Chapter 9 Writing Effectively College writing skills Types of writing assignments Assignment considerations Prewriting techniques Paragraphs, essays, research papers, and portfolios Avoiding plagiarism Getting help Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 9 Objectives Upon completion of this chapter, students will be able to Understand that writing well is a necessary skill for success. Identify the types of writing that will be expected in college. Know what professors expect in students’ writing. Understand the steps to writing an effective essay. Define “plagiarism” and understand how to avoid it. Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

College Writing Skills Fulfillment of the assignment Main idea or point Clear organization Focused paragraphs Concrete, specific details Neat presentation Grammatical sentences Correct spelling Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Types of Writing Assignments Summary Evaluation Synthesis Description Analysis Comparison/contrast Argument Reflection Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Assignment Considerations Audience Purpose Length Sources Documentation style Other Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prewriting Techniques Freewriting Clustering Brainstorming Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paragraphs Choose appropriate details. Organize details. Create a topic sentence. Provide transitions within the paragraph to move from one detail to the next. Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Essays Title Introduction Thesis Body paragraphs Conclusion Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Research Papers Contain same parts as an essay. Include outside sources. Are usually longer than an essay. Include documentation style. Include a “works cited” or “references” page. Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Portfolios Are a collection of writing. Are usually used to demonstrate the writing process. Allow students to demonstrate improvement in writing skills or progress in a course. Are usually graded as a whole. Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism is the use of another’s words or ideas without proper acknowledgment. Do not buy or download a paper from the Internet. Do not cut and paste material from an Internet or print source. Do not ask someone to write a paper for you. Do not borrow a paper and turn it in as your own. Ask your professor if you are unsure about how to avoid plagiarism. Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Getting Help Ask your instructor for help first. Plan ahead. Use the college’s writing center. Avoid allowing someone to write sentences or provide details for you. Avoid allowing someone to edit or correct spelling and grammar for you. Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 9 Review What have you learned about…? College writing skills Types of writing assignments Assignment considerations Prewriting techniques Paragraphs, essays, research papers, and portfolios Avoiding plagiarism Getting help Baldwin The Community College Experience Copyright ©2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.