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Title: Writing Strategies


1
Writing Strategies
  • Mike Walker
  • UNIV1011 University Success
  • March 1, 2006

2
Todays Writing Concepts
  • Research (in brief)
  • Importance of writing
  • Understanding your purpose
  • The writing process
  • a couple of processes
  • common writing errors
  • The essay
  • Writing resources

3
Research (in brief)
  • Know the library the librarians
  • Know the library resources
  • General Reference Works
  • encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries
  • Books from Library Holdings
  • Periodical Indexes
  • Canadian Periodical Index, Readers Guide, ERIC,
    Psychological Abstracts, etc.
  • Use the Internet critically
  • evaluate every source (authors credibility)
  • evaluate Internet source (site, material, bias)

4
A word (or two) about writing
  • Writing is the primary mode for the communication
    of ideas in a academic institution
  • You will adopt different forms for different
    purposes
  • Expressive writing to convey personal belief,
    feeling or opinion such as a diary, reflective
    journal or personal essay

5
More about purpose
  • Poetic writing to enlighten or entertain such as
    creative pieces, stories, plays, song lyrics or
    poems
  • but most will be
  • Transactional writing to inform and convey ideas
    and thoughts such as exams (essay short
    answer), research or critical essays, reports,
    case studies, and literature reviews
  • Textbook (p. 216) refers to two common purposes
  • Informative writing
  • Persuasive writing

6
A word about thinking
  • They students have to learn that ideas do not
    exist until they have been incorporated into
    words. Until that time you dont know whether
    you are pregnant or just have gas on the stomach.
  • The operation of thinking is the practice of
    articulating ideas until they are in the right
    words.
  • Northrop Frye

7
A word about the writing process
  • All writing is a process
  • There are many processes find one (or more) that
    works for you (situational)
  • Handout - generic Writing Process
  • Stage 1 Prewriting
  • Stage 2 Drafting
  • Stage 3 Revising
  • Stage 4 Editing
  • Stage 5 Publishing (submitting, presenting)

8
Writing Process from our text (beginning p. 217)
  • Planning
  • Brainstorming to explore the topic
  • Prewriting strategies to narrow the focus
  • Brainstorming
  • Freewriting
  • Ask journalists questions
  • Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
  • Conduct research
  • Keep source notes and content notes to avoid
    chance of plagiarism

9
Writing Process from our text
  • Planning cont.
  • Write a thesis statement
  • your central message to the reader
  • Write a working outline
  • point form outline or think link (mind map)
  • Create a checklist (project board)
  • list of writing tasks
  • writing schedule create due dates

10
Writing Process from our text
  • Drafting
  • Freewrite your draft first, then
  • Write an introduction
  • Create a body
  • organize/structure your ideas evidence
  • Write a conclusion
  • Credit authors and sources
  • avoid plagiarism
  • Follow your checklist

11
Writing Process from our text
  • Revising
  • revising is evaluating your word choice,
    paragraph structure, and style
  • Be critical
  • use mind actions and questions (p.228)
  • Evaluate structure
  • topic sentence, supporting details, transitions,
    etc.
  • Check clarity and conciseness
  • be clear and direct
  • get rid of wordy phrases
  • due to the fact that

12
Writing Process from our text
  • Editing (see checklist, page 232)
  • Editing involves correcting technical mistakes
  • Check spelling, grammar punctuation
  • Watch for sexist language
  • Proofread
  • UNIV1011 most common errors
  • S/V pronoun agreement
  • fragments run-on sentences (comma splices)
  • modifier errors
  • parallism

13
Subject/Verb Agreement
  • Tai Chi and Yoga (teach/teaches) you to relax.
  • A discussion about books (is/are) something that
    he always enjoys.
  • Each of the instructors (was/were) eccentric in
    both methods and appearance.
  • Neither of the boys (works/work) very hard.
  • There (was/were) fifteen trees in the yard.
  • The average height of Canadian women, excluding
    those in Quebec, (is/are) 165 cm.

14
Pronoun Errors
  • A student who does all of their homework seldom
    fails this class.
  • The cars whizzed past, but they didnt even look
    my way.
  • John is the person who I admire most.
  • I have been there more often than him.
  • Jays father let him take his new tennis racket
    to school.
  • We couldnt find the pie plate and concluded that
    Dad must have eaten it.

15
Sentence Fragments Run-ons
  • Painting in a studio with bad lighting.
  • Although he had the strength of Samson.
  • For many years I lived the peaceful life, then I
    married.
  • I keep playing bingo, I never win anything.
  • I keep playing bingo I never win anything.
  • I keep playing bingo, but I never win anything.
  • I keep playing bingo although I never win
    anything.
  • Although I never win anything, I keep playing
    bingo.

16
Modifier Errors
  • He bought a car from a used-car dealer with a
    leaky radiator.
  • Boy George tried to convince the members of his
    fan club to wear makeup eagerly.
  • Driving through Yellowstone, a buffalo blocked
    the road.
  • After previewing the reading assignment and
    making an outline, my understanding was much
    improved.
  • A red-breasted robin was spotted by Bob Smith
    sitting in the top branch of an oak and singing.

17
Errors in Parallel Construction (//ism)
  • His job makes him cross and always finding fault.
  • His job makes him cross and critical.
  • I enjoy a book that has a great deal of adventure
    in it and not too long.
  • I enjoy a book that is short and that has a great
    deal of adventure in it.
  • Most important to me are my family, my work, and
    having friends.
  • Most important to me are my family, my work and
    my friends.

