(almost) (almost) Everything Everything you wanted to know you wanted to know

about writingabout writing(but were afraid to ask)(but were afraid to ask)

What is writing?What is writing?

Student Responses:Student Responses:

What is writing?What is writing?

• Personal expressionPersonal expression• Creative expressionCreative expression• Communication of ideasCommunication of ideas• Participation in a dialogueParticipation in a dialogue• Means of influenceMeans of influence• Leaving a legacyLeaving a legacy• Standard for fact or truthStandard for fact or truth• Binding contractBinding contract

Why do we write?Why do we write?

Student Responses:Student Responses:

Why do we write?Why do we write?

• Creative OutletCreative Outlet

• Personal CatharsisPersonal Catharsis

• Exploration and processing of ideasExploration and processing of ideas

• Engage in the academic dialogueEngage in the academic dialogue

• To influence and persuadeTo influence and persuade

• To leave a legacy or historyTo leave a legacy or history

What does writing do?What does writing do?

Student Responses:Student Responses:

Worldview

What does writing do?What does writing do?

Discourse ModelDiscourse Model

WriterWriter ReaderReader

TEXT IdeasWorldview Ideas

How to WriteHow to Write

Writing Process:Writing Process:

• PrewritingPrewriting

• DraftingDrafting

• RevisingRevising

• EditingEditing

• PresentingPresenting

How to WriteHow to Write

Prewriting:Prewriting:

• Exploration of ideas and possibilitiesExploration of ideas and possibilities

• ResearchResearch

• Note-taking Note-taking

• OutliningOutlining

• Deciding what to say and how to say Deciding what to say and how to say itit

How to WriteHow to Write

Drafting:Drafting:

• The Extremely Rough Draft:The Extremely Rough Draft:– Get the ideas onto paperGet the ideas onto paper– Don’t worry about structure or mechanicsDon’t worry about structure or mechanics

• Rescue & Recovery:Rescue & Recovery:– Find the ideas and sentences worth savingFind the ideas and sentences worth saving– Leave behind the lost causesLeave behind the lost causes

How to WriteHow to Write

Drafting:Drafting:

• Abstract Summary:Abstract Summary:

What are you really trying to say?What are you really trying to say?

How to WriteHow to Write

Revising (overview):Revising (overview):

• Goal: Ideas = WordsGoal: Ideas = Words

• Use salvaged material from The Use salvaged material from The Extremely Rough DraftExtremely Rough Draft

• Add structure and organizationAdd structure and organization

• Get feedback from othersGet feedback from others

Does what they read = what you are Does what they read = what you are saying?saying?

How to WriteHow to Write

Revising (Thesis Statement):Revising (Thesis Statement):

• Must be a persuasive statementMust be a persuasive statement

• Hard ThesisHard Thesis

• Soft ThesisSoft Thesis

• Complex SplitComplex Split

How to WriteHow to Write

Revising (Supporting Points):Revising (Supporting Points):

• Use appeals to Logos, Ethos, and Use appeals to Logos, Ethos, and PathosPathos

• Use Rhetorical DevicesUse Rhetorical Devices

• Avoid FallaciesAvoid Fallacies

• BE SPECIFICBE SPECIFIC

How to WriteHow to Write

Revising (Introduction):Revising (Introduction):

• Start strong – first verb must be active Start strong – first verb must be active voicevoice

• Be clever and sophisticatedBe clever and sophisticated

• Don’t be cute or gimmickyDon’t be cute or gimmicky

• See handout for ideasSee handout for ideas

How to WriteHow to Write

Revising (Conclusion):Revising (Conclusion):

• Link, Restated Thesis, TwistLink, Restated Thesis, Twist

• Answer the question: “So What?”Answer the question: “So What?”

• Never introduce new information.Never introduce new information.

How to WriteHow to Write

Revising:Revising:

• Write and rewrite until you get it right.Write and rewrite until you get it right.

• Goal: Ideas = Words on the pageGoal: Ideas = Words on the page

How to WriteHow to Write

Editing:Editing:

• Apply the finishing touchesApply the finishing touches

• Clean up silly mistakesClean up silly mistakes– Refer to style manuals for helpRefer to style manuals for help– Be sure that spelling and mechanics do Be sure that spelling and mechanics do

not distract from your content.not distract from your content.

• Take out unnecessary “fluff”Take out unnecessary “fluff”

How to WriteHow to Write

Presenting:Presenting:

• Submit a work of which you are Submit a work of which you are proudproud