CHAPTER 2: WRITING PROCESS

WRITING IS A PROCESS WHICH INVOLVES

FOUR STEPS:
-PLANNING
-DRAFTING
-REVISING
-EDITING & PROOFREADING
 PLANNING:
1.Revising the Rhetorical situation
*Writer: what is my interest? How much do I know and how much do I
need to know about the topic?
*Subject: does the topic fit with the subject requirement? Do the sources
deepen my understanding of the subject?
*Purpose: Determine the specific goals: entertain, inform, to persuade, to
reflect?
*Form: is it an essay, proposal, review or report?
*Audience: determine the readers’ interest? Their knowledge, their
opinion, and need. How can I interest them?
*Context: what is the weight of the assignment in terms of my grade?
How will it be assessed?
FORMING THE THESIS P.45-48
FIND A FOCUS:
From general Limited Topic
Specific Focus

STATE YOUR THESIS

A manageable or limited topic + A specific
claim = An effective thesis statement
Developing a plan or an outline
Examples on PP.50-55

DRAFTING
Reconsider the Rhetorical Situation
Your role: Are you a student, a citizen, a friend, etc?
Focus on the subject: use an outline, write freely, include details,
complete your draft, use the most natural voice, quote sources
accuarately.
Reconsider your purpose: your task, thesis, ideas,
Reconsider your Audience: who are readers, their attitude and
knowledge toward the topic
BASIC ESSAY STRUCTURE: Major Moves

Opening:
-Engage your reader: stimulate and direct the reader’s attention.
-Establish your direction: Identify the topic and put it in perspective
-Get to the point: Narrow your focus and state your thesis

Middle
-Advance your thesis: Provide background information and cover main
points
-Test your ideas: raise questions and consider alternatives
-Support your main points: Add substance and build interest
-Build a coherent structure: Start new paragraphs and arrange the support
-Use different levels of detail: Clarify and complete each main point
ENDING

Reassert the main point: Remind the reader

of the purpose and rephrase the thesis;
Gain the reader’s acceptance and look
ahead.
REVISING FOR IDEAS AND ORGANIZATION P. 75
1.IDEAS
-Examine your ideas to check whether each point is logical, complete and clear.
PP. 323-326
-Check for a clear thesis: make sure that your writing centers on one main issue
or thesis.

2.ORGANIZATION
Good writing has structure, it leads readers logically and clearly from one point
to the next. Four points must be considered for revising:
*Overall plan:
-Refine the focus or emphasis by rearranging material within the text.
-Fill in the gaps with new material. Are there gaps in the support or points that
stray
-Delete material that wanders away from your purpose
Opening Ideas:
Reread your opening paragraph(s). Is the opening organized
effectively? Does it engage readers, establish a direction for
writing and express your thesis or focus?

Flow of Ideas:
Look at closely at the beginning and endings of each
paragraph. Have you connected your thoughts clearly?
Use connectors correctly to ensure coherence.
REVISING FOR VOICE AND STYLE
-Check the level of Commitment
-Check for the Intensity of your writing
-Develop an Academic style P.79-81

Closing Ideas:
Reread your closing paragraph(s). Do you offer an effective
summary, reassert your main point in a fresh way, and
provide readers with food for thought as they leave your
writing?
-Addressing Paragraph Issues: a paragraph should be a concise unit of
thought.
*is organized around a controlling idea – often stated in a topic
sentence that also links back to the previous paragraph in some way.
*consists of supporting sentences that (a) develop the controlling
idea through reasoning or (b) offer evidence related to that reasoning.
*concludes with a sentence that summarizes the main point and
prepares readers for the next paragraph or main point.
*serves a specific function in a piece of writing – opening
supporting, developing, illustrating, countering, describing or closing
4. Editing and proofreading

-Check for coherence

-Check for completeness
-Revising collaboratively