WritingProcessFall20144WritingStepsDiscoverathesis–oftenthroughprewriting.Developsolidsupportforthethesis.Organizethethesisandsupportingmaterial.Reviseandedittoensureanerror-freeessay.Prewriting“Ifyouarelikemanypeople,youmayhavetroublegettingstartedwithwriting…”WhatelsecanIsay?WheredoIgonext?PrewritingTechniquesFreewritingQuestioningMakingalistDiagrammingPreparingascratchoutlineTechnique1:FreewritingFreewritingmeansjottingdowninroughsentencesorphraseseverythingthatcomestomindaboutapossibletopic.ActivityTakeasheetofpaperandfreewriteaboutsomeoftheeverydayannoyancesinyourlife.Seehowmuchmaterialyoucanaccumulateintenminutes.Technique2:QuestioningQuestioning:generateideasanddetailsbyaskingquestionsaboutyoursubject.Why?When?Where?Who?How?StudentModel:Whydon’tyouliketogotoamovie?Justtoomanyproblemsinvolved.StudentModel:Whenisgoingtothemoviesaproblem?Couldbeanytime—whenamovieispopular,thetheateristoocrowded;whentrafficisbad,thetripisadrag.StudentModel:Wherearetheproblemswithmoviegoing?Onthehighway,intheparkinglot,attheconcessionstand,inthetheateritself.StudentModel:Whocreatestheproblems?Idobywantingtoeattoomuch.Thepatronsdobycreatingdisturbances.Thetheaterownersdobynothavingenoughparkingspaceandshowingtoomanycommercials.StudentModel:HowcanIdealwiththeproblem?IcanstayhomeandwatchmoviesonvideoorcableTV.Activity:Useasheetofpapertoaskyourselfaseriesofquestionsaboutagoodorbadexperiencethatyouhadrecently.Seehowmanydetailsyoucanaccumulateinjustafewminutes.Technique3:MakingaListMakingalist,orbrainstorming,youcollectideasanddetailsrelatedtoyoursubject.TrafficisbadbetweenmyhouseandtheaterNoisypatronsHardtobeonadietKidsrunninginaislesI’mcrowdedintoseatsbetweenstrangersNotenoughparkingToomanypreviewsCan’tpauseorfast-forwardLonglinesHighticketpricesToomanytemptationsatsnackstandTubsofpopcornwithbutter,chocolatebarsCandyhasalwaysbeenmydownfallMoviemightbesoldoutPeoplecoughingandsneezingIckystuffonthefloorTeenagersyellingandshowingoffActivityMakealistofrealisticgoals,majororminor,thatyouwouldliketoaccomplishbetweentodayandoneyearfromtoday.Yourgoalscanbepersonaloracademic.Technique4:ClusteringClustering,isforpeoplewholiketothinkinavisualway.Youuselines,boxes,arrows,andcirclestoshowrelationshipsamongtheideasanddetails.Activity:Useclusteringtoorganizealistoftheyear-aheadgoalsthatyoucreatedforthepreviousactivity.Technique5:PreparingaScratchOutlineInascratchoutline,youthinkcarefullyaboutthepointyouaremaking,thesupportingitemsforthatpoint,andtheorderinwhichyouwillarrangethoseitems.1.Trafficisbadbetweenmyhouseandthetheater.3.Noisypatrons

Don’twanttorunintoJeremy2.Hardtobeonadiet3.Kidsrunninginaisles3.I’mcrowdedintoseatsbetweenstrangers1.Notenoughparking1.Toomanypreviews

Can’tpauseorfastforward1.Longlines1.Highticketprices2.Toomanytemptationsatsnackstand

Commercialsforfoodonthescreen2.Canpreparehealthysnacksformyselfathome2.Tubsofpopcornwithbutter,hugechocolatebarsCandyhasalwaysbeenmydownfallEtc.Goingtothemoviesofferssomerealproblems:InconvenienceofgoingoutTemptingsnacksOthermoviegoersActivity:Createascratchoutlinethatcouldserveasaguideifyouweretowriteanessayaboutyouryear-aheadgoals.WritingaFirstDraftActivityFillinthemissingwordsonpage32.RevisingRevisingmeansrewritingapaper,buildingonwhathasalreadybeendone,inordertomakeitstronger.It’slikecleaninghouse—gettingridofallthejunkandputtingthingsin