2. Writing Process

Fundamental Writing Skills

Instructor: Hsin-Hsin Cindy Lee, Ph.D.

What is a writing process?

Every writer goes through some kind of ‘journey’ when they write.

The final ‘perfect’ work of your writing is the destination of this journey.

To reach the destination, the journey often involves several steps.

Different techniques are needed on each step.

Why do you need a writing process?

It can help you to organize your thoughts. It can help you to avoid frustration and w

aste of time. It can help you to use time productively a

nd efficiently. It can ensure the quality of your final wor

k.

The Writing Process

Prewriting Planning Drafting Revising Editing

(1)Prewriting Certain strategies commonly groups

under the heading ‘prewriting’ can help you get started and develop your ideas.

Although you may not need all of them in all writing assignments, learning how to use them gives you a box of tools to select the best tools for a writing job.

Prewriting Strategies

Free writing Brainstorming Clustering Researching

Free Writing In freewriting, you write without

stopping, letting your ideas tumble forth.

You do not concern yourself with the fundamentals of writing, such as punctuation and spelling.

Freewriting is an adventure into your memory and imagination.

The key is ‘non-stopping’ writing.

Brainstorming Brainstorming features key words and

phrases that relate in various ways to the subject area or the specific topic you are concerned.

One effective to get started is to ask the big-six questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

The key word for brainstorming is ‘listing’.

Clustering

Write your topic down in the middle of the page and draw a double circle around it.

What do you ‘associate’ with the topic? Single-bubble other ideas based on

your association radiating out from the hub that contains the topic.

Cluster-Example

Clustering is related to ‘mind-mapping’.

Please get to the website below to learn more information about mind-mapping’.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/Mindmap/

Researching

Gather ideas from references. Find references on the Internet, in the books

tore, in the library… Locate and evaluate research materials. Conducting interviews.

Ask people’s opinions. Do you agree with them? Why? Why not?

(2) Planning – Writing an outline

An outline is a pattern for showing the relationship of ideas.

The two main outline forms are: sentence outline topic outline

The topic outline (each entry is a key word or phrase) is commonly used for paragraphs.

Planning - ExampleOutline for an essay

I. IntroductionA. Grab attentionB. State thesis

II. BodyA. Build pointsB. Develop ideasC. Support main claim

III. ConclusionA. Reemphasize main idea

Outline for a short article

Topic sentenceI. Major support 1

A. Minor supportB. Minor support

1. Details or examples2. Details or examples

II. Major support 2A. Minor supportB. Minor support

1. Details or examples2. Details or examples

(3) Drafting – Writing your first draft Once you have completed your topic

sentence and outline, you may begin writing your paragraph.

The initial writing is called the first, or rough, draft.

At this stage, you pay close attention to your outline and compose your ideas based on it.

At this stage, you make sure that the basic organization of your draft works well.

(4) Revising

The first draft suggests there will be many more drafts or revisions.

What we do beyond the first draft is revising and editing.

We make efforts to our composition to ensure a quality and satisfying result.

(4) Check List for Revising - (CLUESS) Coherence

Did you use appropriate transitional words? e.g. “first, second, third…” to indicate ‘time’ order

Language Did you avoid using cliché?

Unity Did you begin with a good topic sentence?

Emphasis Did you stress the important ideas by position, repetition or

isolation? Support

Did you give relevant and logical examples, reasons, details to support your main and supporting ideas?

Sentences Were your sentences complete? Did you use different types of sentence?

(5) Editing – (COPS) The final stage of the writing process

involves a careful examination of your work.

You look for the following problems: Capitalization Omissions Punctuation Spelling

Revising and Editing may happen at the same time!

Writing Process Worksheet

For each paper, please complete the Writing Process Worksheet.

You may copy the next page in your own paper.

Submit the worksheet with your assignment.

Writing Process Worksheet

Title: Name: Student No.:Due Date:

Assignment: In the space below, write whatever you need to know about your assignment, including information about the topic, audience, pattern of writing, length and whether to include a rough draft or revised drafts.

Stage One: Explore – Free writing, brainstorm, cluster, or take notes as directed by your instructor. Use separate paper if you need more space.

Stage Two: Organize – Write a topic sentence or thesis; label the subject and treatment parts.

Write an outline or a structured list.

Stage Three: Write – On separate paper, write an then revise your paragraph or essay as many time4s as necessary for coherence, language, unity, emphasis, support, and sentences (CLUESS). Read your work aloud to hear and correct any grammatical errors or awkward-sound sentences.

Edit any problems in fundamentals, such as capitalization, omissions, punctuation, and spelling (COPS).

-End-

Reference: At a Glance by Lee Brandon