Welcome to Effective Writing 1- CM 107
An Organizational Approach
Are there any
questions
from
Units 1-5?
•What are the three
main aims in writing?
•How are they used in
our daily lives?
•What is a thesis
statement?
•What are the three
main types of
paragraphs?
•Where can I find good
information on APA
style and other help
with writing?
 Within the academic and job contexts, will readers accept
every point a writer makes without proof/support?
 Will an audience automatically understand every point a
writer makes?
 What else is needed?
 What is meant by ‘illustration’?
 What are ‘modes’? How does a writer use them effectively?
Description
 Description creates a mental picture for a reader. To do
this, writers may focus on the five senses—what ideas
and things look, sound, feel, smell, and taste like.
 Descriptive writing shows instead of tells.
 We went shopping.
 We witnessed of bustle of the busy shoppers as we
breathed in the vanilla scents emitting from the candle
store. Thus, the commencement of our shopping
adventure was invigorated.
 Martin Luther King Junior was a fire-giver.
Compare and Contrast
 Compare and contrast refers to the examination of
similarities (compare) and differences (contrast). We
make comparisons constantly when we decide what
type of car to buy, where to have dinner, or what
college to attend.
Compare and Contrast Organization
 Compare and contrast essays can be organized in two ways:
 Point by point—Here, the writer would go between two subjects and
compare and contrast them according to key points or characteristics.
If you compare and contrast displaced homelessness versus chronic
homelessness, you might focus on their definitions, reasons, and
solutions.
 Subject by subject—Here, the writer focuses on the key points and
characteristics of a single subject. For instance, if you compare and
contrast private versus socialized medicine, you’ll have to choose which
ways they are alike or differ. You might choose to write about the
similarities in coverage, and the contrasts in cost.
Make Effective Choices
 Whatever strategy you choose, you must have a basis
of comparison.
 Ideas and things that have nothing in common aren’t a
good choice.
 Remember, you don’t want to make a list of similarities
and differences.
 You want to have a point for the comparison.
Compare and Contrast in a Thesis Statement
 Examples of compare and contrast thesis statements:
 Indonesia and the United States have vastly different legal
systems.

This example is too general.
 While the U.S. legal system is built around the idea of
presumed innocence, the Indonesian system assumes the
accused is guilty.

This example gives specific criteria which allows the reader to know
what key points will be compared and contrasted.
Definition
 Definition is explaining exactly what an idea or
concept means. Definition provides a structure for
making ideas, people, or things more understandable.
Didn’t we use this mode in
the Unit 3 Project?
Using a Thesis Statement
 For example, if you were writing a paper about
world religions, you might choose to write about
different sects of Judaism like the orthodox,
reform, and conservative movements within that
religion.
 Example: Judaism has diverse interpretations,
most notably the divisions of orthodox, reform,
and conservative practices.
Cause and Effect
 Cause and effect examines the relationships between
what happens (the effect) and why it happens (the
cause).
Cause and Effect
 One cause may have several effects. For instance, if you
decide to move into the country from the city, you may
have the benefit of cleaner air, safer neighborhoods, and
cheaper prices.
 Or, several causes can contribute to a single effect. For
example, we make choices based on several criteria: The
captain of the Titanic ignored fog warnings, iceberg
warnings, and even the announcement that the ship was
going to sink because he bought into the idea that the ship
was unsinkable.
 Consider causal chains (also known as “the Domino effect”)
Cause and Effect in a Thesis Statement
 To incorporate this into a thesis statement,
identify the topic, make an assertion about the
topic, and decide if you want to focus on causes,
effects, or both.
 Example: Because of their mainly vegetarian diet,
Malaysia has healthier adults, less childhood
obesity, and a booming farm economy.
 Cause—It snowed four inches in an hour.
 Effect—
 Thesis—
Process Analysis:
Explains how something is done:
 How does the flu virus spread so rapidly each year?
 How does the revolution in Egypt affect gas prices in the United States?
Explains how to do something:
 The Kaplan University Writing Center has resources to show how to
properly document sources using APA style.
 The entertainment stand comes with directions that explain how to
assemble it quickly.
The writer sorts and organizes information for an audience to
help them better understand the topic.
 Classroom success derives from full engagement of the student,
instructor, advisor, and curriculum designer.
 New homeowners should be aware that maintenance issues can be
divided into four main areas: structure, electric, plumbing, and
landscaping.
Problem Solution
 Problem solution writing begins by identifying
and examining a problem.
 After analyzing the problem, you then discuss
possible solutions and their viability.
 For instance, if you wanted to focus on the
problem of teenage pregnancy, you would look at
how others have tried to solve this problem. The
availability of contraception, mandatory sex
education courses, and the inclusion of abstinence
as a form of birth control would be possible
solutions.
Problem Solution
 For an essay, you could choose to examine:
 a single solution and discuss how it works and why it
works, or
 detail three proposed solutions and discuss and
analyze their viability.
How would a writer
decide which approach
to use?
Problem Solution in a Thesis Statement
 Example 1: Solving teenage pregnancy by teaching
abstinence has failed because it is not practical for
most children. Teens without strong role models,
those with low self-esteem and those who do not
participate in after school activities are getting
pregnant in record numbers.
 Example 2: Teenage pregnancy is a complicated
problem that can be helped through increased
availability of contraception like condoms, oral
birth control, and IUDs.
The Unit 6 Project:
Commas:
Thank you for a great seminar!
Have a wonderful week!