Keys to Effective Writing

Keys to Effective Writing

Dr. Theresa Jiinling Tseng 5/23/08

China Medical University

What is Effective Writing?

• It has_______________________• It doesn’t

have________________________• It is ________________________• It isn’t ______________________

The Four Keys to Effective Writing: U.S.C. SS.

• Unity: Have a clear point• Support: Support the point with

enough, specific, relevant details• Coherence: Provide transitions• Sentence Skills: Check your

grammar and mechanics for accuracy

Unity: The First Key to Effective Writing

• It has a clear main point or central idea (topic sentence, thesis statement). “What’s your point?” Or “What’s your main idea?”

• To have unity: You need to develop a single point and stick to that point. All the details in your writing are related to that point.

The Main Point in a Paragraph: Topic

SentenceTopic sentence: A topic (what) + a controlling idea (what

about it, a comment)Examples: • My after-school job has been an

invaluable part of my life this year. • The traffic in Taipei often makes me dizzy.

Topic Sentence Practice

• ______________________. It never starts in cold weather. It often stalls at the traffic light. The horn and the left turn signal don’t work properly. Its headlight is broken. Even a thief would not be interested in stealing this motorcycle.

Evaluating Writing for Unity

• You ask: Are all the details relevant to the topic sentence/main idea?

• Practice: Which sentence is irrelevant? (Ex 1.)

Which sentence is irrelevant?

There are several reasons why we need to go to graduate schools.

• ______People with master’s degrees usually earn more money than college graduates.

• ______People with master’s degrees have greater self-esteem and more confidence

• ______Graduate students may develop a deeper understanding of the subject they study.

• ______Attending graduate school can be a big burden to the student’s parents.

Common Problems in Writing Topic

Sentences• Announcements

The subject of this paper will be my brother.

• Too broad/general My brother has been very influential. The Internet has changed the world.

Common Problems in Writing Topic

Sentences• Too Narrow

My brother is the only male child my parents have.

I was born in Taipei. • More than one idea

My brother is spoiled in many ways, although he is quite mature in many other ways.

What’s the difference between A and B?

T.S.: Many people in the theater show themselves to be inconsiderate.

A. They make noises and create disturbances at their seat in the theater.

B. Little kids race up and down the aisles, usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen. Adults comment loudly on the ages of the stars or why movies aren’t as good anymore.

Effective Support: The Second Key to Effective

Writing

How to Make Your Support Effective• 1. Need to be Specific• 2. Need to have enough details• 3. Need to be relevant to the topic

Making Sentences Specific

• Use exact names/numbers– She bought an expensive bag.– Judy spent $50,000 for a 2008 LV.

• Use lively verbs– The flag moved in the breeze.– The flag fluttered in the breeze

Making Sentences Specific

• Use descriptive words before nouns. – An old man lifted the box. – A weak, gray-haired old man strained

to lift the heavy wooden crate.

Making Sentences Specific: Use Words Relate to 5

Senses • The autumn there is colorful. In Vermont, the red autumn leaves forms a

sharp contrast to the blue sky. (sight)

• The noise from the fire alarm woke me up.The non-stop, high-pitched beeping from

the fire woke me up. ________

Making Sentences Specific: Use Words Relate to 5

Senses• The bread and milk were not fresh.The bread was stale and the milk

was sour. _______• The kitten’s fur felt good.The kitten’s fur felt like velvet.

_______

Use Words Relate to 5 Senses

• The bakery smelled wonderful.The aroma of freshly baked bread wa

s in the air when I passed by the bakery. ____

• You Try: The dinner was a disaster.____________________________

Which passage is specific?

The cat is sick.a. She didn’t look lively at all, and

she showed symptoms of being sick. She was clearly not herself. She seemed to be getting worse, and she had trouble breathing.

Which passage is specific?

The cat is sick. • b. She curled up in a corner and

wouldn’t move for several days. Her eyes were dull and lifeless; her once-shiny coat was matted and dirty. Then She began breathing with a harsh, labored sound.

Coherence: The 3rd Key to Effective Writing• If you organize and connect the

specific evidence, you have coherence.

• Usually, you need to use transition words.

Useful Transitions• Additional signals: first, one,

moreover, next, furthermore• Time signals: first, then, next,

after, while• Space signals: next to, across, on

the opposite side, to the right, below

Useful Transitions• Change-of-direction signals: but, however,

yet, although, on the other hand• Illustration signals: for example, specificall

y, such as• Conclusion signals: therefore, consequentl

y, thus, then, as a result, in summary, to conclude, finally

The 4th Key to Effective Writing: Sentence Skills

• Grammatical Accuracy: e.g., – S/V: Your neighbor are very noisy. – Fragment: After I learned the price of ne

w motorcycles. I decided to keep my old Kwang Young.

– Run-on: The girls are beautiful, the boys are handsome.

Some Common Word-choice Problems

• The movie touches me. I was …• I like terrible movies. • The story let me cry. The story let us feel

funny. • Students read for grades.• Our education only teaches us how to

remember textbooks. • Don’t do anything without my promise.• It spent us ten hours to record the music.• We have to do anything by ourselves.

You May Write Effectively if you

know…• Your audience• Your purpose• How to apply U. S. C. SS.

Thank you !