second option is to contact the human resources department within your company or institution. Thirdly, you may also want to speak to your boss or supervisor. As an employee, you should have the option of talking with a male or female company representative. Lastly, it’s always a good idea to document the harassment by writing down the incident or incidents.




_____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. In keeping with the belief that the body is an important and sacred entity, both alcohol and drugs have no place in the life of college students. Consequences for their use will be dealt with similarly. We are a drug-free and alcohol-free work and educational environment. The possession and/or use of intoxicating beverages and illegal drugs is strictly prohibited. Students may not engage in drinking, handling, possessing, or giving away intoxicants including beer, wine, ale, etc. Likewise, the possession and/or use of drugs not prescribed by a physician or the possession of drug paraphernalia is strictly prohibited. Violation of these restrictions will result in the same penalty: automatic suspension from the college. Students will not be reinstated for at least the remainder of the semester.

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_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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The Interior Logic of a Paragraph

These are real paragraphs by real writers, but they have been scrambled. Try to reach agreement in your group on how the sentences should be ordered for each paragraph. Figure out how you know what the order should be. Is one harder than the other?

Paragraph #1

a) They keep track of blooming dogwood in the spring—the more abundant the blooms, the more

bitter the cold in January.

b) They watch the acorn crop—the more acorns, the more severe the season.

c) They examine the size and shape and color of the spleens of butchered hogs for clues to the

severity of the season.

d) They observe where white-faced hornets place their paper nests—the higher they are, the deeper

will be the snow.

e) Back country farmers use numerous superstitions to predict winter weather.

f) They examine their corn husks–the thicker the husk, the colder the winter.

Paragraph #2

a) Then they will find that the food in no way resembles Mom’s cooking.

b) The furnishings look as though they were bought at a Motel 6 warehouse sale.

c) The lucky student finds his roommate snores or hangs dirty socks on the lampshade; the unlucky

student discovers his roommate is a practicing steel drum enthusiast.

d) New dorm residents usually make several unpleasant discoveries during their first week.

e) Finally, their roommates are likely to be as irritating as siblings, but in unfamiliar and eccentric

ways.

f) Instead of Beef Wellington and Cherries Jubilee, the students choke down thin, cold hamburgers

followed by coconut cream pie that tastes like gluey cotton.

g) First, they will notice that their rooms are no larger than the average dog house, and are equally as barren.

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Topic SentencesTopic sentences are the “thesis statements” of paragraphs; therefore, they are both a part of keeping the promise made by the thesis, as well as a sub-promise that should be kept by the paragraphs. They are usually the first sentence in the paragraph. The reader expects topic sentences to provide proof of one aspect of the thesis sentence as well as to provide an indication of what will follow in the paragraph.

A topic sentence is NOT simply a statement of fact. A fact does not contain any controlling ideas that can be easily explained, described, illustrated or analyzed.

There are two kinds of topic sentences:

1. A statement of opinion

A statement of opinion contains some form of judgment and the paragraph will support the opinion in the topic sentence.

Example: The computer is the greatest invention of the twentieth century.

2. A statement of intent

A statement of intent contains no opinion; instead, it informs the reader of what will be objectively explained in the paragraph.

Example: The common seasoning monosodium glutamate (MSG) has negative side effects.

Topic Sentence FunctionsAn effective topic sentence:

Relates to the thesis. Sets up a claim, assertion, argument, evaluation, analysis. Contains controlling ideas about the topic that need to be developed in the

sentences that follow. Is the most general sentence in the paragraph. Orients the reader. Provides a context for understanding what follows. Explains the relationships among elements. Summarizes the rest of the paragraph. Promises what will follow.

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Guidelines for Topic Sentences

A topic sentence must be a complete sentence to perform all the necessary functions.

Weak : The type of birth control that should be provided by schools.

Better : To prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, schools should provide every form of non-prescription

birth control available.

A topic sentence must predict or promise what follows, so it cannot be a question.

Weak : Should schools provide free computers for their students?

Better : Since schools should assist students in their studies and prepare them for their future careers, they must offer students the technological advantage of free and easy access to computers.

Phrases such as “I think” or “in my opinion” may muddle or weaken topic sentences. Your writing is always your opinion, so you don’t need these phrases unless they are central to the idea that you are trying to convey.

Weak : I think that it is important for every woman to carry mace or pepper spray.

Better : As violent criminals take over the city streets, women must carry mace or pepper spray to protect themselves.

The topic sentence should provide clear relationships among all of its elements so that it can provide a framework for understanding the rest of the paragraph.

Weak : Historians record only dry statistics; we should read novels.

Better : Accurate historical novels give us a deeper understanding of the past than

do the dry collection of facts and statistics that pass for history texts.

A topic sentence needs to be clear and specific enough that it can predict and summarize the rest of the paragraph for the reader.

Weak : Public transit is terrible.

Better : Incapable of providing reliable, comfortable service, the San Francisco Municipal Transit system is failing its ridership.

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Because the topic sentence is a reference for the rest of the paragraph, it needs to be exceptionally clear. If there is figurative language in a topic sentence, the wording should be such that the reader does not need to understand the allusion to understand the sentence.

Weak : The Surgeon General must be the Hercules that slays the Hydra of chemical addictions.

Better : As Hercules slew Hydra, the Surgeon General must defeat the many-headed monster that is chemical addiction.

Other Sentence FunctionsThe rest of the paragraph must: Fulfill the promise set by the topic sentence. Be on the same topic. Relate to each other and the topic sentence in a manner established by the

topic sentence.

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Topic Sentences

In expository prose — writing that informs, explains or analyzes — the main point of a paragraph is usually indicated in a single sentence at the beginning of the paragraph, and this sentence is called the topic sentence. Because it will have to hold all the following sentences together in unity, the topic sentence will be the paragraph’s most general and inclusive sentence. In short, it tells the reader what the paragraph is about and the information that follows — specific examples, details, explanations — must be related to the idea or assertion introduced by the topic sentence.

The key to writing good topic sentences is not to make them too broad (all-encompassing) or too specific (restrictive). Good topic sentences assist the reader in understanding and following the direction of the writer’s ideas.

Exercise: The topic sentence of the paragraph below has been removed. Read the paragraph carefully and then choose the best topic sentence among the four choices below. Be prepared to explain your choice.

___________________________________________. This belief is especially common among weightlifters who often consume large quantities of high-protein foods and dietary supplements, thinking it will improve their athletic performance. Like weightlifters, football players consume too much protein, expecting it to produce additional muscle energy. Although it is true that muscles contain more protein than other tissues, there is no evidence that a high-protein diet actually constructs more muscle tissue than a normal diet. Nutritionists point out that muscle cells grow not from excess protein but from exercise: when a muscle is used, it pulls in protein for its consumption. This is how a muscle grows and strengthens. If athletes want to increase their muscle mass, then they must exercise in addition to following a well-balanced, normal diet.

1. Many people believe in false ideas.

2. I don’t believe anything the nutritionists say because they are always changing their minds about what is good and bad for our health.

3. Many athletes falsely believe that protein improves athletic performance by increasing muscle mass.

4. My brother, a weightlifter, is an example of someone who consumes a lot of protein because he thinks it will make him bulky.

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Paragraph Development

Directions: Read the following response to an article, and then answer the questions below.

One experience I had is a good example of this. My best friend, Michelle, and I

went to the beach. A man who was about twenty years older than us approached us and

asked if we would put suntan lotion on his back. I was not about to touch that man’s

wrinkled back but Michelle agreed to put the lotion on him. I thought she was crazy.

After we put the lotion on his back, he asked if we wanted to join him for dinner that

night. We politely said, “No,” but he wouldn’t leave us alone. He kept asking us personal

questions such as, “Are you married?” and making comments like, “If you were my

girlfriends, I would send you flowers everyday.” We didn’t say anything to him. We tried

to ignore him but he wouldn’t take the hint. Finally, we gathered our belongings and left

the beach even though we had been there for only half an hour.

1. What is the writer trying to prove?

2. What is this paragraph an example of?

3. What did the writer learn from this experience?

4. Does the writer tell us why she gave the example?

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Directions: Read the following paragraph and answer the questions below.

I believe that Jacoby is right when she states, “The code of feminine politeness,

instilled in girlhood, is no help in dealing with the unwanted approaches of strange men.

Our mothers didn’t teach us to tell a man to get lost…” One experience I had is a good

example of this. My best friend, Michelle, and I went to the beach. A man who was

about twenty years older than us approached us and asked if we would put suntan lotion

on his back. I was not about to touch that man’s wrinkled back but Michelle agreed to

put lotion on him. I thought she was crazy. After we put the lotion on his back, he asked

if we wanted to join him for dinner that night. We politely said, “No,” but he wouldn’t

leave us alone. He kept asking us personal questions such as, “Are you married?” and

making comments like, “If you were my girlfriends, I would send you flowers everyday.”

We didn’t say anything to him. We tried to ignore him, but he wouldn’t take the hint.

Finally, we gathered our belongings and left the beach even though we had been there

for only half an hour. Later, when I asked Michelle why she agreed to put lotion on his

back, she said, “I couldn’t be rude.” At first, I was angry at Michelle for not saying

anything to him but now I realize I was just as guilty as her. Instead of being rude and

telling him to get lost, I, along with Michelle, left the beach. If I had said something to

him, if I had broken the “code of feminine politeness,” we might have had an enjoyable

time and gotten a great tan.

1. How are the two paragraphs different?

2. What is the main point of this second paragraph?

3. What is used to support the main point?

4. How does the writer connect the example back to the main point?

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PIE

Point Tell Me!

