Writing

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Techniques
z Paragraph- Is a short literary composition that reflects the
author’s outlook or point.

Description of the
TOPIC SENTENCE main idea of the
paragraph

Discussion of the
SUPPORTING DETAIL 1 ,
details that support the
2, 3 etc.
claim

CONCLUSION  Restatement of the topic. It may

also include the call to act, inviting
the reader to take a specific course
of action related to the topic.
 Things to consider in writing an essay:
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 Transition signals / devices- Transitional devices are like bridges between parts
of your paper. They are cues that help the reader to interpret ideas a paper
develops. Transitional devices are words or phrases that help carry a thought
from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph
to another.
 To Add:
 and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further, furthermore,
next, lastly, what's more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.)
 To Compare:
 whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the contrary,
by comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced against, vis a vis,
but, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, although this may be
true
 To Prove:
 because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore,
moreover, besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, that is
 Tone- "Tone in writing refers to the writer's attitude toward the reader and the subject of the message. The overall tone
of a written message affects the reader just as one's tone of voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges" (Ober 88).
z Tone is present in all communication activities. Ultimately, the tone of a message is a reflection of the writer and it does
affect how the reader will perceive the message.

The following questions will help you to determine the appropriate tone for your
message.
• Why am I writing this document?
• Who am I writing to and what do I want them to understand?
• What kind of tone should I use
Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when considering what kind
of tone to use in your letters and how to present information in that tone:
• Be confident.
• Be courteous and sincere.
• Use non-discriminatory language.
• Stress the benefits for the reader.
• Write at an appropriate level of difficulty.
Diction- It refers to word choice—choosing the right word for the right situation, which can set
z scene or evoke a particular mood in writing. Diction can tell you something about a writer’s attitude
the
towards a subject (or even their readers), their background and interests, where they grew up, or how

 
they see themselves. It can make a piece of writing simple and pleasing to read—or difficult and boring.  

 Levels of Diction
 There are different levels of diction that are important for clarifying an
author’s audience and purpose. Generally, rhetoricians recognize three
levels: high, middle, and low.  
• “High” diction can be thought of as formal or elevated: the sort of
language used in research papers or formal speeches, for example.  
• “Middle” diction is essentially neutral; that is, it isn’t especially formal or
informal, and it can be used in a variety of settings to reach a broad
audience. Essays and newspaper articles are examples of language that
might use middle diction.  
• “Low” diction refers to informal language, especially slang
or colloquial speech. Magazine blurbs, casual social media posts, and texts
to friends are all examples of this level of diction. 
First person point-of-view refers to using the first-person
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pronouns I or We. If you write your paper with your co-authors, you
might use we in the paper when you are referring to actions or beliefs
that you and your co-authors have taken. In the first person point-of-
view, you usually write your paper from your own experience or
perspective. The use of first person point-of-view is usually avoided in
academic writing. But, sometimes you are allowed to use it; for
example, when you explain your own data or primary resources.

Second person point-of-view means that you use the second-person

pronoun you in your writing. You can sound informal to your audience,
so it is often avoided in academic writing. But, if you are writing a recipe
for some food, or instructions, or in casual or creative writing, you may
use second person point-of-view.

Third person point-of-view refers to the use of third-person

pronouns: he, she, they, and it. The third person point-of-view has a
wide range of uses in both creative and academic contexts.
z Other writing strategies:

Summarizing

 Summarizing entails capturing the main ideas

of the text, allowing you to have a”broad
overview of the source material”. It involves
determining the gist of a literature, focusing
your attention to the main idea of the text and
key concepts and words that support the main
idea.
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 Underline the main ideas in a paragraph or
section. Determine other concepts that
support these ideas.

 Set the text aside and write a summary of

it,providing only the gist of the literature.

 Consider the six basic questions---

who,what,when,where,why,and how-----in
capturing the key concepts in the text.
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 Paraphrasing

One of the most common strategies used to avoid

plagiarism is paraphrasing or conveying another
author’s message using your own words
(Vineski,2016).The original idea or essence of the
sentence remains the same although it is articulated
and structured in another way.
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 Read the literature several times until you fully

understand its meaning
 Write how you understood the script using your own
words and without looking at the original text.
 Compare your phrasing with the original
wording.Ensure that you capture the key ideas
behind the source literature.
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Synthesizing

 Synthesizing involves combining ideas from

literature and prior knowledge and using
these information to”form a new idea,
perspective,opinion,or insight”(The Ohio State
University,2016,para.9).It involves interacting
with the text and determining how they relate
to your understanding of the concept.
 Conventions
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