Strategies to Improve Writing

Lisa AmmonsFirst District RESA

Ideas: A Definition “The heart of it all. The writer’s main message and the

details, evidence, or anecdotes that support or expand that message.” Ideas make up the content of the piece.

What must we do?•Select an idea•Narrow the idea (focus)•Elaborate on the idea (development)•Discover the best information to convey the main idea

Ideas 3

Depth of Development

Controlling Idea

Supporting Ideas

Major Details

Specific Examples

And Elaboration

It’s Just a Matter of Opinion

• WHAT do you think?

• WHY do you think it?

• How do you know?

A WHAT-WHY-HOW-CHART

WHAT

What do you think?

(This is your opinion.)

WHY HOW

Why do you think it?

(These are your reasons.)

How do you know?

(This is your evidence or example.)

Prompt: Some kids get allowance, some don’t. Some get a little, some get a lot. What do you think about allowance? Explain how you feel and try to persuade someone that you’re right.

WHAT

Allowance works out better when parents think carefully about how much their kids should get, what they get it for, and what they can spend it on.

WHY HOW

Some kids have so much money that it really isn’t good for them.

A kid in my class gets $50 a week and he’s always bragging about how much money he has.

Some kids get money just for doing normal stuff or for not getting in trouble.

Our neighbors give their kids money just to stop being bad. But it doesn’t make them any nicer.

Sometimes parents take away their kids allowance and the kid doesn’t think it’s fair.

Mom took away my allowance once because I didn’t clean my room but I just forgot to do it.

Allowance is a good way for kids to learn about money.

I save some of my allowance every week so I can buy something really special.

Paragraphs with WHAT-WHY-HOW

• Each row of the chart can become a single paragraph.

• Build your paragraph by moving from left to right across a single row.

• Start with the “What”, then move to the “Why”, and finally, use the “How.”

• You don’t have to copy the words exactly; change things just a bit.

Example of WHAT-WHY-HOW

Allowance could be a valuable asset to parents, if manipulated correctly. Parents should definitely bestow an allowance upon their children, but only after careful consideration of how much allowance will be coming out of their pockets and into the hands of their children each week and why?

I strongly recommend that the amount of allowance be considered first and foremost because this can cause a problem for some recipients. Some kids possess so much money that it really isn’t good for them. A prime example would be a fellow student, who shall remain nameless. He receives fifty dollars a week as his allowance. He’s always bragging about how much money he has. With allowance should not come bragging rights. Most parents probably would not consider that the amount of allowance given to their children would turn them into braggarts. If the amount were considered ahead of time, then perhaps this negative consequence could have been prevented.

WHAT-WHY-HOW…HOW-HOW-HOWWHAT WHY HOW HOW HOW HOW

(Opinion, Answer, Thesis)

(Reasons) (Evidence or

Examples)

(More evidence)

(Even More Evidence)

(One Final Bit of Evidence)

Logical Arguemetnt/Emotional Appeal

Figurative Language

Facts/

Statistics/

Quote from a knowledgeable source

Personal connections/

anecdote

Prompt: Was Abraham Lincoln really as honest as his nickname suggests?

WHAT

Lincoln was honest about many things in his life but he was not always honest about the difficult subjects of slavery and race relations in America, especially while he was running for President. Like many politicians, Lincoln was good at telling people what they wanted to hear.

WHY HOW

While campaigning for the presidency, he told northern voters he favored racial equality. But while campaigning in the South he told voters there that he supported the idea of whites being superior to blacks.

“Le us discard all quibbling about this man and the other man, this race and that race and the other race being inferior, and therefore they must be places in an inferior position.” –campaign speech made in Chicago, IL, July 10, 1858

“…while they do remain together (blacks and whites) there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”-campaign speech made in Charleston, SC, Sept. 18, 1858

6 Ways to Read Like a Writer

• Ideas: Heart of the piece– How does the writer reveal the main idea? – What types of details does the writer use? – How does the writer achieve his or her

purpose?– How does the writer’s choice of ideas affect

the reader?

Reading Like a Writer

• Organization: The Skeleton, the flow, the glue– What kinds of leads does the writer use and how

do they pull us in and make us want to read more?– What kinds of endings does the writer use and how

do they work to make the writing feel finished and to give us something important to think about?