Topic Sentence

Information Show Me!

Information from the readings or class discussions Personal Experience Representations in mass media Elements from popular culture Definitions Statistics

*Wikipedia is not a valid source to use.

Explanation So What?

How does this information relate to your thesis?

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PIE PARAGRAPHS

The Point Information Explanation ParagraphPoint Main point, main idea, topic sentence, overall message of the paragraph.

Supports the thesis statement.


Information Facts, data, examples, quotes, paraphrases, personal observations & experience.

What information does the writer provide to support the point?

Explanation Commentary, analysis, evaluation.

How does the writer explain the connection between the information and the point or the thesis statement? What does the writer learn from the information? How does the writer react to the information? What does the writer think about the information?

PIE StrategiesHow to make a Point

Decide what you want to say to support your thesis based on your reaction to the text. Try categorizing your ideas and make a comment on a reoccurring theme or pattern you’ve found.

Where to find InformationParaphrases or short quotes from the readings/research.Personal experiences (anecdotes, stories, examples from your life)Representations from mass media (newspapers, magazines, television, radio)Elements from popular culture (song lyrics, movie lines, TV characters, celebrities)Statistics (polls, percentages, data)Definitions (from the dictionary, readings, another sources)

How to craft an ExplanationInterpret the information – what does it mean? Why is it important?Explain what you or a reader can learn from the information.State your opinion about or evaluate the information.Comment on the accuracy or inaccuracy of the information.Suggest how the information relates to your thesis.

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Identify P.I.E. Elements -- Practice

After reading each of the following paragraphs, identify and label the P.I.E. elements. Note which sentences make a clear point, which illustrate the point, and which explain the illustration.

Paragraph A

TV misleads us into believing that what is false is true. As a 5th grade teacher and a driver’s education instructor, I encounter students all the time who believe that if they see it on TV, it must be so. I shared one of my pet peeves about TV’s artificiality in a recent workshop by recalling how cars explode every time they have an accident on TV, but do not do so in reality. One of the teens attending told us how she believed this was truth, so after the car her parent was driving flipped onto its roof, she ran down the road leaving her mother trapped. Of course the car didn’t explode, and her mother was able to get help and recovered, but the extra time that it took to get help on the scene and for her to be reassured made the situation much more traumatic for her. This is consistent with the experiences of emergency personnel who report that their most difficult task when arriving at an accident scene is to deal with victims trapped in the car because the victims panic in fear of an explosion. What TV has done is to cause people to react with fear in accident situations when instead they need to use their heads.

Paragraph B

Contrary to what government officials are saying, the United States government seems to be heading for a reinstatement of a military draft. Thom Shanker, writing in the May 3, 2005 New York Times, reports that Gen. Richard B. Myers, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress that the ongoing military effort in Iraq “limits ability to fight other conflicts.” This report, combined with the May 2 announcement on NPR News that the United States has failed to meet its recruitment quota for the third month in a row, suggests that eventually a draft will be necessary. Surprisingly, Gen. Myers also asserts that “the armed forces are fully capable of meeting all Washington’s military objectives,” but where will the military get the recruits? One source of more soldiers could be to loosen requirements for enlistment. Another article in the May 3 2005 New York Times reveals that army recruiters are “bending rules” and accepting enlistees with medical conditions and police records, but this method of meeting personnel needs is not promising. Because reports from newspapers, television, and radio all emphasize that our military lacks the personnel to continue our operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and still be able to provide soldiers in new areas of military action, a draft must soon be proposed. So far the Pentagon insists that a draft is not on the way, but how else can the necessary bodies be provided for the bags?

Paragraph C

Fast food has become a reflection of our American life-style, not merely a satisfaction of biological needs. What we consume, and how we eat our food, is a reflection of our culture. And what we do in our daily lives molds and shapes culture. What are we doing every day? We’re eating fast food. The average American eats out at a fast food restaurant four to five times a week. In fact, “ninety-six out of every one hundred Americans eat fast food on some kind of regular basis.” (The Negative Sides of Fast Food). As most people are aware, fast food is high in fat. Many favorite items,

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like French fries, are cooked in lots of oil, which can lead to heart disease, obesity, and early stroke. It would be one thing if we were all walking to KFC and Taco Bell, but as Americans we’re not only driving, we’re not even getting out of our cars. The drive-through window is one of the most compelling reasons to eat fast food. The customer can just drive up and eat, which also caters to the American cultural notions of speed and efficiency. People eat fast food on their way to work, on the highway, in a parking lot and never have to move an inch. But isn’t fast food just an eating option that can simply be ignored? Not exactly. McDonalds spends $1.4 billion a year on advertising. Often these advertisements rely on sports figures or celebrities to encourage potential customers to take advantage of their services. Because American culture is obsessed with celebrities, people like Justin Timberlake and Michael Jordan have an important and powerful voice. And if they eat McDonalds, the consumer unconsciously believes the product—fast food—must be cool, fun, and exciting! The food itself becomes familiar and comforting, even empowered, just like these celebrities. The experience of eating at McDonald’s has become a way of life: a philosophy of consumerism that is intrusive and subtle. American culture is in peril because of the influx of fast food. Americans are becoming unhealthy and lazy with every Big Mac. But the ads keep telling me “I’m loving it!”

Fabulous Fast Food

While there has been a lot of criticism lately about fast food, there is no denying that it is deservedly popular for many reasons, and one major reason is that it makes life easier for a lot of people. The first way it makes life easier is by living up to its title of being “fast.” There is usually little waiting in line or in your car to place your order and the food is ready to be handed over to the customer right away. For people on the go like “soccer moms,” there is no beating the fact that you can get what you need and be on your way with little delay. Life in general seems to be more fast-paced that it used to be. Keeping at least one task, meal purchases or preparation, to a minimum saves time for other important activities. Thus the speed of delivery for this service is, indeed, one way to make our lives easier and less complicated. Another benefit of fast food is that it is so convenient. You can find your favorite fast food place almost anywhere without having to travel very far. Even if one is in unfamiliar territory or has just moved from one location to another, you are almost bound to run across McDonald’s or Wendy’s. In fact, the franchises’ choices of location are so convenient and predictable that you can easily find the kind of road or street where these establishments will be in almost any town or city. So whether at home or on the road, you can easily find your favorite place, and this convenience is another reason for their popularity. Finally, for making lives simpler and less stressful, there is the benefit of reliability. Whether you go to the McDonald’s on the corner of Madison and Wells in Chicago or to the one on any Main Street USA, you know your Big Mac is going to taste just like the one you had last week in another town. For a while my job was traveling throughout metropolitan Chicago with technicians or alone visiting customers’ sites. If with the local technician, when it came time for lunch, we could go to one of his favorite places to eat, which is part of “knowing the territory.” When alone, however, it was much safer to hit a Burger King than to trust the reliability of “Harry’s Hot Dogs.” The same is true for moms trying to keep the kids happy. Why try something new when you know you can trust that the meal will be just the same as the one they enjoyed the last time? Life is easier when you can deal with the things you know you can count on. Lifestyles vary, and for some people fast food serves little purpose. However, for the majority of us, fast food does indeed make our lives better by providing speedy service, very available locations and the kind of reliable offerings we have grown to appreciate. Fast food can be fabulous!

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F.R.I.E.D. P.I.E. Paragraphs

The Point of a paragraph is usually expressed in one or two specific sentences. The Illustration part is the majority of the paragraph; it is the filling for the pie. When thinking about the different kinds of filling you can use, consider these different types.

F = Facts:………………………statistics, dates, numbers, things we know are trueR = Reasons:………………..why the point is important or trueI = Instances……………..your experience or experiences of others (people

you know or heard about on TV, in books, etc.E = Experts:…………………statements of people who know about the topicD = Descriptive.…………color, shape, size, smell, taste, sound, or feel of

Details something.

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P.I.E. Review + F.R.I.E.D. Elements

Exercise 1:Read the paragraph below. Find and identify the P.I.E. elements. Which element is missing? How could you add it?

Some Americans view Mount Rushmore, the world’s largest sculpture, as a symbol of

some negative aspects of American life. In 1924 Doane Robinson, who wanted a permanent

tourist attraction for South Dakota, suggested a “colossal monument” of Buffalo Bill or Chief

Red Cloud. But John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, chosen to be the sculptor, proposed

Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt because he wanted a

tribute to great national leaders. Not everyone agreed that the monument was a tribute to our

ideals. For one thing, it was built in the Black Hills, sacred lands of the Sioux Indians dating

back to 1868. Another problem was that the sculptor was a Ku Klux Klan supporter and an

active anti-Semite. According to an Oglala Sioux spokesperson, many Native Americans feel

the presidents chosen for the monument “committed acts of atrocity against our people.” In

1980, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed that the land belongs to the Sioux and ordered the

government to pay 263 million in fines and interest. But the Sioux refused the money, which

sits in a bank. They say it is not possible to pay for the violations represented by this

sculpture. They want their land back.

Missing P.I.E. element: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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F.R.I.E.D. ParagraphsThe point of a paragraph is usually expressed in one or two specific sentences. The illustration part is the majority of the paragraph; it is the filling for the PIE. When thinking about the different kinds of filling you can use, consider these different types:

F = Facts: statistics, dates, numbers, things we know are trueR = Reasons why the point is important or trueI = Instances your experience or experiences of others (people you know

or heard on TV, in books, etc.)E = Experts statements of people who know about the topicD = Descriptive Details color, shape, size, smell, taste, sound or feel of somethingMost writers use a combination of these F.R.I.E.D. fillings to support the points of the paragraphs they write. A writer may choose to include an instance that she heard about on the radio, a fact read in a book, and the reasons this point is important. All of these combine to make a well-filled F.R.I.E.D. P.I.E.!

