Chapter 3

Chapter
Objectives
After completing this

chapter. students will
be able to do the
following:
■ Use pre-reading
strategies.
■ Work with
assigned writing
topics.
■ Develop and
narrow a topic for
an essay.
u.
Q:
■ Use prewriting
§ strategies to
f
'w'
0
generate
ideas.
.0
<t
g
In many careers, previewing materials is essential to getting a job done well. Previewing
strategies also help readers and writers keep focused as they work with and create
texts.
Sometimes the way you do a job really affects the final result. For example, a high
school senior decided to paint his old worn-out car. Not being the mechanical-or
artistic type, he washed his car and dried it, and then be painted it with nine cans of
red, high gloss, bargain-brand spray paint. You can probably imagine the outcome. The
painting process he used resulted in the creation of what he and his friends came to call
"The Bloodmobile." Indeed, the process he used affected the quality of the outcome.
The same principle is true for reading and writing. The early steps are important.
Carefully following these steps wiJI help you confidently begin the integrated reading
and writing journey.
• . . . . . •
. .. • . . .•
. • .. •• • • .. . •
•
• • •• •
.• .• •
50
•
Previewing Texts and Working with Topics 51
tusing•i'Pre-Reading ,strategies, -
What you do before you read a text can determine whether or not you understand
what you read. We call these before-reading steps pre-reading strategies. See "Four
Pre Reading Strategies" shown here. Let's look at these.
F OUR PRE-READI NG STRATEGIES
►1
f
•• ;,w;,g
2 e,.a;cu,,
3 RecalHog 411<,;,g
Previewing
Previewing means looking over a text without reading it word for word. To preview, look
over and read each of these parts and ask the questions given in "Preview Questions about
Text Elements." The goal of previewing is to get a sense of what a text will present.
PREVIEW QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT ELEMENTS
• What does the title tell me this text is about?

ntle • Does the title present a complete idea?
• What is the subject of the headings?

Headings
• Do the headings give me clues about the topic or the
writer's main idea?
Formatted • Are any words underlined, italicized, boldfaced, or printed in

Words a different color?
• Why are these words special? Do they help me figure out the topic?
Repeated
Words and • Which words and phrases are often repeated?
Phrases • Does the writer use synonyms for these often-repeated words?
• What do the illustrations, tables, charts, or other graphics tell me about

Graphics
the topic?-
• Do the graphics hint at the main idea of the reading?
Introduction • After reading the introduction paragraph, can I figure out the topic?
and Conclusion • Does the conclusion paragraph restate the writer's main idea
or confirm my idea about the topic?
A careful preview of the reading can help you figure out what the reading is
about-its topic. Being able to determine the topic of a reading is one of the most
important reading skills. The topic can be expressed in a word or a short phrase. It
will not be a complete sentence because a topic does not express a complete thought;
it is only the subject or content with which the text is concerned.
Example of a topic: iPads in education

52 Reading and Writing as Integrated Processes
The next example is not a topic because it is a complete thought and is thus
presented in a complete sentence.
Not a topic: Although many schools are rushing to purchase iPads for
their students, little research shows that learning on iPads is more effec
tive than other methods of learning.
The Title Often Presents the Topic. A title like "Five Weight-Training
Techniques" is very helpful, as it clearly describes the topic of the reading. Not
all titles, however, are as revealing. A title like "Alternatives" does not give us
much information about the topic.
Headings Give Clues about the Topic. Flipping through the text to exam
ine its headings and subheadings will give you clues about the topic. Consider the
textbook chapter headings in "Previewing Headings."
PREVIEWING HEADINGS
Chapter 2 1.How Humans Learn ]-◄-'.--•-1-- Chapter title
12.1 Learning Theories j◄ ' • P:I Heading

[ 2.1.a Classical Conditioning j..a • ■I Subheadings
2.1.b Operant Conditioning
By studying the title, heading, and subheadings of the textbook chapter shown in
"Previewing Headings," we can learn several things:
■ This chapter is about how humans learn.
■ There are theories about how humans learn.
■ Two theories are classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
Some readings present a number of different elements, any one of which could
be the topic. In such readings, asking what all these elements share may give you the
topic of the reading. For example, consider these subheadings from a magazine
article:
Biodiesel Engines
Natural Gas
Hydrogen-Based Automobiles
Vehicles Electric
Cars
All the subheadings refer to vehicles that use alternative forms of energy. Thus, the
topic of the article is likely to be alternative-fuel vehicles.
Formatted Words Are Important for Understanding the Topic. When

you see words that are bold-faced, italicized, underlined, or printed in color, the words
are probably important for understanding the text and may help you understand the topic.
Early one morning, Bob is in the shower. While he showers, his wife enters
This passage illustrates
the bathroom and flushes the toilet. Scalding hot water bursts down on Bob, classical conditioning.
caus ng him to yell in pain. The next day, Bob is back for his morning shower, The bold-faced font tells
and once again his wife enters the bathroom and flushes the toilet. Panicked us the term is important.
by
Two other important terms
he sound of the toilet flushing, Bob yelps in fear and jumps out of the shower
are in italics: neutral
stream. Bob's panic at the sound of the toilet illustrates the learning process stimulus and meaningful
of classical conditioning, in which a neutral stimulus (the sound of a toilet stimulus.
flush ng) becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus (the pain of
scalding hot water) and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response
(panic).
By noticing the formatted words in this selection, we might conclude that the two
it.alicized words-neutral stimulus and meaningful stimulus-are important for
under standing classical conditioning, the term we find in boldfaced letters.
Giraphics Will Relate to the Topic and Main Idea. A preview should
also Jr 1volve looking at any graphics. Graphics include photos, illustrations,charts, tables,
and aJ twork. As you preview readings, you may find infographics, which are illustrations
that COmbine artwork and text to convey information or explain topics. Maps are a
common ty pe of infographic, like the illustration shown in "Previewing an
Infographic."
PREVIEWING AN INFOGRAPHIC
Before Conditioning
Food Dog salivates Bell
e '
Conditioning After Conditioning
"
Bell
Bell
Food
\ ,rL' \
-
Pavlov's Classical Conditioning In one experiment, Pavlov presented a neutral stimu-
1s (bell} just before an unconditioned stimulus (food). The neutral stimulus became a
onditioned stimulus by being paired with the unconditioned stimulus. Subsequently,
1e conditioned stimulus (bell) by itself was able to elicit the dog's salivation.
.ey: US = unconditioned stimulus; UR = unconditioned response; CS = conditioned stim
lus; CR= conditioned response.
epeated Words and Phrases Can Hint at the Topic. Another method
1r identifying the topic is to briefly scan the reading. Scanning, or skimming, simply
1volves glancing at each paragraph, perhaps reading a sentence or two on each page,
and getting a sense of the kind of content and the kind of writing in the text. As you
scan the reading, note any words that come up again and again. Look also for syn
onyms. Tmagine skimming over an article and seeing these words constantly
repeated:
flying
phobia fear nervousness
flights
paranoia calm worry
fear of flying
travel anxiety uneasiness
These words suggest that the reading's topic is the fear of flying. Notice that some of
the words are synonyms. Anxiety, worry, uneasiness, nervousness, fear-these
words are all somewhat related in meaning. Finding the recurring words and
synonyms will help you identify the topic at a glance.
Introduction and Conclusion Paragraphs Can Provide Clues about the