– How does the writer handle transitions? – What techniques does the writer use for

sequencing?– How does the writer control pacing?

Reading Like a Writer

• Voice: the writer’s individual personality, the soul– How does the writer demonstrate passion for

the topic? – How does the writer reveal emotions?– How does the writer put personality into the

piece?

Reading Like a Writer

• Word Choice: carefully crafted words and phrases– What techniques (simile, metaphor, strong

verbs, etc.) does the writer use to make the word choice more specific, more memorable, and more effective?

Reading Like a Writer

• Sentence Fluency: the rhythm and flow of the language as we read it; it’s how the writing sounds when read aloud– What kinds of sentence constructions does

the writer use? – How does the writer vary the length and

construction of his or her sentences? – How does the writer use “sound” effects like

alliteration, rhyme, and rhythm?

Read Like a Writer

• Conventions: the ways we agree to use punctuation, spelling, grammar, and other things that make writing consistent and easy to read– How does the writer use conventions to make

the writing easy to read and more meaningful?

– Does the author use conventions in unusual ways that are successful?

Read Like a Writer

• Excerpt from Earnest Gaines A Lesson Before Dying

• What-Why-How?– WHAT do we think or believe: How does

Jefferson feel after the attorney completes his defense argument?

– WHY do you feel/think/believe this?: Why does he feel this way?

– HOW: How does the attorney make Jefferson feel this way?

WHAT-WHY-HOW…HOW-HOW-HOWWHAT WHY HOW HOW HOW HOW

How does Jefferson feel after the attorney completes his defense argument?

Why does he feel this

way?

How does the attorney

make Jefferson feel this

way? (example

#1)

(More evidence example #2)

(Even More Evidence example #3)

(One Final Bit of Evidence example #4)

Why does he feel this way?

Example #1

Jefferson feels no self-worth and does not care about being found not guilty if this is what people think of him.

Attorney de-humanizedhim.

Pronoun it, noun “thing,” compared him first to boy, then to animal- hog

WHAT-WHY-HOW…HOW-HOW-HOWWHAT WHY HOW HOW HOW HOW

(Opinion, Answer, Thesis)

(Reasons)

Ideas

(Evidence or

Examples)

(More evidence)

(Even More Evidence)

(One Final Bit of Evidence)

Organization

Style

Conventions

Your Turn…

• Sample Prompt: Your friend has lost interest in school and her grades are suffering. As a result, she will be repeating eleventh grade. She has decided to quit and work more hours as a waitress to support herself. She says she'll eventually get her diploma on her own. Compose a logical argument convincing her that it would be to her benefit to stay in school.

• Complete at least one row on the What-Why-How organizer.

• Draft a paragraph, using the chart to assist your paragraph development.

• Be prepared to share.

The Definition of Writing

Writing: (noun) – “Writing is the communication of content for a purpose to an audience.” -Peha

The Definition of Writing

• Content (Main Idea + Details)

• Purpose (Think + Do)

• Audience (People + Questions)

The main idea of a piece of writing is the one most important thing the writer wants the reader to know.

Content = Main Idea + Key Details

• MAIN IDEA : – What’s the one most important thing

that you want your readers to know? – Did you write it in a complete sentence? – Is it important to you? – Is it important to your readers?

• KEY DETAILS: – What do your readers need to know to

understand your main idea? – What significant details must you

include in your piece to support your main idea?

Purpose = Think + Do

• THINK– Why did you write this piece?– What specific thought or thoughts do

you want your readers thinking about after they have finished reading?

• D0– Why did you write this piece?– What specific action or actions do you

want your readers to take after they have finished reading?

Begin with the End in Mind• Write out an ending

• What I want my reader to think and/or do

• A simple paragraph or two

• A possible conclusion

• A destination is in mind

More than anything else parents do for their children, it’s the time they spend with them that their kids will remember forever and value most. I know my dad gave me many birthday and Christmas gifts, and he certainly tried to give me a lot of advice, but it’s the fishing that I remember most fondly. It was always something I could count on, something that brought us back together when we had been apart, something I knew we would always do again. Except that after I grew up, we didn’t do it again. And I have always missed it. If I ever became a parent, I hope I’ll remember to set aside enough time to be with my kids, especially regular time that they can count on. And I hope, too, that we can continue to count on our time together even after they grow up.

