The Writing Process and Grammar Workshopp

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The Writing Process and Grammar Workshopp
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Different Styles Are No Problem1

• Top-down
• prefer to plan before they write
• often begin with larger concepts or
  generalizations then work in details
• prefer outlines (hierarchies) to lists.

• Bottom-up
• begin with a draft, often in the middle
• organize, cut, and shape after they have poured
  out all their ideas on paper
• prefer lists when they do plan.

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Understand the Assignment2

• Analyze
• Classify
• Compare
• Contrast
• Criticize
• Define
• Describe
• Discuss
• Enumerate
• Evaluate

• Explain
• Identify
• Illustrate
• Interpret
• Outline
• Prove
• State
• Summarize
• Trace

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Select a Topic3

• The topic should be interesting to you.
• The topic should be researchable.
• Avoid topics that are overworked.

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Do Your Research

• Begin researching and reading about the topic to
  gain information.
• Read the material assigned by your professor.
• The libraries on campus will help you.
• http//library.tamu.edu

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Develop a Working Thesis4

• A thesis statement is the main idea of your
  paper.
• Developing a working thesis should be among your
  first priorities.
• Working is the operative word here.
• Your thesis may change through the writing
  process.

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Develop a Working Thesis

• What is my subject? Is my purpose to inform or to
  persuade?
• Which aspects of my subject should I emphasize?
• Is my subject similar to another subject that may
  be familiar to my readers?
• If my subject is an event or object, what caused
  or created it? Would understanding the cause or a
  precedent make it easier for my audience to
  understand my subject?
• What effects has my subject had or is it likely
  to have? Are the effects important or unexpected?

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Develop a Working Thesis

• The working thesis should have two parts the
  topic itself and your comment on the topic.
• The chosen topic should be at the first of the
  sentence and what you want to say about it at the
  end.
• The Aggie network is valuable.

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Consider Your Audience5

• Writers who fail to understand their readers may
  fail to reach their goals.
• It is important to provide the context, tone, and
  language suitable to the audience you are
  addressing.

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Consider Your Audience

• What do your readers know about the subject?
• What is their general level of education?
• What is their geographic location?
• What are their values and attitudes?
• What is your relationship to your readers?
• What is your attitude toward your readers?
• Why would they be reading your paper?
• What questions would they have about this
  subject?
• What kinds of responses do you wish to evoke?
• What are their opinions about the subject?
• What kinds of evidence are normally used to
  convince this type of reader?

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Prewriting6

• Keep a journal
• Use journalists questions
• Ask analytical questions
• Brainstorm and list
• Freewrite
• Cluster
• Venn Diagram

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Organize

• Look at the questions you answered when you were
  developing your working thesis.
• Look at your prewriting.
• Find the main ideas or categories of your
  thinking.
• Put less important items under more important
  items.
• Make an outline (or not).
• Decide how you will set up your paper.
• How can you organize the paper to achieve your
  objective?

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Argument

• Talk about any concessions or counter-arguments
  at the first of the paper to get them out of the
  way.
• One way to set up your argument
• 2nd strongest argument (We remember what we hear
  first, second best.)
• Weakest argument (We forget the stuff in the
  middle.)
• Strongest argument (We remember what we hear
  last, best.)
• You want the last word.

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Compare/Contrast7

• Use the Venn diagram to find the similarities and
  differences between the two topics.
• Ways to set up you paper
• Subject by subject This pattern discusses
  Subject A, then Subject B, then how the subjects
  compare and contrast.
• Point by point This pattern discusses each point
  and how Subject A compares or contrasts with
  Subject B on that point.

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Problem/Solution

• Begin by describing the problem.
• Then discuss the possible solutions that you do
  not propose. Be fair.
• Introduce your proposed solution.
• To get the disadvantages of your solution out of
  the way, talk about them first.
• End with the advantages of your solution.

