1. WPJ Workshop for Students with Disabilities Part I
Diane DeSmet
English Writing Instructor
SSWD

2. Part I Making the GWAR Choice:
Will it be option 1, English 109W/109M or option 2, the Writing Placement for Juniors(WPJ)?
Self Assessment

3. Part II
Part two will be scheduled with the writing instructor or tutor on a different day.
Write your practice WPJ essays.
Meet with your Tutor/Instructor for feedback.

4. Resources for Students
Writing Across the Curriculum website
Go to: click , Faculty and Staff; click, Writing Across the Curriculum; click, Resources for students; click ,Help with the writing process; at Resources for the Writing Process, click, Purdue Online Writing Lab. Go where you need to go for help.

5. Coping with Writing Anxiety
Focus your energy by rehearsing the task in your head.
Spend a few minutes doing some relaxation exercises.
Use a calming word or mental image to focus on while relaxing.

6. Time Management
Essay #1 (60 minutes for native English speakers/90 minutes for Mli)
Budget time for reading the texts
Budget time for writing the two essays.
Budget time for editing and proofreading the two essays.

7. Reading the five texts
Highlight or underline important ideas or facts.
Annotate the text. Write down opinions, questions, and ideas that arise from the texts.
Look up words that are unknown to gain a better understanding of the reading.

8. Brainstorming and Pre-Writing Strategies
Listing Pros and Cons
Clustering (or mapping)
Ask yourself questions
Free writing

9. Organization
From your pre-writing, develop a plan of action for writing the essay.
Diagramming
Develop a working outline

10. Writing a Thesis Statement
An argumentative thesis statement will tell your audience:
Your claim or assertion
The reasons/evidence that support this claim
The order you will be presenting your reasons
Example: High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness.

11. Writing essay #1
Write unified, developed paragraphs with main ideas that support your thesis.
Reference the reading.
Use ideas from your own experiences, personal observations, or readings .
Address arguments of the other side.
Make your argument first and opposing ideas come right before the conclusion.

12. Details and explanations that give support to your essay
Anecdotal experiences or observations
External facts
Facts from the reading

13. Transitional words and phrases
Some Argumentative Transitions:
CON--- opponents argue that, proponents claim that, apparently, it would seem that, one must admit
PRO---but, however, on the contrary, surely, nevertheless, yet
CONCLUSION– therefore, so, thus, and, therefore, consequently

14. Structure
Determine a structure appropriate for your discussion. Example below
Introduction
Support Point #1
Support Point #2
Support Point #3
Opposition/Refutation Section
Conclusion

15. Use strong transitions.
Writing Strategies
State thesis
in first
or second
paragraph
State your reasons
with evidence
Use strong transitions.
Use your own
language
Know your
audience
Reference the text
Acknowledge,
and/or refute
opposing view
Edit and
proof
read

16. Editing Strategies SEE IT---HEAR IT---TOUCH IT
Read the document and use all three senses.
Look at the text, say it out loud, and touch each word at the same time.
Integrating all 3 senses at the same time makes you much more likely to find more mistakes.

17. Accommodations
Check with SSWD counselor if you need a test accommodation letter.
Accommodations might include…
Testing time
Quiet room/small group appropriate for testing
Reader/Scribe
Adaptive Computer Software/Hardware

18. Part 2: Practice Practice writing essay #1 & #2 Set up a block of time
Begin your “mock” WPJ and complete your essay
Attend your scheduled time with the writing tutor
Participate in the review of your essays.

19. GOOD LUCK

20. Appendix