Topic Although previewing usually means looking over a text without reading it
closely, go ahead and read the first and last paragraphs during the previewing process.
Doing so can help you get an idea about the topic and what the writer is saying about the
topic.
PRACTICE
0
Previewing a Textbook Chapter
Study the title, headings, and photo below, taken from a chapter of a textbook
entitled Criminal Investigation. Then answer the questions that follow.
CHAPTER OUTLINE Chapter 4 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Introduction
Class versus Individual Characteristics ,..FIGURE 4-21

Comparison Samples Bite mark in food
Soil and Pollen A partially eaten "Moon Pie" bitten
Footwear, Foot, and Tires: Prints and Impressions by one of the suspects in a double
Paint homicide. From the bite marks it can
Glass be determined that the individual
Fiber, Cloth Fragments, and Impressions
making them had two non-equally
String, Cord, Rope, and Tape
protruding upper front teeth. Such
Fingerprints
information can play an important
Forensic Odontology
role in determining probable cause
I
Hair
§ for arrest and/or search warrants.
Blood (Courtesy Dr. Richard R. Souvlron, DDS,
Lip Cosmetics. DNA. and Lip Prints
-
ABFO, Chief Forensic Odontologist, Dade
I Firearms
£ County Medical Examiner Department,
Tool Marks
12
Miami, Florida)
QI Questioned Documents
0
1. What do you think this chapter is about?
2. For whom do you believe this book is written?
3. What do you think the purpose of this chapter is?
4. The chapter outline lists a number of items, such as hair, blood, and lip
cos metics. What are these? What information do you think the chapter will
present about these items?
•
111
PRACTICE I
Identifying Topics
Use previewing to read each passage and identify its topic.
1. Context: A short paragraph found in a community newspaper's opinion

section. The writer is a citizen of the community.
Our town is woefully ill-prepared for flash floods. We do not have a
re cycling program. Our library has struggled to keep its doors open and
has not had funds for new books for two years. In spite of these facts, the
City Council is considering installing a new, expensive fence around the
city park baseball field. The projects we need the most are not even being
discussed. City Council members need to get their priorities in order and
consider projects that will benefit all of the citizens in our town, not just
sports enthusiasts.
What is the topic?
2. Context: A short reading from a general-interest magazine.
Although anxiety disorders are common, they often go undiagnosed

for years. One reason for this delay in diagnosis is that the symptoms of
anxiety can appear to be symptoms of other illnesses.
In particular, anxiety disorders often produce physical symptoms such
as intestinal discomfort, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath,
hyperventi lation, and rapid heartbeat. Since these symptoms can be
caused by physi cal ailments, people with anxiety often assume their
disorder is physical.
This assumption can lead them to even greater anxiety and worry
because they fear there is something wrong with them and that they may
die.
All of the physical symptoms of anxiety-racing heartbeat, shortness
of breath, hyperventilation, dizziness, nausea, and intestinal cramps-can
converge on a sufferer at one time. This onslaught of physical symptoms
can be terrifying. It can be hard for the victim to believe that the cause is
"only anxiety" since the physical symptoms are so real.
What is the topic?
Predicting
After you have previewed the text carefully, a natural step is to make some
predictions. Thinking about what you have seen and read, ask yourself the questions
in "Making Predictions."
MAKING PREDICTIONS
,What will the text's topic be?
What do I think the writer will say about the topic?
;.Do you think the writer will provide information, or will the
·,writer try to convince me of an opinion?
56 Reading and Writing as Integrated
Processes
Jot down your answers before you read. After reading, go back and see if your
predic tions were correct. The better you get at previewing, the better you will
become at making good predictions about what the writer will say.
Recalling
Have you ever read a textbook one day and, the next day, completely forgotten what
you read? Most people have had this experience. One trick for understanding and re
membering what you read is to tie the new information (what you are reading) to old
information (what you already know). For example, if you are reading a chapter
about the use of DNA evidence in criminal investigations, think about what you
already know about the topic. Your knowledge may come from movies or television
shows, but that is okay! By recalling what you already know about the topic, your
brain can sun ply add the new information to the existing information. When you try
to remember what you have read, your brain has a "file" it can refer to.
One way to recall is to take out a sheet of paper and make two columns. Tn the
left hand column, make a list of things you already know about the topic. After you
read the article, go back and write down information you did not previously know in
the right-hand column. Here is an example of a student's recalling activity.
What I Already Know What I Learned

