(almost) Everything you wanted to know about writing (but were afraid to ask)
What is writing? Student Responses:
What is writing? Personal expression Personal expression Creative expression Creative expression Communication of ideas Communication of ideas Participation in a dialogue Participation in a dialogue Means of influence Means of influence Leaving a legacy Leaving a legacy Standard for fact or truth Standard for fact or truth Binding contract Binding contract
Why do we write? Student Responses:
Why do we write? Creative Outlet Creative Outlet Personal Catharsis Personal Catharsis Exploration and processing of ideas Exploration and processing of ideas Engage in the academic dialogue Engage in the academic dialogue To influence and persuade To influence and persuade To leave a legacy or history To leave a legacy or history
What does writing do? Student Responses:
Worldview What does writing do? Discourse Model WriterReader TEXT IdeasWorldview Ideas
How to Write Writing Process: Prewriting Prewriting Drafting Drafting Revising Revising Editing Editing Presenting Presenting
How to Write Prewriting: Exploration of ideas and possibilities Exploration of ideas and possibilities Research Research Note-taking Note-taking Outlining Outlining Deciding what to say and how to say it Deciding what to say and how to say it
How to Write Drafting: The Extremely Rough Draft: The Extremely Rough Draft: –Get the ideas onto paper –Don’t worry about structure or mechanics Rescue & Recovery: Rescue & Recovery: –Find the ideas and sentences worth saving –Leave behind the lost causes
How to Write Drafting: Abstract Summary: Abstract Summary: What are you really trying to say?
How to Write Revising (overview): Goal: Ideas = Words Goal: Ideas = Words Use salvaged material from The Extremely Rough Draft Use salvaged material from The Extremely Rough Draft Add structure and organization Add structure and organization Get feedback from others Get feedback from others Does what they read = what you are saying?
How to Write Revising (Thesis Statement): Must be a persuasive statement Must be a persuasive statement Hard Thesis Hard Thesis Soft Thesis Soft Thesis Complex Split Complex Split
How to Write Revising (Supporting Points): Use appeals to Logos, Ethos, and Pathos Use appeals to Logos, Ethos, and Pathos Use Rhetorical Devices Use Rhetorical Devices Avoid Fallacies Avoid Fallacies BE SPECIFIC BE SPECIFIC
How to Write Revising (Introduction): Start strong – first verb must be active voice Start strong – first verb must be active voice Be clever and sophisticated Be clever and sophisticated Don’t be cute or gimmicky Don’t be cute or gimmicky See handout for ideas See handout for ideas
How to Write Revising (Conclusion): Link, Restated Thesis, Twist Link, Restated Thesis, Twist Answer the question: “So What?” Answer the question: “So What?” Never introduce new information. Never introduce new information.
How to Write Revising: Write and rewrite until you get it right. Write and rewrite until you get it right. Goal: Ideas = Words on the page Goal: Ideas = Words on the page
How to Write Editing: Apply the finishing touches Apply the finishing touches Clean up silly mistakes Clean up silly mistakes –Refer to style manuals for help –Be sure that spelling and mechanics do not distract from your content. Take out unnecessary “fluff” Take out unnecessary “fluff”
How to Write Presenting: Submit a work of which you are proud Submit a work of which you are proud