Audience = People + Questions• People

– To whom are you writing?– How would you describe them?– How old are they?– What are their circumstances and interests?

• Questions– What are the key questions your audience will

have about your topic?– What are the most important things your

audience would want to know?

The CPA Revision OrganizerMain Idea: 1.

Key Details:

Think: Do:

People: Questions:

The CPA Revision OrganizerMain Idea: Key Details:

Think: Do:

People: Questions:

Hooking My Audience

• Imagine saying your words to someone else, someone in your audience

• Imagine how they will react• Want your readers to understand and

enjoy your writing• Want your readers to be influenced by

your writing• Want your readers to trust you, believe

what you have to say• Want your writing to affect them in a

meaningful way

The CPA Revision OrganizerMain Idea: Key Details:

Think: Do:

People: Questions:

The CPA Revision OrganizerMain Idea: Creation of a new class offered at our school

Key Details:Details of the class you’re proposing

Think: Do:

People:

Principal

Questions:

Why should I offer a new class?

What kind of class will it be?

How will students benefit from this class? Will there be a demand for this class?

The CPA ChartMain Idea

The one most important thing you want your audience to know

Key DetailsSignificant information and examples that support your main idea

ThinkWhat you want your audience to think when they’re done reading

DoWhat you want your audience to do when they’re done reading

PeopleThe particular person or group of people to whom you are writing

QuestionsThe things your audience will want to know about your topic

Using CPA for Research Writing

Main Idea George Washington was a reluctant hero. He would rather have been a farmer and a family man than a great general or the President.

Key DetailsHe lost most of the battles he fought.He didn’t really want to be President.His favorite thing to do was to work on his farm.He missed his family and didn’t like being away from them.

ThinkThe great heroes of American history are often a lot more like regular people than how they are portrayed in school and in the movies.

DoThink carefully about the way books and movies portray American heroes. Study the whole person, not just their reputation.

PeopleKids in middle school and junior high who are studying American history

QuestionsHow did Washington get to be President? Why didn’t he want to be President? What did he say about his family life and working on his plantation? What did Washington care about most? Why don’t we usually learn about the personal side of Washington?

Using CPA to Respond to PromptsMain Idea In order to get along in a family, everyone has to make compromises and consider how the other people feel.

Key DetailsWe rotate chores so no one has to do the worst jobs all the time.We take turns on the computer and with the TV remote. We try to be considerate about respecting each other’s privacy.When we have disagreements we try to settle them without arguing or fighting.

ThinkMaking compromises isn’t so bad when everyone has to do it. In fact, sometimes it makes our family feel closer because each of us is giving up something so that someone else can have what they want.

DoBe kind and generous with the people in your family. Don’t be the person who always has to have things his way.

PeopleKids who are growing up in large families.

QuestionsWhat’s the secret to getting along in a big family? How do you share things so that no one feels bad? What’s the biggest problem you’ve ever had and how did you fix it? What do you do when you get angry with each other?

“Writing is communication of content for a purpose to an

audience.”

Organization…What is it?• It’s the internal structure of writing!

– -The blueprint– -The map– --The skeleton

•It holds everything together; it gives direction.

Organization 39

The Components of Organization

ORGANIZATION

OverallPlan

IntroductionBody

Conclusion

Sequence Of

IdeasTransitions

GenreSpecific

Strategies

Grouping Of

Ideas

Organization: The degree to which a writer’s ideas are arranged in a clear order and the overall structure of the response is consistent with the assigned genre.

Organization 40

Persuasive Organizing Strategies

Introduction Supporting ideas Conclusion

Argument Address counter-argument Conclusion

Introduction Both sides of the issue Conclusion

Introduction Anecdote illustrating position Conclusion

Preparing for Debate

The student will…• Select a controversial topic (or any topic that would

elicit two sides to an issue) related to what is being studied and phrase it as a question.

• Without taking sides, think of facts, ideas, and information that would support a positive response to the question.

• Think about the topic from the perspective of the people who might be against it and list reasons, facts, and ideas for that response.