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Develop an Explicit Thesis Statement

• Use the following template to help you get
  started.
• In this essay, I will (argue, defend, explain,
  demonstrate, analyze) that ____________________
  because (1)_______________, (2)_________, and
  (3)_______________.
• In this essay, I will demonstrate that the Aggie
  network is valuable because (1), (2), and (3).

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Write a Draft

• Introductionshould provide context so that your
  reader knows what you will be discussing.
• Bodyyour argument, discussion, etc.
• Conclusionrestate the argument, wrap up the
  discussion, recommend a solution.
• Place your thesis in a position that is clear to
  your reader.

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Support/Elaboration

• When you make a general statement, be sure to
  support or elaborate your idea
• Facts
• Opinionsespecially the opinions of experts on
  the subject
• Reasons
• Examples
• Cause/Effect
• Think fat old rats eat cheese enchiladas.

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Writing Style

• Word Choice
• Be concise. Delete meaningless words.
• Here is an example of the use of strategy in the
  game of basketball by the Aggie coaches.
• This passage shows how the Aggie basketball
  coaches use strategy.
• Avoid redundancy.
• Fully and complete, any and all
• Use an appropriate level of vocabulary.
• Avoid slang and clichés.
• Define key terms.

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Writing Style8

• Simplify
• This must be done prior to any other action.
• This must be done first.
• In the event the information is available by the
  first of the year.
• If the information is available by the first of
  the year.

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Writing Style

• For emphasis, put the important information of
  the sentence at the end.
• Techs claim that the referees at Saturdays game
  were unfair appears in the last part of the
  newspaper article.
• In the last part of the newspaper article, Tech
  claims that the referees at Saturdays game were
  unfair.

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Writing Style

• Things to avoid
• Overusing the word very.
• Beginning sentences with There is or There are.
• There are many people who want to become Aggies.
• Many people want to become Aggies.
• There and where places
• Theyre they are
• Their possessive

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Incubate9

• By this time, you have been so immersed in the
  paper that you probably cant think straight, so
  you should give yourself time off to let your
  ideas simmer.
• Solutions or ideas may develop in the unconscious
  before taking conscious shape.
• When you go back to the paper, you will probably
  see things that you were not aware of before.
• This is another important reason not to put off
  writing the paper until the last minute.

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Revise10

• Global Revision
• Changes in paragraph structure or order
• Changes in content.
• Changes at the whole document level.

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Revise11

• Read the paper aloud.
• List the main idea of each paragraph.
• Does each paragraph support your thesis?
• Are your paragraphs organized effectively?
• Think of the thesis as an umbrella that covers
  all the points in the paper.
• Refine the thesis statement. Does it explicitly
  state your main idea and purpose?

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Revise

• Check the papers development.
• Are there sufficient details?
• Is the logic valid?
• Are the major points connected?
• Are the relationships between them expressed
  clearly?
• Have you used transitions to help your reader see
  the relationships?12

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Revise13

• Review your diction.
• Try to anticipate your readers response to your
  words.
• The medias exploitation of the Watergate scandal
  showed how biased it was already.
• The medias coverage of the Watergate scandal
  suggests that perhaps some in the media had
  already determined Nixons guilt.

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Revise

• Remember your readers.
• Everything you say should keep that reader in
  mind.
• Write as clearly and concisely as possible.
• At the same time, give your readers all the
  information they need to understand what you are
  saying.

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Revise14

• Local Revision
• Changes in sentence structure, grammar,
  mechanics, format, diction.
• Changes at the sentence level.

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Use Punctuation to Create Sentence Variety.

• Knowing how to punctuate gives you control over
  the types and lengths of your sentences.
• Vary sentence types and lengths so your writing
  does not get choppy.
• Use punctuation to make the rhythm of your prose
  interesting and to emphasize particular ideas.

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Avoid Comma Splices and Run-on Sentences

• Rock went to the MSC, he wanted to buy some
  books.
• Rock went to the MSC he wanted to buy some books.

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How Much Emphasis Do You Want to Give the Second
Part?