• I watch Forensic Files, and I've learned from that • There are "DNA Databases" that enable
law show that DNA evidence is really important in enforcement to match a DNA sample with
some crimin-al cases. a known criminal.
• To get DNA evidence, you need bodily fluids or • These days, DNA is being used to prove
the cells. innocence of some people who have been
• Sometimes victims of crimes try to leave their imprisoned for crimes they didn't
commit. DNA at crime scenes. • The demand for DNA testing is high, so
it
• One way to get DNA is to swab someone's mouth takes a long time for results to come
back. or to use hair pulled out with roots attached.
Asking Questions
Finally, before you read, think of some questions you would like the text to answer.
By finding the answers to these questions, you will be more likely to understand and
re member what you read.
After you preview the text, what questions come to mind? Jot them down. If no
questions come to mind, create some questions using the 5 W's and 1 H questions:
Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? Here are some questions you might
ask after previewing a reading on DNA:
• What exactly is DNA?
■ How much does a DNA test cost?
■ Who uses DNA? Do all police
• How accurate are DNA tests?
depart ments gather DNA evidence?
• Where is DNA testing done?
• When is DNA useful? When is it not
■ Why does it take crime labs so long
useful?
to return DNA results?
Previewing Texts and Working with 57
Topics
I
After you have created questions, read the selection. Take the time to find and jot
down the answers to your questions.
PRACTICE e
Using the Four Pre-Reading Strategies
What follows is a passage, "Hierarchy of Needs," from Understanding Your
Health, by Wayne A. Payne, Dale B. Hahn, and Ellen B. Lucas. Use the four
pre-reading strategies described in this chapter and summarized in the list be
low. As you do, write your thoughts on a separate sheet.
■ Preview: What do you notice when you preview the text?
■ Predict: What do you predict the topic will be?
• Recall: What do you already know about the topic?
■ Ask: What questions do you have about the text or the topic?
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs YOUR ANNOTATIONS
Abraham Maslow has been one of the most significant contributors to the un
derstanding of personality and emotional growth. Central to Maslow's contribu
tion to twentieth-century American psychological thought was his view of
psychological health in terms of the individual's attempt to meet inner needs,
what he called the hierarchy of needs.
Maslow's theory is a positive, optimistic theory of human behavior. He be
lieved that people are motivated to grow and fulfill their potential, referring to
this phenomenon as self-actualization. In Motivation and Personality, he de
scribed self-actualization as "the need to become more and more what one is,
to become everything that one is capable of becoming." Maslow differentiated
between two categories of needs: basic needs and metaneeds. Basic needs
physiological needs, safety and security, belonging and love, and esteem
needs-are the deficiency needs and are essential and urgent. Metaneeds
come into play once the basic needs are met and include spirituality,
creativity, curiosity, beauty, philosophy, and justice. Maslow's hierarchy of
needs is ar ranged with the basic needs on the bottom, as they are the most
fundamental and powerful needs. Lower-level needs must be met before the
next level of
ABRAHAM MASLOW'S HIERARCHY
A
METANEEDS
Reaching one's full
potential
BASIC NEEDS
L..HM Self-worth
Affectionate
---- relationships
Employment
Food, shelter,
t-----------------------&health
(continued)
needs can be satisfied. Maslow believed that people must fulfill their me-
taneeds in order to become completely developed human beings. Left unful
filled, people can become cynical, apathetic, and lonely.
Maslow arrived at this model by examining people whom he considered to
be exceptionally healthy, people he defined as having developed to their fullest
potentials. People whom Maslow identified as self-actualized included Albert
Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. He per
ceived these people to share similar personality characteristics, such as being
self-assured, principled, innovative, compassionate, altruistic, goal-oriented,
and internally motivated.
PRACTICE
0
Monitoring Your Understanding
Now that you have completed pre-reading in Practice 3, go on to read and an
notate "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." When you finish, answer the questions
that follow. Use a separate sheet for your answers.
1. What is the topic of this selection?
2. List one prediction you made about this reading. Was your prediction
cor rect or not? Explain your answer.
3. Explain how you used the "recall" pre-writing strategy.
4. On a separate sheet, answer the questions you created during
the pre-writing process.
5. How did the pre-reading strategies help you to understand the selection?
Do you think your understanding improved by using pre-reading strate
gies? Explain.
Working with Assigned Writing Topics

Much of the writing you will do in college and the workplace will be based on topics
assigned by your instructors or supervisors. For other writing assignments, you may
be given a range of topic choices and will need to narrow the topic you choose. You
will also encounter writing assignments that require you to supply your own topic.
In some ways, when an instructor selects the topic, the writing process is easier
since the first step has already been completed for you. Nonetheless, you should plan
to use four strategies to make sure that the paper you write fits the assignment.
Create an Assignment Page

Ideally, you will be provided with an assignment page. These written instructions
will tell you exactly what the topic is and how to approach it. If you do not have
written
·1
directions, then you need to create your own page of instructions. Create an assign
ment page by listing answers to these questions:
• What is the topic?
• Is research required? If so, what kind of research is expected?
• Is research (or the use of sources such as the Internet) prohibited?
• What is the writing purpose-to inform, to analyze and evaluate, or to persuade?
■ What is the due date?
• What is the length requirement?
■ What formatting is expected? Has the instructor specified font type and size,
spac ing, and heading format? Do you need to include a word count? Do you
need to use a particular documentation style, such as MLA (Modern Language
Associa tion) style or APA (American Psychological Association) style?
Finally, take note of who will be reading your paper. You will need to consider
your audience as you make decisions about what to include and how to word your
ideas. Often with academic writing tasks, the instructor is the only person who will
read what you write. Even though the instructor is an audience of only one, keeping
in mind that you are writing for your professor is very important, as it will help you
choose content, terminology, and a style appropriate for academic writing. Academic
writing assignments always require formal writing, so avoid contractions and slang,
use correct grammar and mechanics, and use third person.
Read and Reread the Assignment

A common writing mistake is to write about something that does not address the
topic well enough. Understanding the assignment is imperative. Read the assignment
in structions twice, making annotations to highlight each particular requirement.
Merely reading through assignment instructions in a cursory fashion can lead to
disastrous results. For example, students in a writing class were asked to write an
ml cursory
For every Vocabulary
essay about the morality of physician-assisted suicide, in which a doctor knowingly
Collection Word (VCW), give
helps a patient commit suicide. One student wrote a paper on why physicians' your in-context idea of the
assistants should not commit suicide. A second reading of the assignment instructions word's meaning and then
would have helped this student write on the correct topic. look up the word's dictionary
definition.
State the Paper's Topic in the Form of a Question

If the topic is not offered to you in the form of a question, transform the instructions
into a question, as in the following example.
Original instructions: Write an essay in which you examine how credit card
companies exploit college students by giving students credit cards, even
when the students are unemployed. In your paper, include a discussion of
why credit cards can be a problem-especially for college students.
Instructions reworded as questions: How do credit card companies exploit

college students, and what are the problems that result from this exploitation?
Seek Help If You Need It

The best way to find help is to talk to your instructor. If your instructor is not available,
work with a staff member at a writing lab or tutoring center. If you are confused about the
topic or unsure how to begin, seek help before you go any further with your writing.
·•<·Developing and..Narrowing···a"'· opic for..an•·Essay· · · •••· •

Some assignments require you to generate your own topic. The best place to start this
process is on a blank sheet of paper. Brainstorm about the subject by writing down
everything that comes to mind. Do not evaluate your ideas at this time. Just allow
yourself the freedom to write them down.
Brainstorming for Topics