• Take a position in regard to the topic and write a paper defending it, using the lists and notes compiled.

• Address the other side of the issue, as a counterargument.

Topic:________Write the topic of debate here. In your mind or on your paper, frame it as a question about which there might be differing

opinions.

Pros: (Supporting Ideas/Positives)

•As you think about the pros and cons related to this topic, do not try to take sides. Think from multiple perspectives about what others might consider to be positive about this topic. Later, you will select from this list the ones that support the position on the topic that you have decided to take.

Cons: (Opposing Ideas/Negatives)

•List in this column the reasons why you think people might be against the question being asked. What reasons would they give to have a negative response to the question or idea? Again, think from multiple perspectives and not just from your own position.

Sometimes a “positive” to some can be a “negative” to others, so an idea might fit on either side. If you include an idea like this, be sure to also include notes about why a person would see it as either positive or negative.When you are finished listing the pros and cons on this issue, take a position

and defend it by writing a position paper in which you use some of the arguments from this list.

Topic: Is Global Warming negatively impacting our world?

Pros: (Supporting Ideas/Positives)

•Since the Industrial Revolution began, we’ve been loading the atmosphere with heat-trapping gasses.

•Worldwide temperatures have climbed more than 1 degree F over the past century.

•The 1990s were the hottest decade on record.

•Glaciers are disappearing from mountaintops around the world.

•Coral reefs are dying off as seas get too warm.

•Drought is increasing in parts of Asia and Africa.

•El Nino events are more frequent and are causing more severe weather.

Cons: (Opposing Ideas/Negatives)

•57% of Americans believe that global warming is either not serious or fairly serious.

•It is natural for the Earth’s temperature to rise over time and in temperate zones; this warmth will make crops flourish.

•Methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide levels have all decreased during the 1990s – methane and nitrous oxide are 2 “greenhouse gases” that are supposedly responsible for global warming.

•Satellite data indicate a slight cooling in the climate in the past 18 years.

•Computer models that predict projections of future climate changes are very limited; they are far from perfect representations of reality.

Viewpoints• Students frequently do not understand the

complexity of many issues and sometimes have a difficult time considering any viewpoints contrary to their own.

• Being able to see other points of view will help students create counter-arguments in their persuasive papers.

The Four-sided Argument

• Select an issue.• Brainstorm a list of stakeholders in the

issue.• Choose four stakeholders, making sure

the four who were selected have differing views.

• Write four one-page responses, each from the point of view of a different stakeholder.

Today’s Four-sided Argument

• Topic: Professional Learning • Stakeholders:

– You– FDRESA consultant– Students– Parents– Kathy Cox– Principal

– Add your own stakeholders

Counterargument Example

Those who believe that it is only natural for the Earth’s temperature to rise over time fail to recognize the detrimental effects of those rising temperatures or their causes. The opposition believes that the warmer temperatures will result in flourishing crops. Global warming is the cause of extreme heat, which continues to diminish water supplies. It is also the cause for the disappearance of glaciers, adding to the strain of depleted water sources. Instead of flourishing crops, global warming has brought the population higher food costs and droughts. We must discontinue the dumping of heat-trapping gasses into the atmosphere and find alternatives to these harmful chemicals. For the sake of all living things, we must do our part to slow down global warming.

Your Turn…

• Sample Topic: There has been discussion of raising the legal driving age.

• Transform topic into question• List ideas for pros and cons• Star the side you have chosen.• Write a counterargument, acknowledging the

opposition and giving reasons as to why your side is the position that should be taken.

Determining the Best Solution

The student will…

• Identify a possible problem (real-world)

• Determine the facts as he knows them

• State the real problem succinctly

• Note several solutions to the problem

• Provide details for each solution

• Identify the consequences for each solution ( + and - )

• Determine the best solution for the problem

Just the Facts: We often end up solving a problem many times because we didn’t solve the real problem. Look at all the facts first to ensure that you are

solving the real problem.

The Real Problem Is: Once you have reviewed the facts, state the real problem. Get to the point!

Possible Solution Possible SolutionPossible Solution

Possible Consequences

Possible Consequences

Possible Consequences

Your Turn…

• Sample Topic: In today’s news, headlines have revealed an increase in the number of professional athletes convicted of crimes.