Comma and coordinating conjunction , and but
for or nor so yetThink A. B. Fonsy Rock went to
the MSC, and he wanted to buy some books.
Semicolon Rock went to the MSC he wanted to
buy some books. Start a new sentence. Rock went
to the MSC. He wanted to buy some books.
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Subordinating Ideas

• Use a subordinating conjunction to subordinate
  one or more of the ideas.
• When Rock went to the MSC, he wanted to buy some
  books.
• Because he wanted to buy some books,
• Rock went to the MSC.

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Subordinating Conjunctions

• after
• although
• as
• as if
• as ____ as
• because
• before
• if
• in order that
• since

• so that
• than
• though
• unless
• until
• when
• whenever
• where
• wherever
• while

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Transitions with semicolons

• Words like however, therefore, nevertheless,
  whereas, thus, etc. can be used with semicolons
  to make transitions.
• Rock wanted to buy some books, so he went to the
  MSC.
• Rock wanted to buy some books therefore, he went
  to the MSC.
• Punctuate however,
• therefore,

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Commas

• 2. If the phrase or clause is essential for
• the sentence to make the sense you
• want, do not use commas.
• The boy wearing the Maroon Out shirt is my
  brother.
• The girl who is waving the Spirit Towel is his
  date.
• There are a number of boys and girls.

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Commas

• 3. If the word, phrase, or clause is not
• essential for your sentence to make the
• sense you want, do use commas.
• I can, however, tell you about the picture.
• The boy, wearing the Maroon Out shirt, is my
  brother.
• The girl, who is waving the Spirit Towel, is his
  date.
• There is only one boy and one girl.

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Commas

• 4. When using an introductory word,
• phrase, or dependent clause to begin a
• sentence, use a comma.
• Today, females are students at TAMU.
• During the last thirteen football seasons, I have
  seen every Aggie home game.
• Because the Aggie spirit is exciting, I always
  enjoy the games.

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Possessive Nouns

• 5. End a singular noun with an apostrophe
  followed by an s.
• Kyle Fields capacity is over 86,000.
• End a plural noun ending in s with the s
  followed by an apostrophe.
• Many Aggies memories of the bonfire are happy
  and spirit-filled.

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Possessive Nouns

• End a plural noun not ending in s with an
  apostrophe followed by an s.
• Womens soccer is an important sport at Texas AM.

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Possessive Pronouns

• Whereas, the possessive of a noun is always
  formed by adding
• an apostrophe, the possessive of a personal
  pronoun is never
• formed by adding an apostrophe.
• Possessive personal pronouns my, mine, your,
  yours, his, her,
• hers, its
• Its possessive Its contraction for it is
• Your possessive Youre contraction for you
  are
• Their possessive Theyre contraction for
  they are

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Proper Punctuation to Incorporate a Quotation
into a Sentence

• If the introductory material is a sentence, add
  the quotation after a colon.
• Eleanor Roosevelt spent many years feeling
  insecure before she realized this idea No one
  can make you feel inferior without your consent.
  

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Proper Punctuation to Incorporate a Quotation
into a Sentence

• If the introductory material is not
• an independent clause, use a comma.
• Eleanor Roosevelt states, No one can make you
  feel inferior without your consent.

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Proper Punctuation to Incorporate a Quotation
into a Sentence

• If you include the words of a quotation into one
  of your sentences, use square brackets and
  ellipses . . . .
• I agree with Eleanor Roosevelt that no one
  can make you feel inferior without your consent.
• It is impossible to . . . make you feel inferior
  without your consent (Roosevelt).

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Agreement of Subjects and Verbs

• 7. Make the subject and verb agree with
• each other, not with words that come
• between them.
• One of the most famous Aggies is reviewing the
  March-in.
• Of the most famous Aggies is a prepositional
  phrase.
• One is the subject of the sentence.