Exercise 2:

Find an example of each type of F.R.I.E.D. element in the paragraph on the previous page.

Facts:

Reasons:

Instances:

Experts:

Descriptive Details:

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Exercise 3:

Look at the following point and come up with each type of FRIED element to illustrate it:

Social Networking is a form of community because it allows people to interact daily.

Fact:

Reason:

Instance:

Expert:

Descriptive Detail:

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The P. I. E. Paragraph + Quote Sandwich

P = Point What is the main idea of this paragraph? The Point may be called the topic sentence. The Point is the claim or assertion (or opinion) you will make in your paragraph and prove to your audience. Remember, each paragraph should only have one main idea.

I = Illustration Where is the Point supported with specific information? The Illustration consists of supporting material. Consider using a variety of kinds of illustrations to support your point, like the following:

F = Facts statistics, dates, numbers, things we know to be true

R = Reasons why the point is important or true

I = Instances your experiences or that of others you know about personally or from your readings.

E = Experts* statements of people who know about the topic

D = Descriptive color, shape, size, smell, taste, sound or feel of Details something

*One technique for using Experts in your Illustration is to cite experts by quoting them using a Quote Sandwich.

Quote Sandwich

Bread #1 Briefly introduce the quote and why you are using it.

Meat The quote. (Meat = I in PIE)

Bread #2 Explain what the quote means and how you interpret the details of the quote. Consider how the quote supports the Point. (Bread #2 = E in PIE.)

E = Explanation Where does the writer elaborate, evaluate, and/or explain why or how this Illustration, (information), connects to the Point and what this information means? Explain all your thinking fully.

Practicing Revising For Unity

While writing you may sometime drift away from your topic and include information that does not belong in the paragraph. Hence, it is important to revise your paragraphs for unity; that is, to drop any ideas or sentences that don’t relate to the POINT.

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Before peer editing each other’s paragraphs for unity, please practice reviewing some sample paragraphs for unity. Read the following paragraph, looking for unity, and answer the questions afterward.

1. (1) Transport authorities in Brazil have caught up with a speed-loving Brazilian driver who clocked up nearly $2 million in fines. (2) Police intercepted the driver of a 12-year-old car in Sao Paulo at the spot he most frequently committed infractions. (3) For seven years, he had been speeding and running red lights but was not arrested earlier because he never registered the car in his own name. (4) He said his favorite color was blue. (5) The car, worth around $6,500, would be auctioned if the driver, unnamed, did not pay the $1.8 million in fines in 90 days.

What is the point:________________________________________

Which sentence or sentences don’t relate to the point? _____________

Which sentences should be dropped and why? __________________________

2. (1) Personalized license plates have become very popular. (2) These “vanity plates” allow car owners to express their sense of humor, marital status, pet peeves, or ethnic pride. (3) I don’t have a personalized license plate. (4) Driver’s have created messages such as ROCK ON, NT GUILTY, and (on a tow truck) ITZ GONE. (5) In some states, as many as one in seven autos has a personalized plate. (6) Recently, Parade chose the nation’s top ten vanity plates, including XQQSME on a Massachusetts plate, ULIV1S on an Arkansas plate, and on an SUV in Missouri, a message read in the rear-view mirror – TI-3VOM.

What is the point:________________________________________

Which sentence or sentences don’t relate to the point? _____________

Which sentences should be dropped and why? __________________________

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The “I” of PIE: Guidelines for Quotations: The Quote Sandwich

In class, we discussed the importance of using information or evidence to support our ideas; evidence helps show and convince readers of your arguments so that they better understand your writing. PIE is one method that can help you organize your paragraphs so that they are easy to follow. Whether you chose to use PIE or another not, quotations are an effective way of adding evidence to your writing (the “I” of PIE). (As a general rule you should use at least one quote per paragraph.)

To ensure that your reader fully understands how the quote you are using supports your thesis, you must smoothly incorporate the quote into your paragraph; otherwise, your reader maybe left unsure of why you used the quote. The “quote sandwich” is a method, similar to PIE, that aides you in effectively adding quotes. See below for a further explanation.

Introduce It!Before adding in your quote introduce it with a signal phrase and a reporting verb (See the

previous page)Ex: Robin Lakoff argues that….

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Explain It!Now that you’ve added in your quote, explain why the quote is important. What do you think it means?

How does it connect with your thesis? (Your explanation should be at least as long, or longer

that the quote itself)

Do You Have Enough E in Your PIE?

Worried you don’t have enough E in your PIE? Asking (and answering) yourself how, why, and what questions can lead you to the E you need.

What is the most important idea that the readers should get from this paragraph?

Why is this information important? What does it suggest to me? To readers?

How do my examples help me prove my point to the readers?

Why did I choose that quote? How does it help me?

How can I introduce my quote or example to help readers see where I’m going with it?

How can I state this idea another way to make sure the readers understand my point?

What are some consequences/results/implications/ramifications of the information I just gave the reader?

How is the information I’ve presented related to my overall point for this paragraph?

Is the idea in the topic sentence fully explained? Do I need another sentence ot elaborate on what I mean?

How is this information related to my overall thesis, or to other points I make in this paper?

QuotationAfter you have introduced your quote with a signal phrase or reporting verb add in your quote! Ex: Robin Lakoff argues that “[c]ultural bias was built into the language we were allowed to speak about, and the

ways were spoken of” (152).

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Elements of an Essay

TitleThe title is the reader’s first impression of the essay – the first words the reader reads. The title can do any of the following:

Convey the topic to the reader. Convey the writer’s attitude. Be thought-provoking, insightful. Engage the reader’s attention.

Introduction Introduces the subject or topic of the essay to the reader in a general way. Creates interests – grabs the reader’s attention. Indicates the writer’s stance. Includes a thesis statement.

The title, introduction and thesis statement form a promise to the reader. All three indicate to the reader what the essay will be about – all three enable the reader to make predictions about what territory the essay will cover. The promise that the title, intro, and thesis give must be consistent and clear, and it must be fulfilled throughout the essay by the body paragraphs and finally, by the conclusion.

Body ParagraphsBody paragraphs are the meat of the essay. Each paragraph must:

Support the thesis statement. Have one main idea or point expressed in a topic sentence. Include information (examples, data, facts, quotes, paraphrases, personal observations) which

support the main point of the paragraph. Provide commentary, or explanation, which connects the information to the point and thus to

the thesis.

Consciously or subconsciously, readers make predictions about what will be in the paragraph based on the topic sentence. The topic sentence carries the point of the paragraph and is a promise as well. The paragraph must fulfill the promise of the topic sentence.

ConclusionThe conclusion is the last impression the reader has of the essay and can function in a variety of ways. A conclusion can:

Restate the main message of the essay. Summarize the main points of the essay. Give the thesis a larger application – connect it to the world at large. Solve a problem raised in the essay. Make a call to action – encourage or command the reader to take some action related to the

thesis.

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The Structure of an Argument

The Beginning….

Hooks your audience (attention getter)States the problemEstablishes your positionPresents your thesis statement

The Middle/ Body Paragraphs….

Provides background informationResponds to other points of viewPresents arguments supporting your main claimAnticipates possible objections

The End/ Conclusion….

Summarizes your position and implicationsInvites readers to share your conclusion and/ or take action

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Directed Learning Activity: Thesis Statements

What are three things you know about thesis statements?

1.

WHAT IS IT?

The basic point or main idea of the whole essay is its thesis. A thesis is often an assertion that you argue or support in the essay. Having a thesis is useful to both the writer and the reader as it links the main ideas of the essay and explains the writer's opinion on those ideas. If you have problems with your thesis, try to follow these two conventions:

1. A thesis statement is often (but not always) one sentence and is most often placed in the introductory paragraph.

2. A thesis statement is an arguable assertion that can be proven with evidence and opinions.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

• A thesis helps you narrow down the more general topic and find your own angle on the topic and express your opinion.

• A thesis lets the reader know what to expect or look for in the essay.

• A well-formed thesis helps you develop and cover all parts of an assignment, helps you know when you are "done," and keeps you organized, helping you determine if you are wandering off in unrelated directions.

WHAT DO EFFECTIVE THESIS STATEMENTS LOOK LIKE?

An Effective Thesis: An effective thesis should be an argument, not a fact; it should be limited, not too broad; and it should be sharply focused, not too vague.

Too Factual: The first polygraph was developed by Dr. John A. Larson in 1921.Revised: Because the polygraph has not been proved reliable, even under controlled conditions, its use by private employers should be banned.Hint: If it sounds like a Wikipedia or Encyclopedia entry, it is too factual.

Too Broad: Being overly materialistic will cause many problems.Revised: Being overly materialistic will cause many problems because you lose sight of what matters to you. .

Too Vague: Many of the hip-hop songs are disgusting.Revised: Many hip-hop songs are sexist because they make women look like pretty pictures with

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no substance.

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HOW DO I CREATE A THESIS STATEMENT?

There are many approaches…here are some methods:• Answer the question or respond to the writing task directly: One way to create a

thesis statement is to directly answer the assigned question or if the writing assignment is not in the form of a question, then by responding to the task. When responding to a writing assignment, be sure that you have responded directly to what is being asked. Make sure that you address all parts of the assignment.