Read "Brainstorming Strategies" on the next page for how to generate ideas for possi
ble topics.
As you search for ideas, be aware that information found on the Internet is not
always reliable. Avoid sites that offer papers for sale. Those kinds of Web sites often
pop up when you are browsing for topics. Your instructors are familiar with the kinds
of papers these Web sites sell or give away, and using a paper written by someone
else for your writing assignment is plagiarism.
BRAINSTORMING STRATEGIES
Start with your • What are you interested in? What are you
passionate about? What aspect of these interests
can you write about?
11own interests.
I Free your
Imagination.
• if you had the time, money, energy, and ability,
what would you want to learn about? How could
you write about these topics?
I
• Which world events affect or interest you? Are there
Reflect on the
world around you. issues about which you are passionate? What
might you write about these events or issues?
I Think about your

life and your history.
• Which of your own experiences or memories might
be of Interest to others? Do you have experiences
that might help others learn lessons?
I Visit your college's

writing lab,
tutoring center, or
library.
• Ask someone to help you find a list of hot topics, current
issues, or a subject guide.
I Check out
Internet sites.
• See what other people are talking about by going to
sites such as CNN.com, Yahoo News, or ProCon.org.
Remember, you are looking for topic ideas, not for
actual articles.
PRACTICE
e
Finding Topics of Interest
Imagine that your writing instructor asks you to choose a current event or an issue
that is important for your classmates to consider. The assignment is to select the
is sue and write an informative essay about it. What event or issue would you
choose? Use one or more of the topic-selectiontechniques to choose a topic.
1. Your topic: _
2. What process did you use for choosing this topic? Explain in one or
two sentences:
Narrowing Topics
The topic you choose for an essay or other writing assignment (and sometimes even a
topic that is assigned to you) needs to be narrow enough for an essay. For example,
Raphael was considering majoring in music. His instructor asked students to write an
essay that discusses the daily activities involved in a job of interest to them. Raphael
decided to write about a job in the music industry. Though Raphael plays several in
struments, he did.not want to pursue a career as a performer. So he narrowed his topic
to jobs that do not include performing music.
To narrow the topic, Raphael started by breaking the subject into parts or types.
" : • .••, ,;-i

•
NONP-,ERF.ORMANCE CAREERS
·, ,''""'.'\Jiit,,.,c J • I.Ii» '_... •-, .' - • "'·.......•,- .
•• • IN -J:1HE:-·MUSIC' INDUSTRY
I
!
MARKETERS ,._.,.. .,.TEACHERS,-·
PRODUCERS
Next, he chose one type of music career-being a teacher-to discuss in his essay.
After choosing "teacher," Raphael identified the following three kinds of teachers.
PRIVATE COLLEGE PUBLIC SCHOOL

STUDIO MUSIC MUSIC
TEACHERS INSTRUCTORS TEACHERS
At this point, Raphael determined that these topics could be narrowed even fur
ther. Thus he identified three types of "college music instructors."
I
PERFORMANCE
INSTRUCTORS BAND MUSIC
DIRECTORS HISTORIANS
Raphael was then able to choose a narrower topic-the daily job activities of a
band director-that was suitable for his assignment. To check whether he had suffi
ciently narrowed his topic to fit the scope of an essay, Raphael asked himself the
ques tions shown in "Raphael Narrows His Topic."
RAPHAEL NARROWS HIS TOPIC
Is there enough Information about this topic

to write a multivolume series of
books?
t
[ No.
I
J►
l I►
-,
Is there enough information about this
topic
to write a single book? Probably no t.
--
Is there enough information about this topic

to write an extensive research paper about
it?
Yes.
I
:::i►
Ir
Is there enough information about this topic
to write a brief essay?

t
: , I
I
►
Could the information be adequ
ately
► The topic could be summarized but
1►
developed in a single paragraph? : not adequately covered.
As Raphael did, you can use these questions to determine whether the topics you
select are suitable for essays.
PRACTICE
•
Narrowing Topics for Essays
Use the questions in "Raphael Narrows His Topic" to consider each topic
that follows. If the topic is suitable for an essay, write "Suitable for an essay."
If the topic is too broad, narrow it so that it would be suitable for an essay.
1. The programming on cable 6. Stress
television
7, Homelessness
2. The importance of healthy
lunches for schoolchildren
8. Why tattoos are so popular

3. Dentistry
9. Religious tolerance in the

United States
4. Why teens drop out of high
school
10. Cell phones

5. Sleep
• Using Prewriting Strategies to Generate Ideas

Writers do not start at the beginning, go through the middle, and then finish at the
end all in a straight line. They might get partway through the writing process only to
realize they need to return to an earlier step to clarify their ideas. As you compose, be
willing to go back and revise, rethink, and rewrite when your paper would benefit
from your doing so. Prewriting strategies-methods for coming up with ideas-are
particularly use
ful techniques to employ agairi and again. Once you determine a topic, you can use
prewriting to generate ideas. "Guidelines for Effective Prewriting," which follows,
will help you get the most benefit from prewriting techniques.
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PREWRITING
Use prewriting whenever you another.
I need to come up with ideas.
I
I Don't judge what you write
down during prewriting.
If one prewriting technique

doesn't work well, try
• You64can useReading and Writing as Integrated Processes
prewriting at the
beginning of the
writing process,
in the middle,
or even at the
end when you
are revising.
• The goal is to
come up with
ideas, not to judge
them. Get as
many ideas on
paper as you can.
• Sometimes writing
a list works;
sometimes
discussing an idea
with friends is a
better idea. Use a
variety of
methods.
Prewriting Strategy: Discussion

Discussing ideas with others can be a useful prewriting strategy. Meet with family,
friends, or classmates-in person, on.line, or by phoning or texting-and talk about
your ideas for the assignment. Take notes so that you can revisit the ideas later when
you are developing an outline.
PRACTICE 0
Using Discussion for Prewriting
Imagine your task is to write an essay about a current trend, such as getting a
tattoo or wearing a certain style of clothing. You must determine why the trend
is popular and how it developed. Use discussion to (1) identify a trend, (2)
make a list of the possible reasons for its popularity, and (3) determine, if
possible, how the trend developed. Jot down your answers on a separate
sheet.
Prewriting Strategy: Simple Listing

Some people love to make lists. Even if you are not one of those people, you might
still find that listing is a helpful prewriting strategy. First, turn the topic into a
question.
For example, Luisa's topic for a writing assignment was the following: strategies
for increasing exercise.
Topic: Addin.9 exerci0e to3our life

