English II

The most important and first step to the writing process is prompt analysis. Analysis is breaking something down in small parts to understand the whole. Important Because: Know what you’re writing about. Know how you will write. Must be focused to be successful!

When you first receive a prompt, close read it. Identify and circle or underline key words and then write a statement of purpose. Sample Prompt on next slide. Copy it down and underline the key words that help you understand what you are writing and how you will write.

The preservation of the environment has been an important consideration for legislation for centuries. Think about the importance of preserving the environment. Now write an essay that persuades local legislators (law makers) whether or not it is important to preserve the environment.

The preservation of the environment has been an important consideration for legislation for centuries. Think about the importance of preserving the environment. Now write an essay that persuades local legislators (law makers) whether or not it is important to preserve the environment.

Based on your close read prompt, write a statement of purpose. Start with: I will…

I will write an essay that persuades local law makers that preserving the environment is important. OR I will write an essay that persuades local law makers to believe that preserving the environment is not important.

Some prompts ask that you choose a side. If you are asked to, you MUST choose a side. The example prompt we just used asks you to do just that – do not try to argue both sides.

Prewriting is essentially the same as planning, except it is more involved. Expect to spend of the 60 minutes you have to write on prewriting. It sounds like a lot, but prewriting vastly improves your writing and makes writing a lot easier.

How to prewrite: After analyzing the prompt and writing a statement of purpose, you will brainstorm solid reasons to support your purpose. For example, the previous purpose was: to write an essay that persuades local law makers that preserving the environment is important.

Before you write, you MUST think. Consider some reasons why it is important to save the environment. You should think of 6-8 reasons. Write the first 6-8 things that come to mind. This sounds like a lot of reasons, but we will narrow them down to the BEST reasons.

1. Saves money 2. Prevents global warming 3. Saves animals 4. Keeps the air clean 5. Keeps the water clean 6. Prevents spread of disease 7. Creates jobs 8. Natural environments are preferred 9. Prevents wastefulness

Consider your audience (law makers). Which of these will be the most persuasive? 1. Saves money 2. Prevents global warming 3. Saves animals 4. Keeps the air clean 5. Keeps the water clean 6. Prevents spread of disease 7. Creates jobs 8. Natural environments are preferred 9. Prevents wastefulness

Consider your audience (law makers). Which of these will be the most persuasive? Select top Saves money 2. Prevents global warming 3. Saves animals 4. Keeps the air clean 5. Keeps the water clean 6. Prevents spread of disease 7. Creates jobs 8. Natural environments are preferred 9. Prevents wastefulness

Now that you have your top four reasons, you must find the common bond between them to write your thesis. Thesis statements should not list your reasons, like so: If I were to choose a pet, I would choose a dog because they are fun, they teach responsibility, and they help us. These thesis statements are immature and no longer appropriate.

To write a strong thesis, think of the common bond of your four best reasons: 1. Saves money 2. Prevents global warming 3. Saves animals 4. Keeps the air clean 5. Keeps the water clean 6. Prevents spread of disease 7. Creates jobs 8. Natural environments are preferred 9. Prevents wastefulness What do these four ideas have in common? What do they all seem to relate to?

These four ideas mostly relate to productivity and monetary gain. As such, you should use that in your thesis. Recall your statement of purpose to write your thesis statement. The environment should be protected in order to increase productivity and monetary gains. (a strong thesis statement answers the question precisely and concisely).

After writing your thesis, you are NOT done prewriting. Now you must write 3-4 topic sentences based on your thesis. Use the 3-4 reasons to write these topic sentences. Think of topic sentences as mini thesis statements for each paragraph.

1. Saves money 2. Prevents global warming 3. Creates jobs 4. Prevents wastefulness TS 1: One way that protecting the environment is productive is because it saves money. TS 2: In addition to saving money, environmental protection prevents global warming. TS 3: Since protecting the environment will require people to perform specific tasks, it also creates jobs. TS 4: Along with creating jobs, preventing wastefulness in the environment and recycling goods increases monetary gains. Notice the absence of cheesy transitions like “first, second, third” Try to use transitional phrases, instead.

To review, the prewriting process includes: 1. Prompt Analysis 2. Statement of Purpose 3. Coming up with 6-8 Reasons 4. Narrowing those Reasons to top Writing a solid, concise thesis statement. 6. Using your 3-4 reasons to write topic sentences.

When writing an introduction, it should start with a broad topic and narrow into your concise, thesis statement. In the case of the environment essay, start by describing the current condition of the environment. It helps to refer to the background information in the prompt to help provide the background information for your essay.

Sample Introduction: Environmental protection is one of many important political issues. There are several perspectives about this concern along with ongoing debates as to why saving the environment is important. As legislators discuss this issue, they should be aware that the environment should be protected in order to increase productivity and monetary gains.

Make sure your intro:  Provides broad, background information.  Uses the information from the prompt as a basis  Becomes more narrow and specific as you write  Has a solid, concise thesis statement

Body paragraphs are the most important part of your essay. Each body paragraph should deal with a different reason that supports your thesis.

After your topic sentence, you should use either of the following:  Concrete fact  Illustrative anecdote/scenario Along with these, you should provide reasoning and details to clarify your evidence/support. The last thing you should include in a body paragraph is a conclusive statement.

One way that protecting the environment is productive is because it saves money. For instance, companies spend a huge amount of their allocations on supplies like paper goods and other workplace needs. If efforts were made to save the environment, businesses would be forced to use sustainable products and resort to electronic communication, instead. If businesses were to focus on sustainability, their productivity would go up due to hassling less with paperwork and ordering new supplies. In this scenario, money is not only saved, but also perhaps due to higher productivity, more money is earned as a result safeguarding the environment. Topic Sentence / Example / Clarification and Details/ Conclusive statement

Remember to include:  Topic Sentence  Example  Clarification/Details  Conclusive Statement

Conclusions are very simple. You must restate your overall topic and your thesis (in other words) and project to the future or indicate the relevance of the issue.

While there are many reasons to save the environment, productivity and monetary gains are the most important for legislators to consider. If action is not taken to protect our natural resources and seek alternatives for daily needs, the negative consequences will severally hamper daily life.

 Be sure that it:  Restates your topic and thesis (in other words)  Projects to the future OR  Indicates or reemphasizes the relevance of the topic.