• State what you believe to be the real problem.• State a possible solution. You should include

possible consequences, using the positive as reinforcement, and anticipating the negative, responding to them to show that your solution is a viable one.

Tips to Organizing Persuasive Writing

1. The writer’s argument may be strengthened by anticipating, acknowledging, and countering opposing perspectives on the issue.

2. State the real problem succinctly. Note a solution to the problem. Provide details for the solution. Identify the consequences for the solution ( + and - ). Determine why this is the best solution for the problem or proceed to presenting other possible solutions with details and consequences before determining the best solution to the problem.

3. Present each argument in a separate paragraph, followed by a concluding paragraph, or you might present each side of each point of the debate in a separate paragraph, followed by a concluding paragraph.

4. Consider sharing the second-best argument first, and save the best for last.

When you think about creating a good beginning for a piece, there are three important

criteria you want to meet. A good beginning:

• Catches the reader’s attention.

• Makes the reader want to read more.

• Is appropriate to purpose and audience.

Story Starter/Anecdote

• A brief story or annotation that reveals the essence of the subject. It often sets the mood and prepares the audience for what is to follow.

Waterfall Story Chart

Writing as a waterfall: when searching for a lead, the writer should begin at the roar of the waterfall—at the energy source—and start writing there.

* * * * ** **

“He cautiously stepped forward, the hair on his neck bristling, wisps of his breath clearly visible in the chilly Halloween air as he approached the plastic intruder ready for a fight.”

From “Real-World Decoying” Deer Hunters Equipment 2007 Annual

The prompt asks you to write an article to persuade your readers that homeless people suffer and need help.

You know that many people have no sympathy for the homeless, maybe thinking they are lazy and don't want to work or that the government helps them out enough already with social security. So you make up an anecdote...

Imagine you get laid off from your job tomorrow. You just spent your last pay check on the household bills and very little was left over. Unexpectedly your child falls ill and requires a three-day hospital stay. Then you get a flat tire. The bills begin arriving in the mail and your bank account balance is drastically falling. You have applied for over fifty jobs, but applications aren’t pulled offline but once a month. You begin following up your applications with phone calls. There are hiring freezes, or human resources will “be in touch.” Two weeks go by and you have found yourself using the credit card for formula, groceries, gas, and co-pays, and you know that there isn’t money in the bank to cover the bill when it comes. More bills arrive. And you can’t pay them. Collections begin calling your home, until you can no longer have a phone, which means that human resources can no longer contact you, if they were going to. The spiraling of events is unstoppable, and you can no longer afford to live in your home. The shelters allow for a three-night consecutive stay, and then your home becomes the streets. I know that many of you think the homeless are a lost cause and that they are lazy good for nothings. It is easy to make generalizations or excuses for not wanting to help, but you will never know the personal plight of the homeless unless you have been there too.

Your Turn…

• Do the paparazzi have the right to take any pictures of celebrities?

• Create an anecdote that you might use in your classroom as a model or example so that students can vividly “see” how the anecdote could effectively be used in a persuasive paper.

Style 60

The Components of Style

STYLE

WordChoice

AudienceAwareness

VoiceSentenceVariety

GenreAppropriateStrategies

Style: The degree to which the writer controls language to engage the reader.

Voice: A Definition

• Voice is the soul of the piece. It’s what makes the writer’s style singular, as his or her feelings and convictions come out through the words. Voice is how the writing draws the reader in and creates a bond between the reader and the writer.

• The way a writer uses his or her perspective to make a message both clear and appealing.

Genre Appropriate Strategies

Persuasive Writing

Emotional Appeals

Figurative Language

Connotative Meanings

Evocative Voice

Rhetorical Questions; “How would you feel if..”

Addressing the reader: “You should” or “We all should”

Persuade Me!

The student will…• Select a person(s) who will serve as the audience• Define or describe the thinking or action that is

being asked of the audience• List all relevant facts that support the action or

thought being promoted• List ways in which a writer might appeal to the

emotions of the audience• Write a letter to the targeted audience, using the

facts and emotional appeals

How would you persuade___________ to _____________

Identify the audience you are trying to persuade

Facts Emotional or Personal Appeals

Clearly describe what you want the audience to think or do

List the facts that you think would best help to convince the audience. Make sure that what you list are truly facts and not opinions. Be prepared to provide the sources for your facts.