Que0fion:What are i;ome wa30 people can 3et more exerci0e?
- 30 for a walk evet'!1 da3
- park farther awa3 from enfrance0
- fake 0fair0when p ble
- Join a 33m
- Joitl a COWIWIUtli team (0uch a0 volle3rxill, 000eooll, and ':,() on)
- find an exerci0e partner
- let their children be their "frainer0"
- bu3 ayi exerci0e machiYle, 0uch a0 aY\ elliptical or treadmill
bu aVitko @d exercie;e with if
- u0e aYI onliYle pro3ram for mofivatioYI
hire a peri;ot1al trainer
- do chore0 that require phfj0ical exertion, 0uch a0 wa0hiVl!J a car haY1d
-:- find acfiVitie0 that combiYIB exercie;e with fun, e;uch QC; Vi&;itin.9 ana hik-
rn.9 rn parke;
- do the thiYlqe; the3 liked iYI childhood, e;uch ae; bike ridtn3. pla tn3 kick
ooll, @d i;o ot'(
Notice thatLuisa wrote down everything she could thinkof. She didn't censor any ideas.
PRACTICE
e
Using Listing for Prewriting
Drawing on your own experience as a student or a parent, think about your
K-12 education. Imagine that you plan to write an essay on the changes
that
could have improved your education. First, turn the topic into a question. On a
Prewriting Strategy: Clustering

Clustering, or mapping, is a visual method of prewriting. To use clustering, draw a cir
cle in the middle of a sheet of paper, and in that circle write your paper's topic. As you
think of an idea related to the topic, put the new idea in a new circle. Use lines to show
relationships among ideas. Do not censor any ideas during this process, and do not worry
if your result is messy. "Samuel's Cluste1ing Diagram" shows how one student, Samuel,
used clustering for an essay about common rites of passage for American youth. (A rite
of passage is an event or ritual that marks the change from one life stage to another.)
SAMUEL'S CLUSTERING DIAGRAM
getting a
driver's
license
PRACTICE
0
Using Clustering for Prewriting
Use clustering to come up with examples or illustrations for an essay. The topic
for this essay is family traditions. On a separate sheet, first, turn the topic into a
question, and then draw a clustering chart to prewrite about this topic. Some
items you might consider are types of traditions, problems with traditions, and
feelings about traditions.
Prewriting Strategy: 5 W's+ 1 H Questions

The 5 W's plus 1 H questions can help you generate ideas about your topic. Think
about your topic, and then consider these questions:
Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
Keep in mind that you may not need to use all the information these questions
will produce. At this stage, do not censor any information. If you wish, use a
computer to type in your ideas. The example below shows Carolina's questions and
answers about a particular topic.
..,·1-f':3 & p::.;: ,._.Mng':,J""""tJ.,INffiltTMiffl,,,dl'AOld
@-F - ;-';" -- - ;...- ..:; -. ...._; ·-- -- ·;r-;:1-_--

Prewritlng for essay due 4/25
Topic: The effects of battle on a soldier

Question: What are the effects of battle on a soldier?
Who? Soldiers. their families, health-care workers
What? Veterans often come back with depression,
anger, a sense of worthlessness, guilt, and extreme stress.
All of these symptoms are part of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Where? I will focus on veterans who returned from Afghanistan.
C
0 When? When we are at war.
' 2 Why? Extreme stress of war, not having enough
g _
8 mental health resources, feeling that warriors/soldiers
should not have mental issues
eu How? I will focus on how these effects are recognized and treated.
PRACTICE G
Using 5 W's + 1 H Questions for Prewriting
Consider the issue of cheating on tests. Use the questions to explore this
issue. Write your answers for the following questions on a separate sheet.
Topic: Cheating on tests
1. Who is involved?
5. Why does it happen?
2. What happens?
6. How does it happen?
3. Where does it happen?
7. What can we do to prevent it?
4. When does it happen?
Prewriting Strategy: Freewriting

Freewriting is one of the simplest prewriting methods. To freewrite, simply think
about your topic and write everything that comes to mind for a limited period of time,
such as three minutes. You do not need to write in complete sentences; it is fine to jot
down phrases and words that come to mind. If you cannot think of anything to write,
then type or write the topic's key words over and over. The point is not to censor
ideas during this stage of writing. The example below shows Anita's freewriting.
Notice how she simply recorded everything that came to mind.
Previewing Texts and Working with 67 1
Topics
Topic: sleep deprivation Iii deprivation
Questions: What are the effects of sleep deprivation? How can one avoid I
sleep deprivation?
maker,if hard to conrenfrate, make if hard to r,fa!j awake at work and
r,chool. cat1't live life well if !jOU don't 3et enoU!jh r,leep. mur,t take time
for 3our elf. et a 300d ex.ample for!jOUr kidr, 3otn3 to bed Ot'l time,
r,leep, leep deprivation, not enou3h of if, w . becaur,e too much i _goln_g
ot1, eat
dinner too late, too maacfiVitier,, ma3be r,hould cut down ot1 actiVitie .
eat a Ample dit1ner ltke 'i,,Qndwtche . make a time !jOU mu t 30 to bed eve
n ht, tick to if, teach kidr,the'i,,Qme, r,leep. make room comfortable, ntce
I
•
afmor,phere, comf3 bed. fluff!j pillowr,
II
PRACTICE
II
Using Freewriting for Prewriting
Imagine that you are required to write an essay about the decline of manners
in public. Give yourself two to three minutes to freewrite. On a separate sheet,
write down everything that comes to mind during this time period. If you get
stuck, write a key word like rude or polite or manners over and over until you
think of new ideas.
Prewriting Strategy: Freetalking

Freetalking is just like freewriting, except you use speech instead of a pen and
paper. For two to three minutes, simply talk out loud to yourself about the topic.
Consider using a cell phone that records your voice or a small digital recorder. Take
your time and think out loud. It might be helpful to imagine you are talking to a
friend about the
topic. If you get stuck, repeat the topic over and over again. Jot down new ideas as
they come to mind.
PRACTICE
e
Using Freetalking for Prewriting
Find a quiet place where you can talk to yourself or to your cell phone or digital
recorder without distraction (or embarrassment!). Imagine that you have been
assigned a paragraph or an essay on a social issue about which you are very
concerned. More specifically, your assignment is to explain why this issue is
worth our time and our attention. Examples of such issues are global warming,
the eradication of poverty in a certain place, and the improvement of every ele
Iii eradlcatlon
mentary school. Use freetalking to explore why your chosen social issue is im
portant. Write down at least three·ideas you discover.
e READING AND ANNOTATING

What follows is an article published on Greater Good: The Science of a
Meaningful Life, a Web site sponsored by the University of California, Berkeley.
Use tbe four pre-reading strategies covered in tltis chapter and summarized in the list
below. As you use each one, write down your thoughts on the a separate sheet.
• Preview: What do you notice when you preview the text?
• Predict: What do you predict the topic will be?
• Recall: What do you already know about the topic?
• Ask: What questions do you have about the text or the topic?
After you complete the pre-reading activities, read and annotate the article. Use
annotations to mark key ideas. Additionally, mark any ideas you find interesting. You
will use your annotations for a later assignment.
Stumbling Toward Gratitude

