CRAFT METHOD CRAFT is an acronym for the rhetorical concepts that should be kept in mind in order to create effective contextualized prompts. This will help to create assignments that are easier for your students to understand and easier for you to grade. Remember, the stronger assignment you create, the stronger writing you will receive from your students.

Context The situation for which you are writing Role The voice with which you are writing Audience The person or people for which you are writing Format The type of writing you are producing For example: speech, article, letter… Topic The subject matter on which you are writing

Try and pick out each part of CRAFT in this prompt What is good writing? If we want to be successful writers, we must first identify what good writing is. As a writer, define for your classmates what you believe makes the process and product of writing interesting, intriguing and worth while.

CRAFTCRAFT What is good writing? If we want to be successful writers, we must first identify what good writing is. As a writer, define in a two page essay for your classmates what you believe makes the process and product of writing interesting, intriguing and worth while.

Assessing Your Writing For each essay that you write in this class, I will use the rubric for the tenth grade writing test to determine your grade. The rubric has two parts: –Content –Conventions

Content Section of the Rubric Focus - the topic/subject established by the writer in response to the writing task. Organization - the progression, relatedness, and completeness of ideas.

Content Section Cont. Support and Elaboration - the extension and development of the topic/subject. – relatedness - the directness of the relationship that the writer establishes between the support and elaboration and the topic/subject. – sufficiency - the specificity and effectiveness of the support and elaboration provided. Style - the control of language that is appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context of the writing task.

Conventions Section of the Rubric Conventions involve correctness in sentence formation, usage, and mechanics. Errors, if present, should not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the ideas conveyed. Think clarity rather than focusing on minor errors.

The Context for Writing Four factors influence a writer: audience purposeauthor subject

Paragraph Sandwich Paragraph: A group of sentences dealing with a particular idea Metaphor: a sandwich, like a paragraph, contains several parts that work together to form one taste or one idea.

Bread: Top Slice/ Topic Sentence The top slice of bread keeps the sandwich together Topic Sentence-Usually first in paragraph. States the main idea of the paragraph. Example: Paragraphs are similar to sandwiches.

Condiments/ Restrictive Statement Mustard and mayonnaise make the bread taste better. Restrictive Statement-Clarifies the topic sentence. Example: While good sandwiches contain several items that work together, paragraphs consist of several parts that convey a single idea.

Meat/Details Meat provides the substance of the sandwich. Details provide the substance of a paragraph. Make sure details are meaty, clear and specific. Example: Good sandwiches include bread, condiments, a lot of meat, and some cheese. Good paragraphs include topic sentences, restrictive statements, details, explanations, and clinchers.

Cheese/Explanation Cheese makes the meat taste better. Explanations make details more clear and meaningful to the reader. Example: While each of the parts works individually, it also works with the other parts to create a unified item-either a sandwich or a paragraph.

Bottom Bread/ Clincher The bottom piece of bread keeps the sandwich together. A clincher is the final statement of a paragraph. It closes up the paragraph and leads into the next paragraph. Example: Much like the paragraphs they represent, good sandwiches should be thick with details and clearly enjoyable to all readers.

Paragraphs are similar to sandwiches. While good sandwiches contain several items that work together, paragraphs consist of several parts that convey a single idea. Good sandwiches include bread, condiments, a lot of meat, and some cheese. Good paragraphs include topic sentences, restrictive statements, details, explanations, and clinchers. While each of the parts works individually, it also works with the other parts to create a unified item-either a sandwich or a paragraph. Much like the paragraphs they represent, good sandwiches should be thick with details and clearly enjoyable to all readers.

Definition Essays Purpose of definition essay: to inform (sometimes to clarify or entertain). Strategies for writing Definition Essays