The Writing Process
What is it?
• Have you heard this phrase before?
• What do you know about “the
writing process”?
It’s not simple!
• The writing process
isn’t linear. It
doesn’t go from point
A to point B like a
nice, straight line…
• Think of it as
something more
circular... like a
roller coaster.
But before you get on the ride-• Stop!
• Go back!
• Read the
assignment at
least two times
and be sure that
you understand it.
Next:
Choose a general subject
• What’s your paper going to be about?
• (Sometimes your instructors do this part
for you… they might tell you what to
write about.)
Know your audience
• In college, you are usually writing for an
“academic” audience.
• You need to use academic language.
• No contractions.
• No “gonna”, “wanna”, spoken English.
• You need to be careful about spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation.
Decide on your pattern
• “Organizational pattern,” “method of
development,” “rhetorical pattern,” and
“rhetorical strategy” all mean the same
thing.
• These phrases refer to the way you
choose to organize your essay.
• Each pattern/method/strategy requires
different details.
For your first assignment…
• Summary
• You will be writing a one-paragraph summary.
• The first sentence of your paragraph will contain specific
information.
• Because the assignment is short, you need to be sure it’s
as close to perfect as you can get.
Organize your ideas
• You need a thorough understanding
of the text you will write about
before you start writing.
• You might want to make a rough
outline of your summay before you
begin.
Finally!
•
•
•
•
Write your first draft.
Write it fast.
Get your ideas down.
(This is not the paper you will turn
in.)
Take a break.
•
•
•
•
•
Go away.
Take a walk.
Call a friend.
Watch a movie.
Distract yourself.
Then come back!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Read your paper.
Does it make sense?
Where can you make it clearer?
Check your grammar.
Check your spelling.
Check your punctuation.
Make changes.
THIS…
• … is the first draft you will bring to
class.
• It should be something you’re
happy with.
• It should be something you’d get a
passing grade for.
But you’re not done yet!
• Get feedback on your first draft.
• Maybe from me in the lab
• Maybe from a Page One tutor
• Definitely from a peer
After you get feedback…
REVISE!
THE CIRCLE STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN…