ENG 101: Freshman Composition The Writing Process ENG 101: Freshman Composition

Writing is a process; it is not a singular act. Instead, effective writing is a procedure with several steps to follow before submitting a final polished product. Just as students accept that there are processes in other educational fields: mathematics, chemistry, biology, music, photography, engineering, automotive repair, computer programming, Web design, and culinary artistry, student-writers must realize that composition (effective writing communication) consists of steps as well.

THE WRITING PROCESS Invention/Pre-Writing – During invention, you decide what to write about and gather information to support or explain what you want to say. Arrangement – During arrangements, you decide how you are going to organize your ideas. Drafting & Revising – During drafting and revising, you write several drafts as you consider your ideas and refine your style and structure. Editing & Proofreading – During editing, you focus on grammar and punctuation as well as on sentence style and word choice. During proofreading, you correct spelling, mechanical errors, and typos and check your essay’s format.

Invention/Pre-Writing During invention, you decide what to write about and gather information to support or explain what you want to say. Understand your assignment: Length, Purpose, Audience, Occasion, and Knowledge. Move from Subject to Topic. Find something to say: Free Write, Brainstorming, Journal Writing, Group Ideas (Clustering), and informal outline. Develop a thesis.

Arrangement During arrangements, you decide what you are going to organize your ideas. Recognize a pattern. Understand parts of the essay. Construct a formal outline.

Drafting & Revising During drafting and revising, you write several drafts as you consider your ideas and refine your style and structure. Write your first draft. Revise your essay Checklist Review Outline Peer Editing Group Instructor Input

Editing During editing, you focus on grammar and punctuation as well as on sentence style and word choice. Grammar Punctuation Sentence Style and Word Choice

Proofreading During proofreading, you correct spelling, mechanical errors, and typos and check your essay’s format. *Be aware of Commonly Confused Words.

Writing is a recursive process As writers move through the composition process, they will not necessarily do so in a mono-directional way. The writing process is not a one-way street. Sometimes, writers will have to repeat a step or a few steps or all of the steps as they proceed toward an effective piece of composition. In life and in other courses, sometimes we have to backtrack to get it correct. If we are in a career we do not enjoy, we go back to school to major in one we would prefer. If we didn't get the reaction in the beaker we were supposed to, we go back through the process and check our notes. If our car doesn't stop after we replace the brake pads, we break everything down and start anew.

By carefully and successfully completing the objectives of each step in this process, writers can construct a document that is clear, coherent, and relatively free of errors. Along the way, they must plan and organize before they write, and they must write multiple drafts -- not just one. Thus, the submitted work represents a culmination of hard work: careful consideration, planning, reworking, and proofreading.

Rhetorical modes (also known as modes of discourse) Rhetorical modes describe the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing. Four of the most common rhetorical modes and their purpose are Narration Description Exposition Argumentation

Rhetorical Strategies Rhetorical strategies are the plan for achieving a specific writing purpose. Narration Description Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect Argument Example Division/Classification Process The Patterns 

Rhetoric Rhetoric is the study of effective thinking, writing, and speaking strategies; the art of persuasion.

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