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The goal of this book is to help you become a more skilled, powerful, and confident writer. You will see that writing is not a magic ability only a few are born with, but a life skill that can be learned. The first chapter presents a brief overview of the writing process, explored in greater depth throughout the book. Now I invite you to decide to excel in this course. Let Evergreen be your guide, and enjoy the Journey. A.
The Writing Process Many people have the mistaken idea that good writers simply sit down and write out a perfect letter, paragraph, or essay from start to finish. In fact, writing is a process consisting of a number of steps: LEARNING STYLES TIP Visual representation of verbal processes helps visual and other learners. To underscore the recursive nature of the writing recess, write the three steps in a circle on the board, using arrows to show how a writer can move forward or back, from step to step.
The Writing Process Preprinting Thinking about possible subjects Freely Jotting ideas on paper or computer Narrowing the subject and writing your main idea in one sentence Deciding which ideas to include Arranging ideas in a plan or outline 3 Getting Started UNIT 1 Writing Revising SSL TIP Nonnative students may fail to understand the importance of speaking English whenever possible. Urge them to practice speaking and writing English with friend or study partner. Stress that this discipline is key to success in this course and in their careers.
Writing the first draft Rethinking, rearranging, and revising as necessary Writing one or more new drafts Proofreading for grammar and spelling errors Not all writers perform all the steps in this order, but most preterit, write, and revise. Actually, writing can be a messy process of thinking, writing, reading what has been written, and rewriting. Sometimes steps overlap or need to be repeated. The important thing is that writing the first draft is Just one stage in the process. “l love Ewing a writer,” Jokes Peter De Varies. “What I can’t stand is the paperwork. Good writers take time at the beginning to preterit?to think, Jot ideas, and plan the paper ?because they know it will save time and prevent frustration later. Once they write the first draft, they let it “cool off. ” Then they read it again with a fresh, critical eye and revise?crossing out, adding, and rewriting for more clarity and punch. Good writers are like sculptors, shaping and reworking their material into something more meaningful. Finally, they proofread for grammar and spelling errors so that their rating seems to say, “l am proud to put my name on this work. As you practice writing, you will discover your own most effective writing process. PRACTICE 1 Encourage students to perform similar self-assessments each time they receive feedback on their writing and to use self- and instructor-assessment to set personal goals in this course. Think of something that you wrote recently?and of which you felt proud?for college, work, or your personal life. Now on paper or with classmates, discuss the process you followed in writing it. Did you do any planning or preprinting?or did you Just sit down ND start writing? How much time did you spend rewriting and revising your work?
What one change in your writing process do you think would most improve your writing? Taking more time to preterit? Taking more time to revise? Improving your grammar and spelling? PRACTICE 2 Bring in several newspaper help-wanted sections. In a group with four or five classmates, study the ads in career fields that interest you. How many fields require writing and communication skills? Which Job ad requiring these skills most surprised you or your group? Be prepared to present your findings to the class. If your class has Internet access, visit Monster. Com or other Job-search websites and perform the same exercise.
EXPLORING ONLINE http://www. Google. Com Search “Writing: A Ticket to Work … Or a Ticket Out” and read the summary. This survey of business leaders finds that good writing is the key to career success. What two facts or comments do you find most striking? 4 CHAPTER 1 Exploring the Writing Process B. Subject, Audience, and Purpose Early in the preprinting phase, writers should give some thought to their subject, audience, and purpose. In college courses, you may be assigned a broad subject by your instructor. First, make sure you understand the assignment.
Then focus on one aspect of the subject that intrigues you. Whenever possible, choose something that you know and care about: life in Cleveland, working with learning-disabled children, repairing motorcycles, overcoming shyness, watching a friend struggle with drug addiction, playing soccer. You may not realize how many subjects you do know about. Studies show that it is harder to remember information exchanged orally in a second language; thus, for SSL students (and visual learners), writing on the board, working directly room pages in the text, and using charts are useful memory aids.
To find or focus your subject, ask yourself: What special experience or expertise do I have? What inspires, angers, or motivates me? What do I love to do? What story in the news affected me recently? What campus, Job, or community problem do I have ideas about solving? Your answers will suggest good subjects to write about. Keep a list of all your best ideas. How you approach your subject will depend on your audience?your readers. Are you writing for your professor, classmates, boss, closest friend, youngsters in the immunity, or the editor of a newspaper?
To focus on your audience, ask yourself: You might bring in examples of different types of writing?an editorial, a magazine article, a humorous essay, or the text of a website. Have students determine audience and purpose in each. For whom am I writing? Who will read this? How much do they know about the subject? Are they beginners or experts? Will they likely agree or disagree with my ideas? Keeping your audience in mind helps you know what information to include and what to leave out.
For example, if you are writing about women’s college basketball or readers who think that hoops are big earrings, you will approach your subject in a basic way, perhaps discussing the explosion of interest in women’s teams. But an audience of sports lovers will already know about this; for them, you would write in more depth, perhaps comparing the technique of two point guards. Finally, keeping your purpose in mind will help you write more effectively. Do you want to explain something to your readers, persuade them that a certain view is correct, entertain them, tell a good story, or some combination of these? PRACTICE 3 List five subjects that you might like to write about. Consider your audience and purpose: For whom are you writing? What do you want them to know about your subject? Notice how the audience and purpose will help shape your paper. For ideas, reread the boxed questions on the previous page. Developmental students may think they have nothing to write about. To help counter this myth, ask volunteers to share their answers to some of the boxed questions on page 5. Have them apply the questions to Practice 3. Subject EXAMPLE Audience Purpose my recipe for seafood gumbo inexperienced