18
//ism continued
  • The lecturer was dull, unintelligible, and talked
    too long.
  • The lecturer was dull, unintelligible, and
    long-winded.
  • Reading about Williamsburg, planning our trip,
    and then to get our route worked out kept us
    busy.
  • Reading about Williamsburg, planning our trip,
    and mapping our route kept us busy.

19
Rules for all writing (nag, nag, nag)
  • Take time to always
  • brainstorm (for exams, use a data dump if
    necessary)
  • stop and jot down new ideas as you get them (use
    em or lose em)
  • outline and/or organize
  • leave space for edits and additions
  • review your answers - if exam time permits

20
To improve your writing
  • a) Read a lot of good writing.
  • b) Think actively. Challenge your mind with new
    ideas.
  • c) Write. Just do it, and do a lot of it.
    Practice the skill you want to develop.
  • Study Smarter, Not Harder, p. 167

21
More Words about Writing
  • The art of writing is the art of applying the
    seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.
  • Mary Heaton Vorse
  • Journalist Activist

image source http//www.provincetownbanner.com
22
The Essay
23
What is an Essay?
  • An essay us an extensive, independent creative
    project. The final product will show the level to
    which you can devise a focused point of view,
    marshal evidence to defend that argument,
    organize it coherently, and present it in clear
    expository prose.
  • Study Smarter, Not Harder, p. 167

24
Three secrets to essay success
  • Start early
  • Divide and conquer
  • follow the stages
  • subdivide stages if necessary
  • Leave time for rewriting

25
Stages of essay construction
  • 1. Be clear about the assignment
  • what am I doing?
  • when is it due?
  • what are the topic, rules?
  • 2. Focus your topic
  • start with the general
  • become more specific
  • the Study Smarter, Not Harder model

26
Stages of essay construction
  • 3. Brainstorm
  • free write, mind map
  • read, research
  • talk, talk, talk
  • 4. Gather information - research
  • library
  • internet
  • ask, ask, ask

27
Stages of essay construction
  • 5. Organize your material - outline
  • use 3x5 cards
  • use an outliner
  • use a wall
  • 6. Write the first draft
  • write it fast
  • dont worry about polish

28
Stages of essay construction
  • 7. Do nothing - let it sit
  • give yourself some distance
  • allows for objective change
  • 8. Revise and edit
  • do it in stages
  • structure and evidence 1st
  • rewriting poor passages 2nd
  • cut and paste
  • be ruthless

29
Stages of essay construction
  • 9. Write the successive draft(s)
  • write slowly, carefully
  • consider your use of words, jargon
  • vary your sentence structure
  • 10. Polish - the little things matter
  • gets friends to edit
  • check spelling, grammar, punctuation
  • check format of citation, bibliography, etc.

30
What should it look like?
  • Introduction
  • tell them what you will tell them
  • Body
  • tell them
  • Conclusion
  • tell them what you told them
  • Use your own voice
  • avoid academic airs

Intro - general to specific focus on thesis
Body - 90 - 95 of the essay - argument and proof
Conclusion - specific to general
31
The Assignment Calculator
  • University of Minnesota
  • - www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/
  • Outlines stages of construction
  • Plans/sets target dates
  • Offers suggestions for each step

32
Free Electronic Readers
  • ReadPlease2003
  • www.readplease.com
  • or
  • Natural Reader
  • www.naturalreaders.com
  • Listen to your writing
  • Great for editing and proofreading

33
Mikes hints
  • READ Chapter 7!
  • Watch for key words when responding use
    transitions to guide your thoughts (see handouts)
  • See Georgia Irwin (Academic Skills Coordinator)
    re WCT results
  • Visit the Writing Drop In Centre, A217
  • Take a course 1501 and/or 1502
  • Work with Georgia personally

34
Your hints
35
Writing Websites
  • OWL Online Writing Lab (Purdue University)
  • http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/ind
    ex.html
  • The Writing Centre (University of
    Wisconsin-Madison)
  • http//www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/index.html
  • Guide to Grammar and Writing
  • http//grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
  • Writing Argumentative Essays
  • http//www.santarosa.edu/philosophy/essaytutorial.
    htm
  • Guide to Writing a Basic Essay
  • http//members.tripod.com/lklivingston/essay/
  • Many more good links on our website

36
Style Guides
  • APA Style Guide
  • http//www.uwsp.edu/psych/apa4b.htm
  • http//www.ccc.commnet.edu/apa/index.htm
  • MLA Style Guide
  • http//www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/
  • Citing Online content
  • http//www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
  • The Writing Center (U of Wisconsin)
  • http//www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/
  • Scientific Reports
  • http//www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ScienceReport
    .html

37
More Writing Websites
  • A Research Writing (Internet Public Library)
  • http//www.ipl.org/div/teen/aplus/
  • A Brief Guide to Writing Student Papers
  • http//saugus.byu.edu/publications/guidetowritingp
    apers.htm
  • Essay Builder
  • http//204.244.141.13/writ_den/tips/essay/index.ht
    m
  • Essay Writing, Parts I, II III
  • http//www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/

38
Whats coming up
  • Due Today
  • Library Assignment
  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire
  • Next Monday
  • Journal 4 is due
  • Next Wednesday, March 8
  • Myers-Briggs Workshop
  • Angela Cupido, guest
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