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THE PROCESS OF WRITING(PART ONE)

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STEPS OF THE WRITINGPROCESS

1. Generating Some Ideas (Prewriting)

2. Writing a Draft (Recording)

3. Strengthening Your Draft (Rewriting)

4. Polishing Your Draft (Editing)

5. Proofreading Your Draft (Finishing)

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STAGE 1:GENERATING SOME IDEAS

There are several prewritingexercises/techniques you can use togenerate ideas. Examples:

Talkingtalk to a classmate, friend, orprofessor about your topic.

Listingtry writing down a list of wordsor phrases you associate with the topic.

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An example of the listing method:Subject: Soup

chicken medicinal properties soup recipes Dinner

water quality and its effect on flavor of soup web site for soup Cultures Mediterranean soup with lamb intestines vegetable soups soup spots on clothing

certain cities o.k. for men eating soup to sling necktie over shoulder soup etiquette side or point of spoon in mouth stone soup children's story

Lets look at the example of listing on page 39

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STEP 1: GENERATING IDEAS CONTINUED

Clustering or mappingthis is likelisting but provides visual connections

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STEP 1: GENERATING IDEAS CONTINUED Freewritingjust start writing without

worrying about grammar or organization.Then, go through and underline ideas youwant to explore further. Example:

freewriting. don't know. don't know. this is harder than Ithought it would be. worried. what if I don't have anyideas to bring out. the writer's perpetual concern--lackof ideas. Cliches. wonder how they got started? hadmeaning at one time. say "every dog has his day" now

and people will jump at you for using sexist language.don't know. don't know. don't know. don't know. hearthe timer ticking. time. so much to do and so little timeto do it in.

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STEP 1: GENERATING IDEAS CONTINUED Readinggo online or to the library and start

to read about the topic. This will help youcome up with your own ideas about the topic.

*BUTdo not use another persons ideas withoutciting your source. Even if you paraphrase, ordont use a direct quote, you have to use onlyyour own ideas or tell the reader where you got

your information.

Mixingyou can also use multiple techniquesand mix them togetherwhatever works for

you.

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STAGE 2:WRITING A DRAFT

Once you have finished prewriting, youshould begin with your THESISSTATEMENT.

YOUR THESIS STATEMENTINTRODUCES YOUR IDEAS ONYOUR TOPIC.

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The more specific your thesis is,the better!

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YOUR THESIS STATEMENT:

It should give your reader a clear idea ofwhat your paper will be about andwhatpoint of viewyou will be expressing.

It should notbe a simple factit mustcontain an opinion that the essay develops.

The best thesis is one that is not obviousotherwise, why would the reader want to

keep reading?

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If your thesis is an opinion,then it is

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YOUR THESIS STATEMENT: Your thesis should be arguableyou should

be able to prove your thesis in the length ofyour paper. For example, dont take on a

subject that is too big or complicated for thelength of your paper.

Lets look at the thesis statements on pgs. 42-43

Lets talk about the thesis exercises on pg. 43

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Lets go over some thesis donts

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THESIS DONTS

DONT ASK A QUESTION IN YOURTHESISA question does not state a point ofview.

DONT LIST THE PARTS OF YOURESSAY IN YOUR THESISOrganize yourideas well so that readers understand how thepoints you make prove your thesis.

DONT USE VAGUE TERMS TO EXPRESSYOUR VIEW OF SOMETHINGTheseterms include saying something is simply goodor bad. Use precise language.

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STEP 2: WRITING A DRAFT,CONTINUED

ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR THESISSTATEMENT, YOU WANT TO WORK ON

ORGANIZING YOUR IDEAS

*Find 3 to 4 main points in your free

writing that will best support yourthesis.

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You dont want your ideas to be likethis:

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FOUR GENERAL WAYS TOORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

1. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDERthis isused most frequently in narrative essays.This is the order an event or a process

occurred in.

2. SPATIAL ORDERIf you aredescribing something like a place, youdescribe one location, then another.

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FOUR GENERAL WAYS TOORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

3. GENERAL TO SPECIFICWhen writing anessay that classifies material or uses examples,you might want to organize it by presentingyour most general material first and then

moving to your most specific.

4. ORDER OF IMPORTANCEfrom leastimportant to most OR vice versa. Generally,you should save your most convincing piece ofevidence for last.

Lets look at Strategies for Getting Started p. 45