• Brainstorm and freewrite to discover your argument: If there is no specific writing assignment, begin by brainstorming (listing key words and concepts) and freewriting (writing informally) on your topic. See what emerges as to what specific aspects interest you. State your opinion one of these aspects and examine the significance. Why is this important? What are the implications?

• Connect your ideas under one joining sentence: If you have done some brainstorming, freewriting, outlining or drafting of the paper, and have many ideas but not a thesis yet, look at your main ideas or main supporting points. What do these ideas have in common? What overall argument connects those ideas? What do all the topic sentences suggest? Answer this to create a thesis. Make

WHERE DO I PUT IT?

DO: Academic and business writing uses the thesis as a power play, letting the reader know what the writer has set out to do, so as the reader reads, he or she will think, "Wow, this writer sure has good insight and support for her argument." In this kind of writing, the thesis appears in the introduction or very soon after.

DON’T:Some writers have the thesis at the end of the essay on purpose, thinking that if they save the main point until the end of the essay, the reader is forced to read the entire essay to discover the main point. While it's true that this happens in a lot of narratives (stories) and fiction, this is rarely the most effective place for the thesis in expository writing.

Thesis Check-In Quiz:

1. True/False: A Thesis should be a fact.

2. What are one ways to come up with a thesis?

3. Where in an essay does your thesis go?

Directions:

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Write down one question you still have about thesis statements: Check in with a tutor/IST to get your question answered and find out how you did on the

quiz

YOUR QUESTION:

Student Name______________________ IST/Peer Tutor Name________________Date Completed and Hours:____________________

Thesis Statements Practice #1:

Practice Finding Opinion Words

Thesis: As you explore your subject, you will begin to see possible ways to connect your ideas. A sentence that links all your main ideas and explains your opinion on those ideas is called a thesis statement. Generally, you will want to put your thesis in the opening paragraph of your essay.

Opinion: A thesis should contain a topic (what you are writing about), an opinion about the topic (what your attitude is toward the topic), and reasons why you hold that view (explanations answering “why?” or “so what?”). In other words, a thesis needs to be an arguable assertion that can be proven with facts and opinions. To check to see if a thesis is arguable, locate the opinion words.

Locating the Opinion in a Thesis: When you look for the opinion in a thesis, ask yourself what the writer’s attitude is towards the topic.

For example, in the sentence: “Many hip-hop songs are sexist because they make women look like pretty pictures with no substance.”

In the thesis, the topic is “hip-hop songs” and the controlling idea is that these songs are “sexist”

Another person might have had a different attitude and may have found the hip-hop songs “empowering to women”.

Therefore, “sexist” reveals the writer’s attitude and also indicates what the essay with this thesis statement will be focused on: demonstrating why hip-hop songs are “sexist.” This thesis statement limits the writer’s focus and clearly tells the reader what the essay will be about. Underline the opinion words below; if there are no opinion words, it is not a thesis:

1) In this essay I will discuss abortion.

2) Television is destroying the unity of the modern family.

3) In her essay, Erlich shows that there is a balance of community and isolation in her hometown.

4) While text messaging can be a handy way to stay in touch with friends and

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family, many people text compulsively causing them to be distracted.

5) Similar to Andrew Lamb’s experience in Trash, my uncle has taught me the best lesson that the importance of putting family first.

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Thesis Statements –Practice #2

Developing Thesis Statements in Response to Questions

You will frequently need to formulate your thesis statements in response to questions provided by your instructors. The following questions or statements are designed to give you practice in developing such thesis statements.

Example: Question: What well known person do you admire?Answer: Barbara Lee should be commended for embracing her responsibilities as a US, representative, particularly when she would not grant the relatively inexperienced President George Bush full power in declaring war.

Exercise 4: Answer the follow questions and create strong thesis statements.

1) How do you account for the rise of sports figures as superstars?

2) What arguments are there for or against single parenting?

3) What does it mean to be poor?

4) Should racial profiling be legalized? Why or why not?

6) What place has television in your life?

7) Is there more or less racism in America now than there was twenty years ago?

8) If you could live in some age other than your own, which would it be and why?

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Thesis Statements- Practice #3

Creating Your Own Argument (Thesis) on a Topic

Exercise: Brainstorm various issues and ideas connected with your topic:

Creating a thesis: Remember: every thesis and topic sentence must contain not only a topic but also opinion words that tell us the attitude of the writer toward the topic.

(1) Form questions using (2) Create a thesis; (3) Deepen the thesis by asking

words from the brainstorm answer the questions "so what"? Why should we

(use the journalists' questions: (seek opinions that need to be concerned? How is this

who, what, how, why, where, when) be proven not unarguable facts) important? What can be

learned from this?

Practice in creating a thesis:

(1) Create questions using words from the brainstorm:

(2) Answer your best questions:

(3) Deepen several of your answers to #2; take them a step further by asking "so what"? Why

should we be concerned? How is this important?

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Thesis Statements: The Most Important Sentence(s) in your Essay5

As we’ve learned, the thesis is the 1-3 sentence central argument your essay will work to defend. All of the PIE paragraphs will work to support and ultimately prove your argument. Remember, the thesis for an essay should A) present an argument about gender in response to a text* and 2) the argument should analyze and evaluate the text. Effective college thesis statements include critical thinking about absolutist positions. Words like however and which and phrases like on the other hand and as a result help to construct these kinds of arguments. In class we discussed the importance of verbs in your thesis statement. Here are some verbs to consider as you write your thesis: demonstrates, reveals, exemplifies, illustrates, characterizes, shows, constructs, relies, contends, determines, notices, finds, disputes, argues, realizes, discovers, discerns, claims, reasons.

*Text can include any of our class readings (poems, short stories, essays) or text can include cultural or societal signifiers, like women’s bodies in hip-hop videos or Disney princesses.

Consider the following thesis statement constructions when responding to one of the reading assignments.The thesis may be:

1. Complete agreement with the author2. Complete disagreement with the author3. Partial agreement with the author, but disagreement on one or two issues4. Partial agreement with the author, but you think the author MISSED one or two essential points5. Partial disagreement with the author, but agreement on one or two issues6. Partial disagreement with the author, and you think the author MISSED one or two essential

points

Consider the following thesis statement constructions with responding to other kinds of text, like media.

1. Present a specific observation about how gender is used in the media and evaluate how that has an influence on gender identity.

2. Present a specific observation about gender expectations and what effect these expectations have on individuals or society.

3. Present a specific observation about family and gender, and examine how the role of family history influences (or doesn’t influence) gender constructions.

4. Present a specific observation about gender identity in culture and what effects this observation has on gender relationships and/or power structures.

5 Thanks to Jill Quigley for this handout!61

The Six "Moves" of ArgumentAn essay is not an introduction, a thesis, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Those are merely the things writers use to create an essay. But a true essay is more of a testing or advancing of an idea. It is a writer coming forward in writing and saying, "Based on the information I have, I think THIS represents the best way of thinking about this topic." That's really all an essay is.

Of course, in order to convince readers that the idea advanced in the essay (i.e. the idea expressed in the thesis) is, in fact, the best way (or at least a reasonable way) of thinking about the topic, the writer must DO particular things. This is key. Writers do not create arguments by simply pasting a thesis to an intro and then following it with paragraphs. Rather, writers create written arguments by doing the following.

1. Orienting Readers to a Question at Issue: Imagine a group of people in the college quad arguing. You step into the circle, and it’s a flurry of arguments and voices. You don't know what's going on or what the focus is. You pull a friend out of the group and asked to be filled in. When you do, you'll get the following:

%6%. What group is arguing about (i.e. the topic).%6%. A description of the topic (if you don't already know it).%6%. An indication of the controversy involving the topic (the question at issue).%6%. A brief description of what each side is saying in response to the question at issue.%6%. A brief description of why the group can't seem to reach agreement.%6%. A brief description of why the group is taking the time to argue (i.e. why the question at issue matters).

% Proposing A Specific Argument/Thesis: Once you know what the question at issue is and you feel oriented

to the controversy, you can, if you know about the issue, offer your own answer to the question at issue participate in the conversation. Your answer is your argument or thesis.

3. Defining Key Terms: If your argument hinges on people accepting or understanding particular concepts, you need to define them. You'll want to be careful how you do this, though. You'll want to briefly define terms, not exhaustively (unless it is a term that is, itself, driving the controversy), and you'll want to define the terms in the context of your argument. In other words, you wouldn't, in this college quad conversation, bring the conversation to a screeching halt by taking the floor to define a concept that you plan to use in ten minutes. You'll define the concept as it is relevant to the immediate point you're making.

4. Offering Reasons, Evidence, Explanations, and Examples that Support Your Thesis: The people gathered in the circle listening to you will want you to offer information and reasons that will help them understand why you have offered the argument you have. Your goal is to get them see your thinking process—i.e. the process by which you’ve come to your conclusion—and the help them understand why they should think similarly to you. You'll do whatever you can (without ever lying or misleading) to help them "see" the reasonableness of your answer to the question at issue.

5. Acknowledging, Accommodating, and Refuting Differing points of view. You know many of the people in your conversation circle have their own ideas about the topic. They have concerns, they have fears, they have interests. And to protect these, they have positions. They may be content to listen to your different ideas while holding fast to their positions. To get them to "let go" of some of their concerns, fears, and interests (or to at least get them to think differently about them so they don't prevent them from entertaining your ideas), you have to

• Acknowledge that you are aware of these concerns, fears, interests, and positions. This means simply that you let them know that you are aware of and understand what's on their minds.