Consider your audience’s personal opinions and knowledge about the topic. List the emotional or personal appeals you might use that would be meaningful to the person or persons.

Use the facts and emotional appeals to write a letter in which you try to persuade your reader or readers to do something or think a certain way. Reread your letter, trying to predict how your arguments will affect your audience.

How would you persuade your parents_to _stop smoking?Facts

•Each year 18,000 Americans dies from smoking-related cancer; that’s 1/3 of all cancer deaths.

•There are 4,000 toxic substances in a cigarette.

•Resting heart rates of young adult smokers are 2-3 beats per minute faster than nonsmokers’.

•Smoking increases the chance of having a stroke.

•Nicotine makes the heart pump harder and raises blood pressure.

•Smoking hardens and weakens arteries.

•Smoking reduces the body’s ability to fight germs and cancer cells.

•Skin is thinner and wrinkles earlier in life in smokers.

•Smoking removes calcium from bones, so they become less strong.

Emotional or Personal Appeals

•We want you to be around when you have grandchildren.

•Second-hand smoke hurts us too!

•The house smells awful and all our clothes smell, too.

•Smoker’s hair goes gray earlier and men who smoke go bald younger.

•19 out of 20 women who give up smoking find no problem with weight gain.

•Your fingers can turn yellow from tar stains.

•Almost none of my friend’s parents smoke.

Word Choice…What is it?

• Precise, concrete nouns

• Powerful, vivid verbs

• Sensory words

• Colorful, descriptive words

• Simple language used well

Weak Word Analysis Tool

First Three Words of Sentence Weak Words in Sentence

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Directions: Complete the chart for the first 10 sentences of your paper, then analyze the data. Do the sentences have similar beginnings? If so, revise. Are there weak words? If so, revise for more descriptive word choice.

Sensory Word Bank Tool

Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell

chubby swish icy parched woodsy

dazzling cackle rough sugary spicy

cluttered thump gritty sour earthy

glassy whimper leathery peppery moldy

Natural Element Ways They Are Alike

Plant:

Animal:

Form of Water:

Weather:

Type of Light:

Season:

Select a specific example of each category from nature – a dog, for example. Do so with each category in this column. Try to think of

things that the two items might have in common. Think about how they are used, what they look like, what people think of them, and so on.

Select the comparison above that you believe might be the strongest in helping the reader to understand your topic. If you want, you can include more than one of the comparisons.

How is __________ like the following…

Natural Element Ways They Are Alike

Plant:

Daisy

The U.S. space program stems form a single agency, NASA, which blooms into several different programs that expand our view of the universe.

Animal:

Cat

Carts are pretty quiet creatures that only make their presence known when they want to; we don’t always hear much about space programs until there is a major press release.

Form of Water:

Ice

Ice is slippery and dangerous; going into space is also dangerous and support for the space programs can be “slippery” and not solid.

Weather:

Fog

When a person is traveling through fog, she doesn’t always know where she is or if she’s on the right road; space exploration programs don’t always go as planned either.

Type of Light:

Sunbeam

Sunbeams shed light on things and help us see what is before us; space exploration “enlightens” us about our world and helps us see more about the world.

Season:

Spring

Spring marks a new beginning for nature; some space explorations lead us to new understandings about our world.

How is _Space Exploration_ like the following…

Conventions 72

The Components and Elements of Conventions

CONVENTIONS

SentenceFormation

Usage Mechanics

Correctness, Clarity of

Meaning, Complexity,

End Punctuation

Subject/Verb Agreement,

Standard Word Forms,

Possessives, Contractions,

Pronouns, Verb Tenses

Internal Punctuation,

Spelling, Paragraph Breaks,

Capitalization

Domain

Components

Elements

Conventions: High School

Sentence Correctness

Sentence Clarity

Sentence Complexity

End Punctuation

Subject-Verb Agreement

Word Forms

Verb Tenses

Internal Punctuation

Spelling

Paragraph Breaks

Capitalization