By Catherine Price
I have a confession: when I go to a bookstore, I like hanging out in the
self-help sectiof). I don't know if it's because I think I'll find a book that will
solve all my problems, or if seeing all the books on problems I don't have
makes me feel better about myself. But whatever it is, I keep going back.
On recent visits, I've noticed a trend: The market has been glutted by
books promising the secrets to happiness. That might not seem new (isn't
happiness the point of the entire section?), but these aren't touchy-feely
self-help titles they're books by scientific researchers, who claim to offer
prescriptions based on rigorous empirical research. It's all part of the
"positive psychology" move ment that has spilled out of academic journals
and into best-selling books, pop ular magazine articles, and even school
curricula.
As I glanced through a few of these titles, two things quickly became clear.
First,
positive psychologists claim you can create your own happiness. Conventional
wisdom has long held that each of us is simply born with a happiness "set point"
(meaning that some people are constitutionally more likely to be happy than oth
ers). That's partially true-but according to positive psychologists Sonja Lyubom
irsky and Ken Sheldon, research now suggests that up to 40 percent of our
happiness might stem from intentional activities in which we choose to engage.
Second, in trying to explain which activities might actually help us cultivate
happiness, positive psychology keeps returning to the same concept:
gratitude. In study after study, researchers have found that if people actively
try to become more grateful in their everyday lives, they're likely to become
happier-and healthier-as well.
So how do positive psychologists recommend that you increase your level
of gratitude-and, therefore, happiness? They endorse several research-tested
exercises.
These include keeping a "gratitude journal," where you record a running list
of things for which you're grateful; making a conscious effort to "savor" all the
beauty and pleasures in your daily life; and writing a "gratitude letter" to some
important person in your life who you've never properly thanked.
These gratitude exercises all sounded pleasant enough, but would they
work for me? While I'm not currently depressed, I'm very aware that
depression runs in my family: I'm the only person-including the dog-who has
not yet been on Prozac. So I decided to indulge in all three of these exercises
over a six-week period, risking the possibility that I might become an
insufferably happy and cheerful person.
I emailed University of Miami psychologist Michael McCullough, a leading
gratitude researcher, to ask what he thought I could expect as a result of my
gratitude overdose.
"If you're not experiencing more happiness and satisfaction in your life after
this six-week gratitude infusion," he wrote back, "I'll eat my hat!"
Getting Grateful
My first step was to get a gratitude journal. Luckily, a year earlier my
recently retired father had stumbled across a bookstore that sold "quotable
journals" blank books with inspiring quotes on their covers. My father, always a
sucker for inspiration, sent me seven of them. I settled on one with a cover
that said, in all caps, "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating
yourself." Given my experiment in manufactured happiness, this seemed
appropriate.
Journal at my side, I decided to start by taking a happiness inventory (avail
able, along with a bunch of other quizzes, at authentichappiness.org, the web
site run by positive psychology guru Martin Seligman). I scored a 3.58 out of
5, putting myself ahead of 77 percent of participants, but still leaving plenty of
room for improvement-as evidenced by my first journal entry.
"It's been a somewhat depressing day," starts my gratitude journal. "Or,
rather, week."
At first, it felt a little awkward to keep a journal specifically for gratitude-I felt
as if I should plaster my car in cheesy bumper stickers ("Happiness is") and
call it a day. But even on that first downbeat afternoon, my journal did make
me feel a little better about things. Listing things I was grateful for made me
feel, well, grateful for them-and since I'd also decided to jot down moments
each day that had made me happy (another positive psychology-endorsed
exercise), I had a concrete list of cheerful experiences to look back on when I
was feeling down. Thanks to my journal, I know that on January 18th I was
happy because I'd exercised, had a good Chinese lesson, and spent 15
minutes dancing around my room to Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie." On January
30th, I was grateful for my perseverance, the Pacific Ocean, and the fact
that I have really, really good cholesterol.
I've always kept a journal, but once my initial excitement about my new
project had passed, my writing schedule felt a bit contrived-I often had to
force myself to stay awake for a few minutes before bedtime so that I
wouldn't miss an entry. But I quickly found that encouraging myself to
focus on the good in my life instead of dwelling on the bad was helping me
gain a
bit of perspective on things. "The actions in my day-to-day life are actually

quite pleasant," I wrote on January 21st, in a moment of insight. "It's
anxiet ies that get me derailed."
It was also good to get in the habit of countering bad things in my day with
reflections on the good. For example, on February 1st-which I described as
"having a lot going against it"-I wrote that I "spent a bunch of the day
cleaning my room and trying to get my new phone to work, went on fruitless
errands, ripped out part of a sweater I was knitting, and when I emailed the
pattern designer-who goes by 'Yarn Boy'-to ask if he could help me figure out
where I'd gone wrong, he sent me an email back telling me to 'take it to a yarn
shop.' Thanks a lot, Yarn Ass." And yet the entry ends as follows: "But I did
get my phone set up and cleaned my room a bit. Chinese went well. I got cute
new barrettes. I worked out even though I didn't feel like it, then I savored the
feel of my calf muscles."
That might not sound like much, but trust me: It's an improvement.
Happy Meal
To celebrate finishing my experiment-not to mention filling up my journal-I
took my boyfriend out for dinner at a restaurant here in Berkeley called Cafe
Gratitude. It's a place that is anathema to my cynical New York roots: cheery
waitresses who call everyone "darling," posters on the walls that ask
questions like, "Can you surrender to how beautiful you are?" and, worst of
all, a menu of organic, vegan dishes, all named with life-affirming sentences.
For example, saying to your seNer, "I am fabulous" means that you would like
some lasagna. "I am fun" indicates that you want some toast. Unfortunately,
there is no or ganic, vegan interpretation of "I am about to vomit."
My boyfriend and I settled on being generous, fulfilled, and accepting (gua
camole, a large cafe salad, and a bowl of rice), and in honor of my
experiment, I insisted on ordering the "I am thankful" (Thai coconut soup,
served cold). To offset the restaurant's unrelenting cheer, we both ordered
alcohol (luckily, even in Cafe Gratitude, a beer is just a beer).
While nibbling on carrot flaxseed crackers ("I am relishing"), we talked
about the past six weeks. McCullough doesn't need to eat his hat-I
definitely had experienced moments of feeling happier and more
consciously grateful as a result of the exercises, and by the end of my
experiment, my happiness index had gone up to 3.92. But I also found that
there are times when I need to allow myself to feel bad without fighting
against my negative emotions. And my cynical side continues to dream of
opening a rival restaurant next door called the Cantankerous Cafe, with
menu items like "I am depressed" and "I am resentful.''
My biggest question was how long these exercises' effects would last.
"Sometimes positive psychologists sound like we're trying to sell miracles
to people. There are no miracles There are no long-term quick fixes for
hap
piness," said Peterson, when I asked him how I could maintain my happiness
boost. "So if you become a more grateful person and you add those exercises
to your repertoire, you'll be different six months or a year from now. But if you
say okay, I'm done with the story and I'm going back to the way I was, it'll just
have been a six-week high. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not going
to permanently change you."
Perhaps that's why, when I got home from dinner, I went straight to my
bookcase where I keep stuff my dad has sent me-and picked out another
journal.
Questions for Consideration