• Accommodate their concerns, fears, interests, and positions WHEN YOU CAN. The people in your conversation circle will let their guard down and listen to you with a much more open mind when you not only acknowledge their point of view, but also grant that some of what they think is actually correct and/or well-intentioned. Do this whenever you can--even if you only say something like, "The intentions behind my opponents' position is good." Sometimes, though, there is nothing about your opponents' arguments that you can accommodate. When this is the case, don't pretend like there is.

• Refute their positions. In refuting, you are trying to get them to "let go" of the concerns, fears, and/or interests that are causing them to take their position. You can do this by showing them that their

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position is the wrong one to protect their concerns or interests; or that their fears or interests are based on bad information or bad values; or that there are other concerns or interests greater than their own that they should embrace.

Ending your argument. If after you've informed the people in your conversation circle of your position and your reasons for it you simply turn and walk away, they'll feel "cut off" and slighted. They'll wonder what you're problem is. With essays readers can have a similarly discomforting experience if the writer doesn't end smoothly. All a writer needs to do to eliminate that discomfort the reader may feel is let readers know the essay is over. You can do this by "winding down" and letting readers see that you are done supporting your argument and coming back to sit with it.

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How to Write Good Introductions

What is the function of an introduction?An introduction

captures your audience's attention. gives background/context on your topic. develops interest in your topic by explaining various positions on your topic. guides your reader to your thesis. ends with a strong thesis.

There are three basic ways to write an introduction:

You can write the introduction after you write the body of your essay. You can write the introduction before you write the body of your essay. You can rough out the introduction first and then focus and revise it once you have written your essay.

Many people write a rough draft and from that find out what their purpose really is and what they really believe. Then they revise the focus, language, or order of their introduction. This sequence -- of drafting an introduction and then revising and refining it once the body of the paper is sketched out -- is very common.* *

How To Write Good Conclusions

* * This information was courtesy of LEO: Literacy Education Online64

A Good Conclusions

stress the importance of the thesis statement, give the essay a sense of completeness, and leave a final impression on the reader.

Suggestions for How to Write Conclusions: Answer the question "So What?" Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that

your paper was meaningful and useful. Synthesize, don't summarize Don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read it. Show them how the points you

made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together. Redirect your readers Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper in the "real" world. If your

introduction went from general to specific, make your conclusion go from specific to general. Think globally.

Create a new meaning You don't have to give new information to create a new meaning. By demonstrating how your ideas

work together, you can create a new picture. Often the sum of the paper is worth more than its parts.

Strategies:

Strategy #1: Echoing the introduction: Echoing your introduction can be a good strategy if it is meant to bring the reader full-circle. If you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay was helpful in creating a new understanding. Example

IntroductionFrom the parking lot, I could see the towers of the castle of the Magic Kingdom standing stately against the blue sky. To the right, the tall peak of The Matterhorn rose even higher. From the left, I could hear the jungle sounds of Adventureland. As I entered the gate, Main Street stretched before me with its quaint shops evoking an old-fashioned small town so charming it could never have existed. I was entranced. Disneyland may have been built for children, but it brings out the child in adults.ConclusionI thought I would spend a few hours at Disneyland, but here I was at 1:00 A.M., closing time, leaving the front gates with the now dark towers of the Magic Kingdom behind me. I could see tired children, toddling along and struggling to keep their eyes open as best they could. Others slept in their parents' arms as we waited for the parking lot tram that would take us to our cars. My forty-year-old feet ached, and I felt a bit sad to think that in a couple of days I would be leaving California, my vacation over, to go back to my desk. But then I smiled to think that for at least a day I felt ten years old again.

What did you like about this strategy?

Strategy #2: Challenging the reader:

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By issuing a challenge to your readers, you are helping them to redirect the information in the paper, and they may apply it to their own lives.

ExampleThough serving on a jury is not only a civic responsibility but also an interesting experience, many people still view jury duty as a chore that interrupts their jobs and the routine of their daily lives. However, juries are part of America's attempt to be a free and just society. Thus, jury duty challenges us to be interested and responsible citizens.

Strategy #3: Looking to the future: Looking to the future can emphasize the importance of your paper or redirect the readers' thought process. It may help them apply the new information to their lives or see things more globally.

Example

Without well-qualified teachers, schools are little more than buildings and equipment. If higher-paying careers continue to attract the best and the brightest students, there will not only be a shortage of teachers, but the teachers available may not have the best qualifications. Our youth will suffer. And when youth suffers, the future suffers.

Strategy #4: Posing questions: Posing questions, either to your readers or in general, may help your readers gain a new perspective on the topic, which they may not have held before reading your conclusion. It may also bring your main ideas together to create a new meaning.

ExampleCampaign advertisements should help us understand the candidate's qualifications and positions on the issues. Instead, most tell us what a boob or knave the opposing candidate is, or they present general images of the candidate as a family person or God-fearing American. Do such advertisements contribute to creating an informed electorate or a people who choose political leaders the same way they choose soft drinks and soap?*This information was courtesy of LEO: Literacy Education Online

Questions: Now that you have read about introductions and conclusions, what questions do you still have?

1.

2.

Transitions

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What is the Function of Transitional Words?

Single words can signal levels of importance, connections, and the direction of thoughts. For example, after a friend begins a sentence with "I like you very much," would you prefer that the next word be "and" or "however"? The word "and" signals more of the same, hinting that you could anticipate another pleasant compliment. On the other hand, "however" signals a change of thought, so brace yourself for a negative remark. If the next word were "consequently" or "therefore," you could anticipate a positive result or reward for the positive feelings.

Such words are transitions or signal words that connect parts of the sentences and lead readers to anticipate a continuation or a change in the writer's thoughts. Transitions also reveal organizational patterns.

Patterns of Organization and Their Signal Words:

Addition (providing additional examples):furthermore, again, also, further, moreover, besides, likewise, and, indeed, in addition, too, next, first, second

Cause and Effect (showing one element asproducing or causing a result or effect):because, for this reason, consequently, hence, as a result, thus, due to, therefore, if, so, since

Concession (acknowledging the merits of thecounter argument before reasserting an opinion):whereas, granted that, even though, though, yet,while, although

Illustration (explaining using examples):that is, for example, to illustrate, for instance, in fact,specifically, as seen in

Comparison (listing similarities among items):in a similar way, similarly, parallels, likewise, in alike manner, also, in the same manner

Contrast (listing differences among items):on the other hand, more than, but, however,conversely, on the contrary, although, nevertheless,still, in contrast, yet, even though

Definition (defining a concept and expanding with examples and restatements):can be defined, means, for example, like, in short,specifically

Description (listing characteristics or details Using vivid language):is, as, like, could be described (using adjectives,adverbs and language that touches on the senses)

Location or Spatial Order (identifying thewhereabouts of objects or people):next to, near, below, above, close by, within,without, beside, around, to the right or left, opposite

Narration or Time Order (listing events in orderof occurrence):first, second, finally, after, before, next, later, now, atlast, until, thereupon, while, during, as, meanwhile,then, while, immediately

Simple Listing (randomly listing items in aseries):also, another, several, for example

Summary (condensing major points):in conclusion, to restate, briefly, to sum up, in short, in a nutshell, in other words, therefore, in summary

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Pre-Writing Strategies

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Prewriting: Clusteringby Melanie Dawson & Joe Essid

Clustering is a type of prewriting that allows you to explore many ideas as soon as they occur to you. Like brainstorming or free associating, clustering allows you to begin without clear ideas.

To begin to cluster, choose a word that is central to your assignment. For example, if you were writing a paper about the value of a college education, you might choose the word "expectations" and write that word in the middle of your sheet of paper. Circle "expectations," then write words all around it--words that occur to you as you think of "expectations." Write down all words that you associate with "expectations," words that at first may seem to be random. Write quickly, circling each word, grouping words around your the central word. Connect your new words to previous ones with lines; when you feel you have exhausted a particular avenue of associations, go back to your central word and begin again.

For example, "expectations" might lead you to consider "the social aspects of college," which may lead you to consider "career networking." You may then find yourself writing down words that compare the types of jobs you might get through career networking. You may end up asking yourself questions such as "What sorts of jobs do I want? Not want?"Have fun with this exercise; even silly questions can open avenues to explore, such as "What if I ended up waiting tablesat Buddy's?" "Would I rather be a lion-tamer or an accountant?" "What about my brilliant career as a stand-up comedian?"

Some words will take you nowhere; with other words you may discover that you have many related words to write. Random associations eventually become patterns of logic as you look over your work. After looking over the clustering exercise above, you might conclude that you want an exciting career as a performer of some type, rather than a job in the service sector or behind a desk.

Now your sample paper about the value of a college education has some focus: how you expect college to lead to an interesting career that involves creativity, skill, and performance. You might then want to return to the phrase "Job Skills" and develop that part of your cluster, noting the skills that you'd need to reach your ideal career.Clustering does not take the place of a linear, traditional outline; but, as the example shows, it allows you to explore ideas before committing them to a particular order.

Example:

Brainstorming Technique

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What follows are great ideas on how to brainstorm—ideas from professional writers, novice writers, people who would rather avoid writing, and people who spend a lot of time brainstorming about…well, how to brainstorm.

Try out several of these options and challenge yourself to vary the techniques you rely on; some techniques might suit a particular writer, academic discipline, or assignment better than others. If the technique you try first doesn't seem to help you, move right along and try some others.

