Writing Process, Paragraphs and Compositions Exam Flashcards
Writing Process
is a series of actions taken by writers to move from an idea to a finished product.
Steps of the writing process
-prewriting
-drafting
-revising
-editing
-publish
prompt
set of instructions that tells you the information your essay should contain
Its important to read the prompt in its entirety and
answer all parts
The prompt can be made up of 1 to 3
sentences (sometimes can be
longer) giving
some background
on the topic, followed by a
question.
The reason behind a college level essay prompt is
to test the student’s writing, reasoning, and critical thinking skills
The writing process is a cyclical process in which the writer
goes back and forth between stages until a product is completed.
It has a beginning and an end but the writer goes back and forth between the steps as he or she writes.
prewriting
-select a topic or develop a given topic
-Generate ideas
-Gather and organize details
Prewriting: Generate ideas
determine the topic and position or point of view for your target
Prewriting: Gather and organize details
-Decide which details fit your topic
-Organize your details into a writing plan using an outline, a chart, or some other method
Drafting/Writing
-Develop first draft
-Organize ideas into sentences and paragraphs
-When writing the first drafts, concentrate on
getting your ideas on a paper. Dont try to produce a perfect piece of writing
make sure it has a beginning, middle and end
Revising
-process of rereading a text and making changes in content, organization, sentence structures, and word choice to improve writing
Revising: ARMS treatment
Add
Remove
Move
Substitute text
steps of revising
Set aside your first draft so you can come back with a new perspective.
Ask another person for criticism.
Read your first draft slowly.
Make as many changes as necessary
Editing
process in which a writer/editor strives to improve a draft by correcting errors and making words/sentences clearer/more precise/effective.
editing involves…
-adding, deleting and rearranging words to cut the clutter and streamline overall structure.
In editing you would…
Check for grammatical errors or conventions.
Have another person check your writing.
Prepare a neat final copy.
Proofread the final copy before publishing it
Publishing
process of submitting your content or document either physically or online
paragraph
made up of sentences grouped together for a reason: usually to present and support a main idea
composition
made up of a group of paragraphs
Each paragraph in a composition expresses a main idea of its own, but the paragraphs also work together to
develop and support a thesis that makes a composition work as a whole
parts of a paragraph
topic sentence
supporting sentences
clincher sentences
main idea
provides the central focus of the paragraph
topic sentence
-directly states the paragraph’s main idea,
-introduces main point of the paragraph
-written in complete sentence.
supporting sentences
support the main idea of the paragraph
supporting sentences uses the following kinds of details
-sensory details
-facts
-statistics
-examples
sensory details
information collected using the five senses
facts
information that can be proven
statistics
based on numbers
examples
specific instances or illustrations of a general idea
clincher sentences
-concluding sentence that reinforces the key message.
-It emphasizes/summarizes the main idea
-often includes transitional phrases.
qualities of paragraphs
-unity
-coherence
-elaboration
In a paragraph, unrelated ideas..
spoil unity and distract the reader from the main idea.
unity
the quality achieved when all of the sentences in a paragraph work together as a unit to express or support one idea.
coherence
achieved when all the details and ideas in a paragraph are logically arranged and clearly connected
Use the following orders to build coherence:
a. Chronological
b. Spatial
c. Logical
d. Order of importance
You can also utilize direct references or transitional expressions
Chronological
-to tell a story or explain a process
-presents actions and events according to the order in which they occur
Spatial
-describes a place/object
-arranges details or ideas according to their location in space
Logical
-explains or classifies (defines, divides a subject into parts, compares and contrast)
-groups related details or ideas together to show their relationship
Order of importance
– to inform or persuade
- arranges from most important to least important or vice versa
direct references
noun or pronoun that refers to a noun that was used earlier
Transitional Expressions
words that connect sentences
elaboration
process of presenting and developing a paragraph’s idea
Unity is present in a paragraph when at least one of the following is true
- All sentences in a paragraph relate to the main idea in the topic sentence.
- All sentences relate to an implied main idea with no stated topic sentence.
- All sentences relate to a sequence of events (work together to narrate the event)
A paragraph lacks elaboration when
it does not contain enough supporting sentences, or when its supporting sentences do not sufficiently develop a paragraph’s main idea.
A lack of elaboration can
confuse readers and cause them to doubt whether the writer understands what he or she is trying to say
Most interesting introductions contain
a hook or a sentence that catches the readers attention
A hook can be
a question that appeals to your readers emotions, an example, or an anecdote, among other techniques
How to become a good writer:
- Make reading an important part of your life.
- Make writing an important part of your life.
- Explore meaningful topics.
- Set high standards.
- Try different forms.
- Become a student of writing.
compositions consist of
paragraphs that individually elaborate on specific points of a complex main idea (which is the focus of the composition)
Compositions may have 3 parts
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Paragraphs and compositions require unity, coherence and elaboration to
support their main ideas.
To have a good introduction, it must:
- Catch the reader’s interest
- Set the tone of the composition
- Present the thesis statement
Techniques for writing introductions
- Begin with a question
- Begin with an anecdote or example
- State a startling fact/unusual opinion
- Begin with background information
- Set the scene
- Begin with a statement of your thesis
A thesis statement is
a sentence in your introduction that announces your topic and what you want to say about it. Your composition will support your ideas from this statement.
Thesis
controlling idea in a work.
The thesis should be framed in relation to
your topic, it’s your opinion/argument on the topic.
The topic asks a question, the thesis
answers the question with the writer’s opinion based on his/her research.
The essay is organized to
explore the question and support your answer/opinion.
Body paragraphs are
the core paragraphs of your composition. They support/prove the thesis’ main idea by developing it with supporting details.
Every body paragraph should
relate directly to the thesis statement and should connect smoothly with eachother.
Body paragraphs state
the main points and provides support for the main points
Strong conclusions give the reader a sense that
all of your ideas have been properly tied together and explained thoroughly.
Weak conclusions will leave the reader feeling
puzzled.
The conclusion
-reinforces the main idea stated in the thesis statement.
-ties together the main points of the body, leaving the reader with a sense that the composition has been “wrapped up”
Techniques for an effective conclusion
- Restate the main idea
- Refer to the introduction
- End with a thoughtful comment, personal reaction or a look in the future.
- Use a quotation
- End with a call to action
- Summarize the main points in the body
provides the central focus of the paragraph (topic of the paragraph)
main idea
the first sentence in the body paragraphs. Says what the paragraph will be about.
topic sentence
provide supporting details.
supporting sentence
summarizes or closes the paragraphs’s idea.
Closing/concluding sentence
usually the last sentence of the introduction.
thesis statement
first sentence of the introduction.
hook
Begin with a topic sentence.
body paragraph
The wrap up of your composition
conclusion
clincher sentences are commonly used with
longer, complicated paragraphs to reinforce ideas.
