Reading, Invention and Arrangement From Patterns for College Writing Chapters 1- 3

Reading Read critically Read actively (checklist p.2) Highlight Annotate

Writing Process Invention Arrangement Drafting Revising Editing

Invention (prewriting) Before you start writing: Consider the assignment Explore your subject Decide what you want to say about it

Understanding the Assignment What are you being asked to do? Look for key words: compare, contrast, analyze, describe, summarize, etc. Setting Limits (checklist p. 19) Length (p. 16) Purpose (p. 16-17) Audience (p. 17-18) Occasion (p. 18) Knowledge (p. 18)

Understanding the Assignment LENGTH OF THE PAPER The shorter the essay, the more narrow the topic needs to be A summary of a chapter or article is much shorter than the original; “an analysis of a poem will usually be longer than the poem itself” (16)

Understanding the Assignment PURPOSE To persuade? Analyze? Compare/contrast? Etc. AUDIENCE Group or individual? How much does your audience know about the subject? OCCASION Academic or personal? Journal or formal essay? KNOWLEDGE How much do you know about your subject? What are your opinions about it?

Chap. 2, Exercises 1 & 2 Exercise 1: Decide whether the following topics are appropriate for the given limits. Why or why not? (19). Exercise 2: Consider the different way in which you speak to different people in your life (20).

Moving from Subject to Topic General subjects need to be narrowed to specific topics (see p. 20). Ask yourself questions to help you narrow a topic (see p. 21). Examples: Try to narrow general subjects like “Iraq” or “Fast Food” or “American Idol”

Chap. 2, Exercises 3 & 4 Exercise 3: Are these topics narrow enough for a short essay? (22). Exercise 4: Generate several specific topics from each of the listed general subjects (23).

Forms of Prewriting Generating Ideas Grouping Ideas Freewriting (23-24) Brainstorming (25) Journal Writing (27) Grouping Ideas Clustering (28) Outlining (29)

Understanding Thesis & Support A THESIS is the main idea of your essay. In your introduction, you need to clearly state your thesis, and you need to support it consistently in the body paragraphs. A thesis statement isn’t just stating your essay’s purpose, nor is it a statement of fact (30). See pp. 31 for examples Not necessary to write “My thesis is . . .” (33)

Thesis cont. A thesis statement can’t include all of the points you’re going to discuss in your essay – it should state, as specifically as possible, the overall main point. An effective thesis: Expresses the main idea of the essay Communicates the essay’s purpose Contains clear wording Exercise 8

Chapter 3: Arrangement See the checklist on p. 38 to help you determine they type of essay you are writing. This will help you determine the arrangement, or organization. All essays should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion

The Introduction An introduction should: Introduce your subject Get your readers’ attention Include your thesis statement

The Introduction 8 ways to introduce an essay (39-40) 1). Background information 2). A definition 3). An anecdote or story 4). A question 5). A quotation 6). A surprising statement 7). A contradiction 8). A fact or statistic

The Body Paragraphs Develops & supports your thesis Each body paragraph should be: Unified Coherent Well-developed

Body Paragraphs: Unity Unity means that all of the ideas are related. Each sentence should relate to the main idea of the paragraph (41). Use topic sentences to state the main idea of a paragraph (usually the first sentence in a body paragraph)

Body Paragraphs: Coherence If a paragraph is coherent, it means that it makes sense . . . “its sentences are smoothly and logically connected to one another” (42). 3 Techniques to achieve coherence: Repeat key words Use pronouns to refer to key nouns from the Previous sentence Use transitions (see p. 43)

Body Paragraphs: Development A well-developed paragraph contains examples, reasons, etc. that help support the main idea (thesis) of the essay Types of support (see p. 44) Effective support (see p. 44)

The Conclusion Should briefly reinforce your main idea (thesis and purpose) Avoid the phrase “In conclusion” (46). 4 ways to conclude an essay: 1). Review your key points; restate your thesis 2). Recommend a course of action 3). Make a prediction 4). End with a “relevant quotation” (47)

Constructing an Outline A formal outline is detailed, provides you with an exact order, specific information that you want to include Writing an outline provides you with a good chance to see whether all of your ideas work together and are well-supported See example on p. 48