Example:

Topic: Success Money Power Status People looking up to you People hating you People loving you The Donald My mom A college degree A car I own Being able to choose the job I work at Owning a house Having a lot of savings Being happy

Practice: Topic:

Freewriting

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When you freewrite, you let your thoughts flow as they will, putting pen to paper and writing down whatever comes into your mind. You don't judge the quality of what you write and you don't worry about style or any surface-level issues, like spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you can't think of what to say, you write that down—really. The advantage of this technique is that you free up your internal critic and allow yourself to write things you might not write if you were being too self-conscious.

When you freewrite you can set a time limit ("I'll write for 15 minutes!") and even use a kitchen timer or alarm clock or you can set a space limit ("I'll write until I fill four full notebook pages, no matter what tries to interrupt me!") and just write until you reach that goal. You might do this on the computer or on paper, and you can even try it with your eyes shut or the monitor off, which encourages speed and freedom of thought.

The crucial point is that you keep on writing even if you believe you are saying nothing. Word must follow word, no matter the relevance. Your freewriting might even look like this:

"This paper is supposed to be on the politics of tobacco production but even though I went to all the lectures and read the book I can't think of what to say and I've felt this way for four minutes now and I have 11 minutes left and I wonder if I'll keep thinking nothing during every minute but I'm not sure if it matters that I am babbling and I don't know what else to say about this topic and it is rainy today and I never noticed the number of cracks in that wall before and those cracks remind me of the walls in my grandfather's study and he smoked and he farmed and I wonder why he didn't farm tobacco..."

When you're done with your set number of minutes or have reached your page goal, read back over the text. Yes, there will be a lot of filler and unusable thoughts but there also will be little gems, discoveries, and insights. When you find these gems, highlight them or cut and paste them into your draft or onto an "ideas" sheet so you can use them in your paper. Even if you don't find any diamonds in there, you will have either quieted some of the noisy chaos or greased the writing gears so that you can now face the assigned paper topic.

Cubing

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Cubing enables you to consider your topic from six different directions; just as a cube is six-sided, your cubing brainstorming will result in six "sides" or approaches to the topic. Take a sheet of paper, consider your topic, and respond to these six commands.

1. Describe it.

2. Compare it.

3. Associate it.

4. Analyze it.

5. Apply it.

6. Argue for and against it.

Look over what you've written. Do any of the responses suggest anything new about your topic? What interactions do you notice among the "sides"? That is, do you see patterns repeating, or a theme emerging that you could use to approach the topic or draft a thesis? Does one side seem particularly fruitful in getting your brain moving? Could that one side help you draft your thesis statement? Use this technique in a way that serves your topic. It should, at least, give you a broader awareness of the topic's complexities, if not a sharper focus on what you will do with it.

Journalistic questions

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In this technique you would use the "big six" questions that journalists rely on to thoroughly research a story. The six are:

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Write each question word on a sheet of paper, leaving space between them. Then, write out some sentences or phrases in answer, as they fit your particular topic. You might also answer into a tape recorder if you'd rather talk out your ideas.

Now look over your batch of responses. Do you see that you have more to say about one or two of the questions? Or, are your answers for each question pretty well balanced in depth and content? Was there one question that you had absolutely no answer for? How might this awareness help you to decide how to frame your thesis claim or to organize your paper? Or, how might it reveal what you must work on further, doing library research or interviews or further note-taking?

For example, if your answers reveal that you know a lot more about "where" and "why" something happened than you know about "what" and "when," how could you use this lack of balance to direct your research or to shape your paper? How might you organize your paper so that it emphasizes the known versus the unknown aspects of evidence in the field of study? What else might you do with your results?

Practice:

Who?

What?

When?

Where?

Why?

How?

Consider Purpose and Audience

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Think about the parts of communication involved in any writing or speaking event act: purpose and audience.

What is your purpose? What are you trying to do? What verb captures your intent? Are you trying to inform? Convince? Describe? Each purpose will lead you to a different set of information and help you shape material to include and exclude in a draft. Write about why you are writing this draft in this form.

Who is your audience? Who are you communicating with beyond the grader? What does that audience need to know? What do they already know? What information does that audience need first, second, third? Write about who you are writing to and what they need

Practice:

What do they look like:

What do they know about your topic

What info do they need to know

What biases do they have?

What are five things you can use to grab their attention?

What is Your Purpose With This Audience?: Essay Outline #1

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1. Introductiona. ______________________________

b. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2. Main Pointsa. ______________________________

i. ______________________________ii. ______________________________

iii. ______________________________

b. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

c. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

d. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

e. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

f. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

g. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________ iii. ______________________________

3. Conclusiona. ______________________________b. ______________________________

Essay Outline #2Introduction

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c. ______________________________

d. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Main Pointse. ______________________________

i. ______________________________ii. ______________________________

iii. ______________________________

f. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

g. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

h. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

i. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

j. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________iii. ______________________________

k. ______________________________i. ______________________________

ii. ______________________________ iii. ______________________________

Conclusiona. ______________________________b. ______________________________

Essay Outline #3

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Introductiona. ______________________________

b. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Main Pointsc. ______________________________

1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

d. ______________________________1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

e. ______________________________1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

f. ______________________________1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

g. ______________________________1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

h. ______________________________1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

i. ______________________________1. ______________________________2. ______________________________

3. ______________________________ Conclusion

a. ______________________________b. ______________________________

Essay Outline #4

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Introductiona. ______________________________

b. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Main Pointsc. ______________________________

1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

d. ______________________________4. ______________________________5. ______________________________6. ______________________________

e. ______________________________7. ______________________________8. ______________________________9. ______________________________

f. ______________________________10. ______________________________11. ______________________________12. ______________________________

g. ______________________________13. ______________________________14. ______________________________15. ______________________________

h. ______________________________16. ______________________________17. ______________________________18. ______________________________

i. ______________________________19. ______________________________20. ______________________________

3. ______________________________ Conclusion

a. ______________________________b. ______________________________

Essay Outline #5

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Introductiona. ______________________________

b. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Main Pointsc. ______________________________

1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

d. ______________________________4. ______________________________5. ______________________________6. ______________________________

e. ______________________________7. ______________________________8. ______________________________9. ______________________________

f. ______________________________10. ______________________________11. ______________________________12. ______________________________

g. ______________________________13. ______________________________14. ______________________________15. ______________________________

h. ______________________________16. ______________________________17. ______________________________18. ______________________________

i. ______________________________19. ______________________________20. ______________________________

3. ______________________________ Conclusion

a. ______________________________b. ______________________________

Essay Outline #6

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Introductiona. ______________________________

b. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Main Pointsc. ______________________________

1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

d. ______________________________4. ______________________________5. ______________________________6. ______________________________

e. ______________________________7. ______________________________8. ______________________________9. ______________________________

f. ______________________________10. ______________________________11. ______________________________12. ______________________________

g. ______________________________13. ______________________________14. ______________________________15. ______________________________

h. ______________________________16. ______________________________17. ______________________________18. ______________________________

i. ______________________________19. ______________________________20. ______________________________

3. ______________________________ Conclusion

a. ______________________________b. ______________________________

Essay Outline #7

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Introductiona. ______________________________

b. THESIS: __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Main Pointsc. ______________________________

1. ______________________________2. ______________________________3. ______________________________

d. ______________________________4. ______________________________5. ______________________________6. ______________________________

e. ______________________________7. ______________________________8. ______________________________9. ______________________________

f. ______________________________10. ______________________________11. ______________________________12. ______________________________

g. ______________________________13. ______________________________14. ______________________________15. ______________________________

h. ______________________________16. ______________________________17. ______________________________18. ______________________________

i. ______________________________19. ______________________________20. ______________________________

3. ______________________________ Conclusion

a. ______________________________b. ______________________________

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TOPIC: _______________________________________________________________________

What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned

What I Still Want to Know:

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TOPIC: _______________________________________________________________________



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TOPIC: _______________________________________________________________________



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Revision Strategies

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Peer Review Communication: Problems and Solutions

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Directions:

Step 1: Pair up with a partner(s) and decide who will be the recorder, the person who writes down your answers, and who will be the reporter, the person who reports your findings to the class.

Step 2: Read the situation assigned to your group

Step 3: Identify what problems might occur for your situation and write them in the problems section.

Step 4: As a group, brainstorm two specific ways of solving the communication problem(s) described and write them in the solutions area.

Step 5: Report your findings to the class.

Situation One:In peer review, Juan and Rosa, your partners, only praise your work. They always say nice things, complimenting you on what you write. Because of this feedback, you don’t do much revising of your essay and end up getting a C- because your work, according to your teacher, “lacks detail, doesn’t address the assigned topic, and has many confusing spots.” You know you should do more yourself, but you also think perhaps your peer response partners aren’t being honest with you. You want more substantial feedback from them. What would you say to get more direct, constructive feedback from them to help you revise more effectively (and probably get a better grade)?

Situation Two:In peer review, Shawna, a member of your group, gives you direct, honest feedback, but you end up feeling stung by her abrupt, forceful style of talking. She says things like, “You have a lousy main idea—where’s the insight?” or, “This part doesn’t make any sense; it sounds childish.” How could Shawna change her way of talking so that she stays truthful to herself but doesn’t hurt others?

Situation Three:In peer review, Rajeev feels that his fellow students don’t know more about writing than he does. He feels that if they are too uninformed or are not good writers, then they can’t help him with his essay. What could you say to Rajeev to make him see that peer review is still a useful activity?

