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Writing

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4 Stages of Writing Prewriting: Writing down ideas in whatever form that works to get your ideas down on paper Drafting: Write in sentences the ideas you want to communicatedevelop/expand and link ideas together. This is a preliminary stage of exploration and discovery Revision: Take a closer look at the organization, structure and logic of the draft and rethink, refine, develop, reshape and/or rewritemeaning you should delete, expand and/or clarify your ideas Editing/Proofreading: examine ideas, details, grammar and mechanics (like punctuation) for accuracy and clarity

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Things to Note for a Well-Written Piece Grammar and Mechanics Style Focus and Organization Content

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1. Grammar and Mechanics The few errors that are present do not undermine the overall effectiveness of the writing

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Common Grammar Errors Subject-verb agreement Fragment Comma splice/fused sentences Commas Run-ons Modifiers Pronouns Pronoun reference/agreement Parallel structure Idioms/jargons

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Basic Grammar Text Ruvinsky, Maxine. (2009). Practical Grammar. 2 nd ed. Toronto: OUP Note: you can use any grammar book. You dont have to buy one

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2. Style Diction is tailored to the audience and purpose There is an effective and consistent use of a range of sentence types, including subordinators and modifiers Writing is concise and readable

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Things to Note Voice make sure the tone of the writing is in accordance with its content Do not use out-of-place colloquialism/idioms we use this type of expression for informal talk/writing, but we should avoid them in formal writing (e.g., I was an awfully good runner when I was young should be I was a good runner when I was young; You cant have your cake and eat it too! should be)

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Formal Writing Do not write the way we speak (unstructured). When we talk, our thoughts are spoken without any systemized order. Writing is the opposite. It has to be focused, organized and structured Also it differs from Informal standard (for memos, speeches, letters, newspapers, newsletters, emails), and Professional English (for emails, presentations, manuals, professional reports, proposals)

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3. Focus and Organization Responds to the topic in a thoughtful/ meaningful way Main idea (thesis) is focused and clear, and the points are well organized Paragraphs are fully developed

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4. Content The evidence is consistently, critically, accurately and thoughtfully interpreted and analyzed

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A Checklist Are there a topic sentence and a concluding sentence for each paragraph Are supporting details/examples logical and clear? Are transition words used? Do I have varied sentence lengths? Is there a bias in language? Is there any idiom or jargon used? Am I using the right voice?

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6 Different types of Writing

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1. Narrative as a major writing strategy Tells a story/event that has occurred or recounts action for a purpose in the first (I) person or third person Answers the six basic questions: who, where, when, what, why and how The purpose can be to reflect, inform, explain or to persuade ( Dietch, 2006, p. 122)

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2. Descriptive Uses sensory details to leave an impression about the central idea Use specific nouns and strong verbs Organize details in a spatial and/or chronological order Can be used to provide solid supporting details for the thesis

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3a. Process A step-by-step, chronological and/or logical explanation of how something happens or is done in a specific order Ask yourself if the steps are presented in appropriate order and developed in enough detail

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3b. Illustration (examples) Selecting the right kind of examples is the key Make sure relevant examples are used to support the thesis The number of examples needed will depend on the topic and the thesis

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4. Compare and Contrast Comparison/Contrast is used for assessment purposes to show why someone or something is superior to another to persuade, inform, and/or present a new perspective

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Compare and Contrast If similarities are predominant, use them to focus on the differences, and vice versa Dont compare/contrast the too obvious, avoid common expressions, and dont draw hasty generalizations There are two ways to compare/contrast

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Point-by-Point Blocking Main Point 1: A and B Main Point 2: A and B Main Point 3: A and B A: Points 1, 2 and 3 B: Points 1, 2 and 3 Note: Points for A and B have the same topic

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5. Cause and Effect Explains WHY One cause can produce many effects One effect can be the result of many causes Look for all the possible explanations, like pre-existing conditions and all the possibilities

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Cause and Effect Dont confuse and/or mix up causes and effects Just because something happened in a certain order does not mean chronology is the causation Dont make hasty generalizations or illogical inferences

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6. Argument/Persuasion Rationally/logically structured evidence is presented Appeals to logic (facts), ethics (a set of moral values) and/or emotion (feelings) Has four basic parts 1. Thesis 2. Objection 3. Proof/evidence 4. conclusion

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Argument/Persuasion Logical appeal (facts, authorities, statistics and personal experience) should dominate, but a right dose of ethical appeal sprinkled with emotional appeal can be highly effective Know the common fallacies and avoid them NEVER contradict yourself

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Sources Dietsch, Betty Mattix, Sauer, Laura, & Levering, Andrea. (2006). Reasoning and Writing Well: A Rhetoric Research Guide, Reader and Handbook. (Canadian ed.)Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Reinking, J.A., von der Osten, R., Cairns, S.A., & Fleming, R. (2010). Strategies for Successful Writing. (4th Canadian ed). Toronto: Pearson