1. Three Phases of Effective Writing

2. The Writing Process: Three Phases
Get ready to write
Write the first draft
Revise your draft
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3. Getting Ready to Write Step 1: List and schedule writing tasks
Break project into smaller tasks
Estimate time for each step
Start with due date and work backward
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4. Getting Ready to Write Step 2: Generate ideas Brainstorm with a group
Speak it
Use free writing
Write without stopping
Let your ideas flow
Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, or grammar
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5. Getting Ready to Write Step 3: Refine initial ideas
Select a topic and a working title
Don’t get stuck—you can change it later
Don’t select too broad a topic
Write a thesis statement
Make an assertion or describe an action
Use a complete sentence
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6. Getting Ready to Write Step 4: Consider your purpose
To make your audience think differently:
Make your writing clear and logical
Support your assertions with evidence
To make your audience feel differently:
Consider crafting a story
To make your audience take an action:
Explain what steps to take
Offer solid benefits for doing so
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7. Getting Ready to Write Step 5: Do initial research Step 6: Outline
Get an overview of the subject
Step 6: Outline
Brainstorm ideas on 3 by 5 cards
Group cards into category stacks
Arrange stacks and cards in logical order
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8. Getting Ready to Write Step 7: Do in-depth research
Use techniques in Chapters 4 and 5
Use 3 by 5 cards
Write one idea per card
Always include source information
Sense when to begin writing
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9. Writing the First Draft
Remember: The first draft is not for keeps
Write freely
Be yourself
Let your inner writer take over
Ease into it
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10. Writing the First Draft
Make writing a habit
Respect your deep mind
Get physical
Use affirmations and visualizations
Hide it in your drawer for a while
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11. Revising Your Draft Step 1: Cut
Cut passages that don’t contribute to your purpose
Look for excess baggage
Make larger cuts first: sections, chapters, pages
Then make smaller cuts: paragraphs, sentences, phrases, words
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12. Revising Your Draft Step 2: Paste Examine what’s left after cutting
Look for missing transitions and connecting ideas
Look for consistency within paragraphs
Look for consistency between paragraphs and sections
Reorder your ideas logically
Imaging cutting your paper up with scissors and pasting passages down in a new order
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13. Revising Your Draft Step 3: Fix Examine individual words and phrases
Rely on nouns and verbs
Use the active voice
Don’t be verbose or vague
Define terms readers may not know
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14. Revising Your Draft Step 4: Prepare Know the required formats
Margins
Title page
Notes and bibliographies
Use quality paper
Bind your paper with a cover
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15. Revising Your Draft Step 5: Proof Check spelling and grammar Look for:
Clear thesis statement
Guidepost sentences
Supporting details
Lean sentences
Action verbs, specific nouns
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16. What is plagiarism?
Using another person’s words or pictures without giving proper credit.
Plagiarism can cost you your grade and may result in expulsion from school.
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17. For more information, consult the Modern Language Association.
Avoiding Plagiarism
Use quotation marks for direct quotes, and document the source
Paraphrase properly, and credit as you would for a direct quote
For more information, consult the Modern Language Association.
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