Writing Strategies

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Writing Strategies

• Mike Walker
• UNIV1011 University Success
• October 23, 2002

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A word (or two) about writing

• Writing is the primary mode for the communication
  of ideas in a academic institution
• You will adopt different forms for different
  purposes
• Expressive writing to convey personal belief,
  feeling or opinion such as a diary, reflective
  journal or personal essay

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• Poetic writing to enlighten or entertain such as
  creative pieces, stories, plays, song lyrics or
  poems
• but most will be
• Transactional writing to inform and convey ideas
  and thoughts such as exams (essay short
  answer), research or critical essays, reports,
  case studies, and literature reviews

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A word about thinking

• They students have to learn that ideas do not
  exist until they have been incorporated into
  words. Until that time you dont know whether
  you are pregnant or just have gas on the stomach.
  
• The operation of thinking is the practice of
  articulating ideas until they are in the right
  words.
• Northrop Frye

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A word about the writing process

• All writing is a process
• There are many processes find one (or more) that
  works for you (situational)
• Handout - generic Writing Process
• Stage 1 Prewriting
• Stage 2 Drafting
• Stage 3 Revising
• Stage 4 Editing
• Stage 5 Publishing (submitting, presenting)

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Rules for all writing (nag, nag, nag)

• Take time to always
• brainstorm (for exams, use a data dump if
  necessary)
• stop and jot down new ideas as you get them (use
  em or lose em)
• outline and/or organize
• leave space for edits and additions
• review your answers - if exam time permits

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To improve your writing

• a) Read a lot of good writing.
• b) Think actively. Challenge your mind with new
  ideas.
• c) Write. Just do it, and do a lot of it.
  Practice the skill you want to develop.
• Study Smarter, Not Harder, p. 167

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More Words about Writing

• The art of writing is the art of applying the
  seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.
• Mary Heaton Vorse

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The Essay
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What is an Essay?

• An essay us an extensive, independent creative
  project. The final product will show the level to
  which you can devise a focused point of view,
  marshal evidence to defend that argument,
  organize it coherently, and present it in clear
  expository prose.
• Study Smarter, Not Harder, p. 167

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Three secrets to essay success

• Start early
• Divide and conquer
• follow the stages
• subdivide stages if necessary
• Leave time for rewriting

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Stages of essay construction

• 1. Be clear about the assignment
• what am I doing?
• when is it due?
• what are the topic, rules?
• 2. Focus your topic
• start with the general
• become more specific
• the Study Smarter, Not Harder model
• Assignment Calculator
• http//www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/

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Stages of essay construction

• 3. Brainstorm
• free write, mind map
• read, research
• talk, talk, talk
• 4. Gather information - research
• library
• internet
• ask, ask, ask

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Stages of essay construction

• 5. Organize your material - outline
• use 3x5 cards
• use an outliner
• use a wall
• 6. Write the first draft
• write it fast
• dont worry about polish

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Stages of essay construction

• 7. Do nothing - let it sit
• give yourself some distance
• allows for objective change
• 8. Revise and edit
• do it in stages
• structure and evidence 1st
• rewriting poor passages 2nd
• cut and paste
• be ruthless

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Stages of essay construction

• 9. Write the successive draft(s)
• write slowly, carefully
• consider your use of words, jargon
• vary your sentence structure
• 10. Polish - the little things matter
• gets friends to edit
• check spelling, grammar, punctuation
• check format of citation, bibliography, etc.

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What should it look like?

• Introduction
• tell them what you will tell them
• Body
• tell them
• Conclusion
• tell them what you told them
• Use your own voice
• avoid academic airs

Intro - general to specific focus on thesis
Body - 90 - 95 of the essay - argument and proof
Conclusion - specific to general
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A bit more detail . . .

• INTRODUCTION (OPENING PARAGRAPH)
• a. Begin with a general statement.
• b. Narrow it down to the controlling idea (for
  thesis statement).
• From Writing Papers
• http//www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/writpap.html

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A bit more detail . . .

• BODY (THREE DEVELOPING PARAGRAPHS)
• In each paragraph
• a. Use transitions (repetition of key words and
  ideas) to connect paragraphs together.
• b. Develop the topic sentence with details,
  definitions, illustrations, comparisons, and
  contrasts.
• c. Conclude the paragraph with a summary of the
  main idea.

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A bit more detail . . .

• CONCLUSION (FINISHING PARAGRAPH)
• a. Restate the thesis.
• b. End with a general statement finalizing the
  discussion.

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Mikes hints

• READ Chapter 9 - its excellent!
• Watch for key words when responding use
  transitions to guide your thoughts (see handouts)
• See Georgia Irwin re WCT results
• (Academic Skills Coordinator)
• Take a course 1501 and/or 1502
• Work with Georgia personally

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Your hints
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Writing Websites

• Guide to Grammar and Writing
• http//cctc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm
• Procedure for Writing a Term Paper
• http//www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/termpapr.html
• Writing Argumentative Essays
• http//www.santarosa.edu/philosophy/essaytutorial.
  htm
• APA Style Guide
• http//www.uwsp.edu/psych/apa4b.htm
• Guide to Writing a Basic Essay
• http//members.tripod.com/lklivingston/essay/

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More Writing Websites

• A Research Writing (Internet Public Library)
• http//www.ipl.org/div/teen/aplus/
• A Brief Guide to Writing Student Papers
• http//saugus.byu.edu/publications/guidetowritingp
  apers.htm
• Essay Builder
• http//204.244.141.13/writ_den/tips/essay/index.ht
  m
• Essay Writing, Parts I, II III
• http//www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/

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