Situation Four:In peer review, your partners, Judy and Raymond, are more interested in talking about Facebook and how many friends they have than in reading each other’s papers. You are worried about not doing well because you aren’t getting any feedback. How do you respond so that your group takes peer review seriously and you get the feedback you want?

Problem(s) Solutions

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PEER REVIEW SHEET for Essay Draft#1

Reviewer ____________________________________Writer _____________________________________

Please answer the following questions about the essay. Pay close attention to ideas, organization, development, and support. Write on this sheet and on the rough draft. Make clear, helpful suggestions.

1. Does the introduction get your attention? Explain how.

2. In the introduction: Is/are the topic and the main text(s) being analyzed clearly introduced?

3. What is the thesis? Is it clear in the paper? Underline it on the rough draft. Is this truly an OPINION that you can disagree with? If so, write what you think is a CONTRASTING opinion here:

4. Does each paragraph have a topic sentence? Underline each “P” topic sentence. Put squiggle lines under “I” support/evidence. Check to make sure EACH quote has an in-text citation. Draw a box around the “E” explanation/interpretations.

4. Are there strong/interesting transitions? Circle the transitions. Does the essay flow smoothly or do sentences seem “jumpy”?

5. Does the essay have a strong conclusion (e.g. answers the question, “Now that I’ve proved my thesis, so what? What can we still think about?”) OR does the conclusion just repeat what was already stated before?

6. Ultimately, does the author prove his/her thesis?7. Do you notice more than 3 grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors as you read this essay?

8. What part of the essay do you think is least effective and needs work? Please make AT LEAST TWO helpful suggestions for improvement.

9. What part do you think is most effective? Describe AT LEAST TWO effective things in the essay.

DISCUSS YOUR COMMENTS WITH YOUR PARTNER. HELP YOUR PARTNER WRITE A REVISION PLAN ON THE BACK/BOTTOM OF THEIR DRAFT

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PEER REVIEW SHEET for Essay Draft #2

Reviewer ____________________________________Writer _____________________________________












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Reviewer ____________________________________Writer _____________________________________












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Reviewer ____________________________________Writer _____________________________________











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Writing Center Tutorial Session

Name: _______________________________________________ English __________

Assignment Topic: ___________________________ Assignment Title: _______________________

Directions: Answer question #1 on this sheet before going to the Writing Center. Then, after your tutorial session, answer questions 2 & 3 and have your tutor sign and date the sheet. Don’t forget to take the assignment sheet/handout with you to your tutorial session!!

1. What stage of the drafting process are you currently working on? (For example: “Prewriting,” “Drafting,” “Revising,” “Editing,” etc.)

In the space below, please write the specific area of the assignment you would like to discuss with your writing tutor:

2. What specific recommendations did your tutor make about the above area?

3. Based on your tutor’s recommendations, what will you work on next in your assignment? (Be as detailed as possible to help you remember later.)

Tutor’s Printed Name: _________________________________________ Date: ______________

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Tutor’s Signature:__________________________________________________________________(By signing, you’re verifying that the above information accurately reflects your tutorial session)


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Name: _______________________________________________ English __________










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Name: _______________________________________________ English __________










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Name: _______________________________________________ English __________










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Name: _______________________________________________ English __________










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Name: _______________________________________________ English __________









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Thesis Clinic Name:____________________

Expert #1: After reading the thesis/topic, please write one question about the topic in each of the following categories:

Who:

What:

Where:

Why:

When:

How:

Expert #2: After reading the topic/thesis, please look through the readings we read in this unit and suggest 3 quotes that might be used to support the topic/thesis. Remember to explain why you think the quote would help!

Expert #3: After reading the topic/thesis, please suggest three “real world” examples the author might reference to support their thesis. Remember to explain why you think the example would help!

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Expert #4: After reading the author’s thesis/topic, suggest 3 different audiences that the author might target the message of their paper to. Remember to explain why each audience would be interested in the topic.

Expert #5: Read the author’s thesis and make three suggestions for how the author can make it stronger and more focused.

The Author: After reading the expert’s comments, please decide:

1. What audience you will target for your paper and why?

2. What two real world examples you will use in the paper? Why these?

3. What are two articles you will reference in the paper? Why?

4. Answer each of the who/what/where/when/why/how questions.

3. Re-write your thesis to be more focused:

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Thesis Clinic

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Name:________________Expert #1: After reading the thesis/topic, please write one question about the topic in each of the following categories:

Who:

What:

Where:

Why:

When:

How:

Expert #2: After reading the topic/thesis, please look through the essays we read in this unit and suggest 3 quotes that might be used to support the topic/thesis. Remember to explain why you think the article would help!

Expert #3: After reading the topic/thesis, please suggest three “real world” examples the author might reference to support their thesis. Remember to explain why you think the article would help!

Expert #4: After reading the author’s thesis/topic, suggest 3 different audiences that the author might target the message of their paper to. Remember to explain why each audience would be interested in the topic.

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Expert #5: Read the author’s thesis and make three suggestions for how the author can make it stronger and more focused.

The Author: After reading the expert’s comments, please decide:

1. What audience you will target for your paper and why?

2. What two real world examples you will use in the paper? Why these?

3. What are two articles you will reference in the paper? Why?

4. Answer each of the who/what/where/when/why/how questions.

3. Re-write your thesis to be more focused:

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QuotationsWriting from sources is a sophisticated skill that includes being able to distinguish when to quote and when to paraphrase and how to integrate direct quotations smoothly into your writing. Whether quoting or paraphrasing, you always need to give your source(s) credit.

A Warning on Plagiarism:

To be fair and ethical, you must always acknowledge your debt to the writers of the sources you

use. If you don’t, you are guilty of plagiarism, a serious academic offense.

Four different acts are considered plagiarism: (1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas; (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks; (3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words; (4) mixing an author's phrases with your own without citation or quotes.

1. Smoothly integrate direct quotes into sentences of your own

Avoid Dropping Quotes:

Sometimes writers will make the mistake of simply dropping a quotation into their paragraph without integrating it into a sentence of their own. For example:

Dropped quote: A number of journalists have been critical of genetic engineering. “The problem is, no one really knows the long-term effects of such complex genetic manipulation—and the potential dangers to humans and the environment are substantial” (Turner, 21).

Why is this so bad?

An un-integrated direct quote interrupts the flow of your writing, as the reader must jump abruptly from your words to someone else’s and back again

If you’re not integrating direct quotations into your own writing, you’re probably not giving your reader the context they need to understand the quote.

In order to successfully integrate quotations into your writing, you need to introduce or in some way lead into the quotation so that readers know whose words are being quoted or can understand why the quotation is important. For example:

Integrated quote: A number of journalists have been critical of genetic engineering. Lisa Turner, in an article for the magazine Better Nutrition, targets the unpredictable nature of this new technology : “The problem is, no one really knows the long-term effects of such complex genetic manipulation—and the potential dangers to humans and the environment are substantial” (21).

Provide Contextual Information for the Quote:

When connecting the quote into your sentence, consider how to convey the key pieces of information you might want to include so the quote and its source are clear:

The title of the text the quote comes from The page number in parenthesis (this is required) The speaker of the quote if different from the author (for example, a character speaking in a story) The author's name: generally include the full name in the first reference. Afterwards, refer to authors by last name.

If you don't include the name in the sentence, put it in the parenthetical citation. For example:

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Author Named in the sentence:For example: Flora Davis reports that a chimp at the Yerkes Primate Research Center “has combined words into new sentences that she was never taught” (67).

Author Not Named in the sentence:If the sentence connecting the quote does not include the author’s name, the author’s last name must appear in parenthesis along with the page number. For example: The novel Monster: The Autobigraphy of an L.A. Gang Member ends with these words of perseverance, "Gangsterism continues. But more importantly, the struggle to eradicate the causes of gangsterism continues. And it is this struggle to which I am dedicated" (Scott 377).

Different Methods to Integrate Quotes into Your Sentences:

1) Identify the speaker and context of the quoteExample: Dee protests to her mother that her sister does not know the true value of the quilts, “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts! She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use” (Walker 490).

2) Lead in with your own ideaExample: Miss Emily Grierson’s house is a reflection of her being out of sync with the times: “But garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighborhood; only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and gasoline pumps—an eyesore among eyesores”(Faulkner 459).

3) Formulas • In (title of source), (author) writes/ argues/ explains/ describes, "quote" (#).

Example: In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou writes, "In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black children didn't really absolutely know what whites looked like" (20).

• According to (author) in (title), "quote" (#).

To avoid monotony, try to vary your formulas. The following models suggest a range of possibilities:

In the words of researcher Herbert Terrace, “…”Jason Applegate, Smith’s trainer, points out, “…”“…,” claims linguist Noam Chomsky.Psychologist H.S. Terrace offers an odd argument for this view, “…”

Also, by choosing an appropriate verb, you can make your stance clear:

acknowledges condemns distinguishes observes thinksadds confirms emphasizes objects writesadmits contends endorses points out wondersagrees contrasts explains reasonsargues criticizes grants refutesasserts declares identifies rejectsbelieves defends illustrates reportscharacterizes demonstrates implies respondsclaims denies insists showscomments describes justifies suggestscompares disputes notes supports

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Exercise: For each quote below, create a sentence that smoothly integrates the quote. Try a few different methods:

Method #1: Identify the speaker and context of the quote:

Quote: "On this island, you walk too far and people speak a different language. Their own words reveal who belongs on what side"

Background information: From The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat, the speaker is Senora Valencia, page 304. Senora Valencia is referring to the island of Hispanola, which the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic share. She is speaking during the times that the dictator Trujillo had many Haitians murdered in and exiled from the Dominican Republic

Quote integrated into a sentence:

Method #2: Lead in with your own idea:

Quote: "They did not have the tanates to go up north and break through the wall of electric fences and enter the land of plenty, the U.S. of A., a land so rich that what garbage they throw away in one day could feed entire pueblos."