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Prepositions

• About, above, across, against,
• Among, around, at, after,
• Before, beside, behind, between,
• Beyond, by, down, during
• Into, far, from, in, except,
• Near, of, off, to, over,
• Past, throughout, through, toward, on, up
• Without, until, with, under

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Misplaced Modifiers

• 8. An introductory modifier should always refer
  to the subject of the sentence.
• After carrying the mini-fridge up the dorm
  stairs, it wouldnt fit in the doorway to the
  room.
• Did it carry the mini-fridge up the dorm stairs?
• After carrying the mini-fridge up the dorm
  stairs, the Fish found that it wouldnt fit in
  the doorway to the room.

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Parallel Construction

• 9. If you name a series, always use the same
  elements throughout the list.
• At Fish Camp, we learned Aggie yells, singing the
  Aggie War Hymn, about the traditions, and made
  new friends.
• At Fish Camp, we learned Aggie yells, sang the
  Aggie War Hymn, talked about the traditions,
  and made new friends.
• At Fish Camp, we had fun learning the Aggie
  yells, singing the Aggie War Hymn, talking
  about the traditions, and making new friends.
• At Fish Camp, we learned to do Aggie yells and to
  sing the Aggie War Hymn.

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Active and Passive Voice

• 10. If the subject of the sentence does the
  action, the verb is in active voice.
• The Aggie mens basketball team beat Colorados
  basketball team this week.
• If the subject of the sentence receives the
  action, the verb is in passive voice.
• The tu womens basketball team was beaten by the
  Aggies this week.

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Avoid Using Passive Voice

• Generally speaking, writing is stronger when you
  use active voice with strong, active verbs.
• SMUs soccer team was driven to the wall by the
  Aggies in the game on Saturday.
• Last Saturday, the Aggies drove SMU to the wall
  in the NCAA soccer play-offs.

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Use Passive Voice in These Situations

• When the action is more important than the actor.
• Underwater research in the Gulf of Mexico is
  conducted by Texas AM Galveston.
• When the actor is unknown.
• Some important information was leaked by a source
  in the White House.

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Use Passive Voice in These Situations

• When the receiver of the action is more important
  than the actor.
• The President was questioned by the press in this
  matter.
• To avoid revealing the actor.
• The President stated, Mistakes were made.

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Omit Unnecessary Words

• Instead of writing
• Scientific research generally depends on fully
  accurate data if it is to offer theories that
  will allow us to predict the future in a
  plausible way.
• write
• To offer theories that plausibly predict the
  future, scientific research depends on accurate
  data.

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Miscellaneous

• To, too
• Think spoiled brat Im toooooo tired to go.
• I want to go toooooooooo.
• Affect, effect
• Aact
• Eend
• Separate
• Very

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End Notes

• Mary Compton and Yeo Ju Choi. Write Academic,
  http//writingcenter.tamu.edu (accessed February
  7, 2006).
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Understanding the Assignment,
  http//writingcenter.tamu.edu/content/view/32/77/
  (accessed August 1, 2005).
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Selecting a Topic, http//writingcenter.tamu.edu
  /content/view/28/77/ (accessed August 1, 2005).
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Developing a Thesis, http//writingcenter.tamu.e
  du/content/view/16/77/ (accessed August 1, 2005).
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Audience Analysis, http//writingcenter.tamu.edu
  /content/view/117/77/ (accessed August 1, 2005).
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Getting Started, http//writingcenter.tamu.edu/c
  ontent/view/17/77/ (accessed February 14, 2006).
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Compare and Contrast Essays, http//writingcente
  r.tamu.edu/content/view/14/76/ (accessed February
  14, 2006).
• Compton, Mary and Yeo Ju Choi, Write Academic.
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab, Editing
  and Proofreading, http//owl.english.purdue.edu/h
  andouts/general/gl_edit.html (accessed January
  12, 2006).
• Mary Compton and Yeo Ju Choi, Write Academic.
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab, Editing
  and Proofreading.
• University Writing Center, Texas AM University,
  Transition Words and Phrases,
  http//writingcenter.tamu.edu/content/view/92/78/
  (accessed February 14, 2006).
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab, Editing
  and Proofreading.
• Mary Compton and Yeo Ju Choi, Write Academic.