1. What is the topic of this textbook passage?
2. What is the writer's main point about the topic?
3. What is "positive psychology" according to the author?
4. What is a gratitude journal? Explain and provide an example of what a person
might write in a gratitude journal.
5. How can you relate the ideas in this reading to your own life? Explain your
answer in two or three paragraphs.
f) USING MODELS TO PRACTICE COMPOSING

The model essay that follows was written by Kendra, a student in an English class.
First, Kendra read and annotated her assignment.
Kendra's Annotated Assignment
Read and annotate "Stumbling toward Gratitude." Catherine Price, the

Read and annotate
author, suggests that we can have some control over our happiness.
Your assignment is to write an essay on the topic of happiness. You will
Write an e on happine<:n
need to narrow this topic.
To narrow the topic and generate ideas, spend some time thinking Narrow the topic
about and prewriting on happiness What is it that makes people
Prewrite
happy? What do people believe will make them happy? Are their
beliefs correct?
CoMider the<:,e idea<:,
You might focus on discussing common paths to happiness, or
you might focus on false assumptions about what makes us happy. Refer to Price.,e'ha_y if
Another idea is to present practices, beliefs, or habits that you de<:,ired
believe promote happiness. In your essay, you may refer to Price's Write a draft
article as needed. ReVi<:,e and edit
Put final draft in proper
Once you have narrowed the topic and come up with ideas, write a
format
draft of your essay. Make sure that you revise and edit your draft. Create
a final draft and format it properly before submitting it.
Kendra's Prewriting
Kendra used clustering to come up with ideas:
KENDRA'S CLUSTERING DIAGRAM
After prewriting, Kendra looked at her ideas. She decided to narrow her paper to
focus on myths about happiness.
Kendra's Outline
After narrowing her topic, Kendra continued prewriting. She used her ideas to create
a rough outline for her essay.
Outline
I
Introduction parairaph: I' II talk a little about Catherine Price' idea . and then
I'IIend with mg t e i tafement.
r The i Statement: Three mgth about happine½ are that happine½ come
from ffon_g . that nappirte½ come from achievement . and tnat happirte½
come from relation hip .
Body Para3raph 1: A common mgth i that happirte½ can be bou_ght.
Bod!1 Para3raph 2: Another mgth i that per nal achievemenfo lead to happine½.
Body Para9raph 3: Finallg, a common m th about happirte½ i that to

be happg. a per n mu t be ivi a romantic relafron hip.
Coviclu ion para9raph: I'II _go oock to Catherine Price' idea to how that
happine½ come lrom in ide people.
After creating her rough outline, Kendra continued prewriting. She came up with
ideas to put in her body paragraphs and added them to her outline. Next, she wrote a
rough draft. She revised and edited her rough draft, and she created a correctly
formatted final draft. Here is Kendra's final draft.
Model Student Essay: "Myths about Happiness" by Kendra Hayworth
Hayworth 1 Header
Kendra Hayworth
Ms. Miller Heading

DRE 098
3 November 2017
Myths about Happiness Title

Everyone wants to be happy, but it is obvious that not everyone Introduction
succeeds in finding contentment. Being happy is apparently not that paragraph
easy. (A!fC9tlierine·Pdce expJaTns,_"fne"'sfu:ay'orhappinesshafl3ecom§ ilfilo1matio"n from·

Tt1cl
,a-·garfofane't!'JJela'call _cl.:'.p_ositivg--:fil_y _tjqlom(' Qneof'tfie josights.
- 1sycbgl_g_g',{7s]_h§_Lbavlng _g[atitude is one wc.iy_tgJ C<?_me a
fa()@ c6ntentpers911Price notes': Unfortunately, there are many ideas
J
Hayworth 2
about what makes people happy that are simply wrong. Three myths Thesis statement
about happiness are that life satisfaction comes from owning things,
that contentedness comes from achievements, and that happiness
comes from romantic relationships.

A common myth is that happiness can be bought. Most people, Major Supporting
at one time or another, believe this myth. They think that if they Point 1
can just buy that new car, afford that better apartment, or get that
new smartphone they will definitely be happy. But most people know
what happens after making purchases like these. There is usually a
short period of temporary happiness, but that period is followed by

Supporting details
the same cycle. When the "new wears off," the smartphone becomes
just another gadget. It does not make its owner happy anymore. It is
just a smartphone. People who believ that things can make them
happy of ten move on to the next desired object. Maybe a bigger
television will do the trick. Maybe having a great sound system will
result in true sat isfaction. The problem is, things cannot provide
happiness for more than a short period of time. Focusing on things
to try to find true con tentment is unwise.
Another myth people often believe is that personal Major Supporting

achievements lead to happiness. "I'll know I have made it when I Point 2
graduate." "I'll be so happy if my daughter makes the swim team."
"When I lose twenty pounds, I'll be so happy." It is true that Supporting details
achievements bring some hap piness to people. But achievements
fade. The day after graduation, the graduate wakes up and is the
same person. Even though losing twenty pounds can make a person
joyous at first, keeping the weight off is always a struggle.
Achievements are enjoyed in the moment when they are made. Day-
to-day happiness seems to require more than achievements.
Finally, a common myth about happiness is that to bE?.happy, a Major Supporting

person must be in a romantic relationship. Many people spend their Point 3
Hayworth 3
waking hours looking for a romantic partner. Some believe that the
partner will "complete" them. It is easy to see the falsity of the idea
that a romantic relationship is the key to happiness. So many mar
riages end in divorce, and the number of break-ups for people who
are not married is probably even higher. How could a romantic
part ner be the key to lasting happiness? Even people who do stay
Supporting details
to gether have to work at their relationships. There are plenty of
times when it is more difficult to stay in a relationship than to end it.
Of course, romance is wonderful when it happens, but like new
things and achievements, romance is a temporary thing. So a
romantic relationship cannot be the key to a happy life. Conclusion

