An Introduction to Writing
WELCOME!
This is English-1101.
I am Rebekah Mattox.
WRITING: The Process
• A writer’s best writing is done as a
PROCESS!
• College papers, especially, are best when
written as a process over a period of time.
When students sit up all night to write a paper
that is due the next day,
it is never a representation of their best work!
Writing is
a PROCESS
that is best accomplished
over
an extended period of time!
Step 1 :
To discover ideas
• What is the subject?
• Has your topic been assigned, or must you
select your own topic?
• What is your purpose?
• Who is your audience?
Step 2 :
To “pre-write”
To brainstorm
To cluster or mind-map
To free-write
Mind Mapping in Brainstorming
One of the best ways to begin the
brainstorming process
is working with images.
The brain’s functions are
non-linear
and
multi-dimensional:
Using color, images, and relationships
helps the brain to make creative
connections.
Phases of Creativity
• Preparation = gathering ideas and making associations
• Incubation = time for the subconscious to do “under-cover-work”
• Illumination = “Aha!” and relaxation
• Implementation = the solution and product
When Albert Einstein was once asked how
he began his writings,
he explained that
he constructed pictures in his mind,
images that moved around one another.
By constructing mind-pictures,
Einstein
crystallized
his ideas
and later
wrote them down.
When brainstorming on your own,
it can be helpful to use mind maps to
arrange and develop ideas.
This type of brainstorming helps your
thinking with visuals by building “trees” of
ideas.
http://www.mind-mapping.co.uk/mind-maps-examples.htm
HOMEWORK!
Please examine and experiment
with
clustering
and
mind mapping!
Step 3 :
To organize
• To write an outline
• To select your best or most interesting ideas
One outline example:
The Five Paragraph Essay
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
I. Introduction
Introductory statements
Thesis statement
Introduce supporting ideas (optional)
II. Body
First supporting idea
Transition, topic sentence
Discussion, examples, and analysis
Conclusion (optional)
Second supporting idea
Transition, topic sentence
Discussion, examples, and analysis
Conclusion (optional)
Third supporting idea
Transition, topic sentence
Discussion, examples, and analysis
Conclusion (optional)
III. Conclusion
Transition, statement reflecting back on thesis
Restate key points
Ending statement that provokes thought (optional)
Step 4 :
To write the first draft
• To expand on the selected ideas
• To discover new ideas
Step 5 :
To revise the draft
To read the draft out loud more than once
To add or subtract details of the previous draft
Step 6 :
To generate the final draft
• To read the draft out loud again and again
before submission
• To edit and pay additional attention to the
feedback you received from teachers and
peers
“5-W” questions
During the writing process, it is helpful to ask
yourself the “5-W” questions:
Why?
What?
Which?
Who? and
How?
For example
You can ask why you are writing, what the
subject is, which subject has the most
potential to attract your readers, who your
audience is, and how you can persuade
your readers.
Keeping these questions in mind while you
are writing will help you to develop and
produce your ideas efficiently.
A helpful web site to preview
http://www.delmar.edu/engl/instruct/stomlin/1301int/lessons/process/intro.htm
(We will be discussing this more in-depth in later classes.)
This will be posted on your class calendar.
Incubation
http://www.delmar.edu/engl/instruct/stomlin/1301int/lessons/process/incubate.htm
• “Suppose you have three weeks to write a
1000-word paper on a political issue.
Suppose also that you already know all
the facts you need.
• Within a day or two of the time you are
given the assignment, you sit down to get
started and you maybe do a little freewriting to get settled down and warmed
up. “
“Then you start writing.
You say lots of things, but they aren't adding
up to an organized paper. You stop to try
making a list of items to include and you
get frustrated because every order you try
for the ideas has some kind of problem.
You decide you aren't getting anywhere,
so you go get a couple of cookies and
decide to fold the clothes which have just
come out of the dryer.”
“Later that day, you have to study for an algebra exam, so you don't get
back to working on the paper for a couple of days.
• When you return, the order the ideas
should be in seems obvious and natural.
• Your sub-conscious mind has been
working on the problem all that time!”
“Ease in writing,
when you return to a project, is the most
usual way the subconscious "reports" to
you when it has been busy arranging
things in your mind-so that when you return to the project,
the solution seems to make itself!”
“The other way the subconscious "reports" is in flashes.
I worked on my homework one night and
was very frustrated by it.
I decided to go to bed and try again in the
morning.”
“I had been asleep about two hours when
suddenly--
I woke up knowing exactly how to do the
problems!
I was happy about that and went on back to
sleep.
The next morning, I had completely
forgotten the solutions. “
“Now I understand that the subconscious
mind has nothing to do with memory.
We remember only what was once in the
conscious mind.
In college, I had roughly the same
experience with the same kind of problem,
but I got out of bed and worked one of
each kind before going back to sleep. “
“The next morning I could figure out what I
had done!
And I could work the rest of the problems.”
“Moral:
• If you have been frustrated by some project,
keep paper nearby because if you have a flash,
you have about 90 seconds to write it down
before it is gone forever.
• Every professional writer has a story about the
writing idea that got away because he got a flash
from the subconscious and had nothing to write
with handy. “
“Plan writing projects so that you work intensely on
them early in the time allowed.
• And then take frequent breaks to do other
things, returning to the writing project many
times.
• Even if your personality type leads to
procrastination, work on the project early in the
allowed time so that your subconscious can be
"cooking" the problem and you will not have to
write cold under pressure at the last minute. “
Two main aspects of writing
• Content = the creative process
and
• Mechanics = effective expression
Diagnostic
http://www.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/app/troykademo_rb/content/tests/diagnostic.html
To make the most of your time in this class,
•
it will be important to “diagnose” your writing strengths
and weaknesses.
• The above link will be posted on your class calendar with
more directions so that you can get started on your
DIAGNOSTIC TEST soon.
Most Common Writing Errors
We will be examining the most common writing errors throughout the entire course.
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/easywriter3e/20errors/default.asp
(The Twenty Most Common Writing Errors)
This will be posted on your class calendar.
TO PREVIEW
“Conquering the Comma”
This will be posted on your class calendar.
We will be discussing it soon.
• PowerPoint:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/comma.PPT
•
FOR OPTIONAL PRACTICE, GO TO
http://www.prenhall.com/troyka/
• CLICK ON
Companion Website (open access)
•
Then CLICK ON
Punctuation
•
Then CLICK ON
Commas
Be encouraged!
• Writing is a BEHAVIOR!
• To change a behavior, break a habit, or
establish a new behavior takes TIME!
• Practice and study must pervade the time!
• And THAT’S what this class is for!
In Closing
• We have begun to examine just a few aspects of writing which we
will review, practice, and build upon.
• It is important to remember that writing is a process.
• We will be examining the various components that contribute to
writing being a successful process for you!
Our main topics for this class
•
•
•
•
•
Writing as process
Paragraphs
Grammar
Sentence Variety
ESSAYS
I am here to
• FACILITATE YOUR SUCCESS!
SO
Let’s have FUN on this learning journey!
IMPORTANT
• Calendar:
•
http://www.tutorpal.com/ccsuengl1101am/
•
•
•
MY EMAIL
RebekahMattox@mail.clayton.edu
RebekahMattox@hotmail.com
WELCOME!
Let the learning begin!
Rebekah Mattox, M.Ed.