Background information: From Macho! By Victor Villasenor, page 31. The book tells the story of young man named Roberto from Michoacan who risks himself to go north to California to work as an illegal alien picking fruit in California.


Method #3: Formula (try using a good and dynamic verb):

Quote: "Racial targeting and abuse by police is costly. U.S. taxpayers have paid tens of millions of dollars in police brutality lawsuits. Between 1992 and 1993, Los Angeles county alone paid more than $30 million to citizens victimized by police brutality."

Background information: From The Color of Crime by Katheryn K. Russell, page 45 who writes about the ways in which African-Americans are misrepresented by the media and mistreated within the criminal system.


3. Properly Punctuate Sentences that Integrate Quotations:

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1. Use quotations marks at the beginning and end of any word, phrase, line, or passage you

quote.

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson.

2. Commas and periods go inside quotations marks.

After the professor stood up quietly and said, "I do not expect to continue at this position any longer," the other professors at the meeting stared at her in amazement.

3. Periods go outside of parenthetical citations.

Malcolm X asserted, “Most students are potential revolutionaries…when you have an illegal, immoral, and unjust situation, it should be changed" (54).

4. Semi-colons, colons, and dashes go outside quotation marks.

Baker focuses on two choices that cause young women "to be unclear about their goals": their interest in family life and their desire for professional success.

4. Question marks and exclamation points go: inside quotation marks, if they are part of the original quotation, but outside, if they are part of the sentence.

It was not all clear however, after the president exclaimed, “That is not an acceptable alternative!”

Did you ever hear of someone suggesting that we remove all windmills “super fast or immediately, which ever comes first”?

5. Use square brackets whenever you need to substitute or add words to a quotation. You can change individual words and then put them in brackets [ ] so that the quote fits your sentence grammatically. For example:

Sonny would “as soon as he came in from school, or wherever he had been when he was suppose to be at school [go] straight to that piano and [stay] there until suppertime” (Baldwin 275).

6. Single quotation marks are placed inside regular quotation marks when you have a quote within a quote.

Professor Stevens claimed that he "always asks his students Professor Begley's question about 'the meaning of a college education’ in order to start off the discussion.”

7. Sometimes you will want to leave out material in the middle of a passage, quoting the most important words. When you do this, use an ellipsis (...). Use three dots if the omitted passage does not contain a period and four dots if it does.

Fadiman observes that the doctors at MCMC “could hardly be expected to ‘respect’ their patients’ system of health beliefs…since the medical schools they attended never informed them that diseases are caused by fugitive souls and cured by jugulated chickens” (61).

8. If you decide to use a quotation of more than three lines, set it off from the rest of your essay by indenting about ten spaces from either side and single-spacing the quotation. You do not need to put quotation marks around this block quotation, unless it is actual dialogue.

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In the essay "A Room Of One's Own," Woolf elaborates her argument for psychological androgyny:

And I went on amateurishly to sketch a plan of the soul so that in each of us two powers preside, one male, one female. . . . The normal and comfortable state of being is that when the two live in harmony together, spiritually cooperating. (Woolf 98)

This passage resonates distinctly with Freud's own theories on...

9. In deciding whether to quote or underline text titles, use the following guidelines: Use quotation marks (“ ”) around the titles of shorter works such as short stories, essays, articles, poems,

chapter names, song names.

SHORT STORY: Richard Christian Matheson's "Red"ESSAY: "A Tale of Two Sitcoms" by Steven D. StarkARTICLE: "Generation Next" by Chris SmithPOEM : Lois-Ann Yamanaka's "Haupu Mountain"CHAPTER NAME: "Let's Go Mexico!" from How to Be a Chicana Role Model by Michele SerrosSONG: "Livin' La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin

Italicize/Underline or italicize the titles of longer works such as books, novels, periodicals, newspapers, plays, movies, TV series, and album names.

BOOK: Errors & Expectations by Mina ShaughnessyNOVEL: Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher MoorePERIODICAL: NewsweekNEWSPAPER: The San Francisco Bay GuardianPLAY: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom StoppardMOVIE: Chicken RunTV SERIES: Buffy the Vampire SlayerALBUM: Less Than Jake's Losing Streak

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THE LEAST YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT USING DIRECT QUOTES

We use direct quotes for a number of reasons: To avoid plagiarism – using other people’s words without giving them credit To support and illustrate our claims To increase our credibility To validate all our points

Direct quotes do not substitute for your ideas; they enhance them!

INTIGRATING QUOTES INTO YOUR WRITING WITH A QUOTE SANDWICH:

1. TOP BREAD/The LEAD-IN introduces or leads into the quotation so that the readers know whose words are being quoted and why the quotation is important.

2. THE MEAT/QUOTE AND CITATION: “to be or not be that is the question” (Shakespeare 22).

3. BOTTOM BREAD/The EXPLANTAION: After every quote, you must comment on the quotation so that the reader understands its connection to the point you are making in your topic sentence.

Quote Sandwich Recipe:

LEAD-IN + QUOTE + CITATION + PERIOD + 1-3 sentences analyzing the quote’s importance. Example: In “Meanings of Community” Thomas Bender asserts, “The sense of self and community may be hard to distinguish”(1). What Bender means is that individuals no longer see themselves as a single person, but, instead, an individual takes on the identity of the people they hang around.

Now it’s your turn:

Directions: For each of the quotes below, use the quote sandwich to complete the quote.

1. In

2. Astrid Alauda: “Television is an anesthetic for the pain of the modern world”(444).

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Identifying Effective or Ineffective Quote Sandwiches

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Directions: In your group, discuss whether each quote effectively or ineffectively uses the quote formula. Circle your answer. Write down one reason why you made that choice.

According to Henry Miller, “Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of self-discovery”(437). What Miller means is that every time we sit down to write we discover something new about ourselves and our perception of the world. Effective or Ineffective: Why?

Grace says, “Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid your life will never begin”(Hansen 436).

Effective or Ineffective:

This quote by Korita Kent asserts, “Flowers grow out of dark moments”(436). She must have been a gardener.


“A professional writer,” Richard Bach asserts, “is an amateur who didn’t quit”(437). Bach’s advice should be in the back of every writing student’s head because it will inspire them to keep trying even when they want to give up.


Margaret Atwood characterizes the pain of a failed marriage by lamenting, “A divorce is like an amputation; you survive, but there’s less of you”(434). Atwood is correct because no matter how civil people try to be in a divorce, they always end up losing a part of themselves.


MLA Formatting Guidelines

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The MLA (Modern Language Association) has specific formatting rules which primarily encompass three areas: page layout, parenthetical citations, and the “Works Cited” page. In general, MLA is most often used in disciplines within Liberal Arts and Humanities.

Page Layout Sample layout of the first page of your essay:

Write your last name and page number in the header of every page. Set the page margins to one-inch on each side (top, bottom, left, and right). If you have an older editionof Microsoft Word, you might need to use the “page setup” function in order to set the correct margins. Use 12-point, Times New Roman font and regular double-spacing. The title of your essay should be in regular font and center aligned. Do not use bold or italicized print.

Parenthetical CitationsParenthetical citations are in-text source citations. These citations are required when you use a quote or offer very specific paraphrased information.

Citations for quotes of four lines or less include the author’s last name and page number: “Good writing, on the other hand, teaches the learning writer about style, graceful narration, plot development, the creation of believable characters, and truth-telling” (King 341).

You can also refer to the author’s last name as you introduce the quote: As King says, “Good writing, on the other hand, teaches the learning writer about style, graceful narration, plot development, the creation of believable characters, and truth-telling” (341).

Citations for quotes of more than four typed lines also include the author’s last name and page number. However, there are three specific formatting rules for “block quotes”:

Indent the entire quote 1” (two tabs). Do not use quotation marks to enclose the quote. Place the period after the text of the quote and before the parenthetical citation.

When you paraphrase specific information, you must include a parenthetical citation. To paraphrase is to convey the ideas of a writer or researcher in your own words. If you use three or more consecutive words from a source, you must use quotation marks (since you are no longer paraphrasing).As King explains, good writing provides examples of excellent narration, interesting plot, well-drawncharacters, and sophisticated style (341).

If you come across a very lengthy quote that you would like to use portions of in your essay, you must use ellipsis points [ . . . ] to indicate an omission within the quote:“In other words, to read a great book for the first time in one’s maturity is an extraordinary pleasure . . . in maturity one appreciates (or ought to appreciate) many more details and levels and meanings” (Calvino 735-6).

Works Cited Page

Peter Parker Parker 1Leonard English 1ASan Jose State University Date Assignment

Title

Indent one tab (0.5”) to begin each paragraph. Continue with your body paragraphsand double-space throughout the essay.

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An alphabetized “Works Cited” page is required as the last page of your essay whenever you cite anything in a paper. Titles of books, films, journals, magazines, newspapers, and lengthier works are italicized; titles of essays, short stories, articles, poems, etc. are placed in quotation marks. For every entry, list the publication medium (print, web, film, etc.). The second line and beyond of each entry is indented one tab (0.5”).

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ewrt1a reader writing resources

Documents

topic main idea

main idea exercises

authors main idea

questions practice

types of main ideas

implied main ideas

topic sentences

organization exercises