Neither material goods, nor personal achievements, nor romantic paragraph
relationships lead to lasting happin ss. So what, exactly, does make peo
ple happy? S::9Jfierine Price writes about gratitude and fiow res
lnfo_rniation from
Eic:frchers haveshovy!l tha_f'pra'difing gratit1,1d -results in true, daily af-ffde
happiness.·
,Gratitudels a f e.ling, and as·Price·po_ints out, havfrig the feeling more
of terts ernsJo··n-rake people happier. Maybe the key to happiness is
changing our minds, changing what goes on inside our heads, and not
worrying so much about external things. A first step is recognizing the
myths about happiness that so easily lead us in the wrong direction.
Hayworth 4
Works Cited
Price, Catherine. "Stumbling toward Gratitude." Greater Good, Greater
Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, 1 June 2007,
greatergood.
berkeley.edu/article/item/stumbling_toward_gratitude.
e A READING AND WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Using Kendra's essay as a model, write your own essay about the topic of happiness.
Follow the same process Kendra used to plan, draft, revise, and edit her essay.
e ADDING TO YOUR VOCABULARY

This chapter's vocabulary words appear below.
anathema
contrived cursory empirical infusion
cantankerous
conventional deprivation eradication
perseverance
Choose five of the vocabulary words from this chapter that you would like to add
to your vocabulary, and think about how you can use them this week. For example,
one of this chapter's words is cursory. You can often substitute cursory for hasty, as in
the
examples that follow.
Example: I didn't have time to study, so I looked over my notes in a hasty fashion.
I didn't have time to study, so I looked over my notes in a cursory fashion.
List each of the five words you plan to use this week, and make note of a context in
which you could use the new word.
Example: Cursory. I can use this word to teach my kids the difference between cleaning their room thor
oughly and cleaning their room in a cursory way.
e ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
1. In Practice 8, you wrote down ideas about changes that would improve
education. Using your prewriting, select two to four changes you believe would
transform public education. Write an essay in which you present your ideas.
2. Reread "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs," a textbook selection from earlier in this
chapter. Maslow theorizes that people can work on meeting higher-level needs
only after their lower-level needs have been met. Do you agree or not? Write a
paragraph explaining your point of view. Provide examples (either real or
hypothetical) to support your point of view.
®) EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
A recent experiment shows the importance of optimism, a tendency to
feel hopeful and positive about the future. A psychologist tested stu
dents at the University of Pennsylvania to determine whether optimism had
an effect on grades. The experiment showed that by analyzing the level of
optimism students had, researchers could more accurately predict the students'
college suc cess than by analyzing their SAT scores! Students who were on the
optimistic end of the scale earned better grades than did students who were
pessimistic.
Previewing Texts and Working with Topics n
Think about optimism, pessimism, and how they affect a person's success.
Think of someone you know who is always optimistic. Has optimism made this
per son a better student or worker? Think of a pessimistic person you know. Has
pessi mism decreased this person's effectiveness? Write a paragraph in which
you speculate on this topic.
®) METACOGNITION
Did you know that students can change their learning ability over time?
If you were never successful in math in the past, that does not mean you
cannot learn to do math well now. Your ability to learn can develop and
in
crease over time. What seemed unattainable last year might prove quite
achievable this year.
Make a list of your assumptions about your strengths and weaknesses as a
learner. Note any subjects about which you have thought, "I'm just not good at that."
Next, think of a skill you found difficult at one time but later came to master. Write a
paragraph explaining how you learned the skill. Finally, write a paragraph about
whether you believe you can learn one of the weak subjects or skills you listed earlier.
In your paragraph, explain the reasons for your beliefs.
Text Credits
Page 54: Source: Swanson, Charles R., Chamelin, Neil, and Territo, Leonard, Criminal Investigation, 11th
ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012; Page 68: Price, Catherine, "Stumbling toward Gratitude," The
Greater Good, June I, 2007. Copyright© 2007. The Greater Good Science Center. This article originally
appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.
Read more at greatergood.berkeley.edu; Page 57: Source: Payne, Wayne, Hahn, Dale, and Lncas, Ellen,
Understanding Your Health, 12th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2012. 37-38; Page 57:
Source: Maslow, Abraham H., Motivation and Personality, 3rd ed. Longman, 1987; Page 53: King,
Laura, Experience Psychology, 2nd Edition. Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. 171. Used
with permission of McGraw-Hill Education.

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Chapter

After completing this

F OUR PRE-READI NG STRATEGIES

PREVIEW QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT ELEMENTS

• What does the title tell me this text is about?

• What is the subject of the headings?

Formatted • Are any words underlined, italicized, boldfaced, or printed in

• What do the illustrations, tables, charts, or other graphics tell me about

Example of a topic: iPads in education

Chapter 2 1.How Humans Learn ]-◄-'.--•-1-- Chapter title

12.1 Learning Theories j◄ ' • P:I Heading

Formatted Words Are Important for Understanding the Topic. When

Food Dog salivates Bell

Introduction and Conclusion Paragraphs Can Provide Clues about the

CHAPTER OUTLINE Chapter 4 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

Class versus Individual Characteristics ,..FIGURE 4-21

1. What do you think this chapter is about?

2. For whom do you believe this book is written?

3. What do you think the purpose of this chapter is?

1. Context: A short paragraph found in a community newspaper's opinion

What is the topic?

2. Context: A short reading from a general-interest magazine.

Although anxiety disorders are common, they often go undiagnosed

What is the topic?

,What will the text's topic be?

What do I think the writer will say about the topic?

What I Already Know What I Learned

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs YOUR ANNOTATIONS

ABRAHAM MASLOW'S HIERARCHY

Working with Assigned Writing Topics

Create an Assignment Page

Read and Reread the Assignment

State the Paper's Topic in the Form of a Question

Instructions reworded as questions: How do credit card companies exploit

Seek Help If You Need It

·•<·Developing and..Narrowing···a"'· opic for..an•·Essay· · · •••· •

Brainstorming for Topics

I Think about your

I Visit your college's

" : • .••, ,;-i

PRIVATE COLLEGE PUBLIC SCHOOL

RAPHAEL NARROWS HIS TOPIC

Is there enough Information about this topic

Is there enough information about this topic

to write a brief essay?

8. Why tattoos are so popular

9. Religious tolerance in the

10. Cell phones

• Using Prewriting Strategies to Generate Ideas

GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PREWRITING

Use prewriting whenever you another.

I need to come up with ideas.

If one prewriting technique

Prewriting Strategy: Discussion

Prewriting Strategy: Simple Listing

Topic: Addin.9 exerci0e to3our life

Prewriting Strategy: Clustering

SAMUEL'S CLUSTERING DIAGRAM