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C H A P T E R 1

Exploring the Writing Process

C H A P T E R 2

Prewriting to Generate Ideas

Getting Started

Unit 1

2

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Exploring the Writing ProcessA: The Writing Process

B: Subject, Audience, and Purpose

D id you know that the ability to write well characterizes the most successful college students and employees—in � elds from education to medicine to computer science? Skim the job postings in career � elds that interest you and notice how many stress “excellent writing and communication skills.” Furthermore, reading and writing enrich our daily lives; in surveys, adults always rate reading, writing, and speaking well as the most important life skills a person can possess.

The goal of this book is to help you become a more skilled, powerful, and con� dent writer. You will see that writing is not a magic ability only a few are born with, but a life skill that can be learned. The � rst chapter presents a brief overview of the writing process, explored in greater depth throughout the book. Now I invite you to decide to excel in this course. Let Evergreen be your guide, and enjoy the journey.

A. The Writing ProcessMany people have the mistaken idea that good writers simply sit down and write out a perfect letter, paragraph, or essay from start to � nish. In fact, writing is a process consisting of a number of steps:

The Writing Process

Thinking about possible subjectsFreely jotting ideas on paper or computerNarrowing the subject and writing your main idea in one sentenceDeciding which ideas to includeArranging ideas in a plan or outline

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TEACHING TIP

You might engage students in a discussion about the kinds of writing they already have done for college or work, as well as the kinds of writing they expect to do in their future professions.

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Prewriting

LEARNING STYLES TIP

Visual representation of verbal processes helps visual and other learners. To underscore the recursive nature of the writing process, write the three steps in a circle on the board, using arrows to show how a writer can move forward or back, from step to step.

4 UNIT 1 Getting Started

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Writing the � rst draft

Rethinking, rearranging, and revising as necessaryWriting one or more new draftsProofreading for grammar and spelling errors

Not all writers perform all the steps in this order, but most prewrite, write, and revise. Actually, writing can be a messy process of thinking, writing, reading what has been written, and rewriting. Sometimes steps overlap or need to be repeated. The important thing is that writing the � rst draft is just one stage in the process. “I love being a writer,” jokes Peter De Vries. “What I can’t stand is the paperwork.”

Good writers take time at the beginning to prewrite—to think, jot ideas, and plan the paper—because they know it will save time and prevent frustration later. Once they write the � rst draft, they let it “cool off.” Then they read it again with a fresh, critical eye and revise—crossing out, adding, and rewriting for more clarity and punch. Good writers are like sculptors, shaping and reworking their material into something more meaningful. Finally, they proofread for grammar and spelling errors so that their writing seems to say, “I am proud to put my name on this work.” As you practice writing, you will discover your own most effective writing process.

ESL TIPNonnative students may fail to understand the importance of speaking English whenever possible. Urge them to practice speaking and writing English with a friend or study partner. Stress that this discipline is key to suc-cess in this course and in their careers.

TEACHING TIP

Encourage students to perform similar self-assessments each time they receive feedback on their writing and to use self- and instructor-assessment to set personal goals in this course.

PRACTICE 1Think of something that you wrote recently—and of which you felt proud—for college, work, or your personal life. Now on paper or with classmates, discuss the process you followed in writing it. Did you do any planning or prewriting—or did you just sit down and start writing? How much time did you spend rewriting and revising your work? What one change in your writing process do you think would most improve your writing? Taking more time to prewrite? Taking more time to revise? Improving your grammar and spelling?

PRACTICE 2Bring in several newspaper help-wanted sections. In a group with four or fi ve classmates, study the ads in career fi elds that interest you. How many fi elds require writing and communication skills? Which job ad requiring these skills most surprised you or your group? Be prepared to present your fi ndings to the class. If your class has Internet access, visit Monster.com or other job-search websites and perform the same exercise.

EXPLORING ONLINEhttp://www.google.com

Search “Writing: A Ticket to Work . . . or a Ticket Out” and read the summary. This survey of business leaders fi nds that good writing is the key to career success. What two facts or comments do you fi nd most striking?

2

Writing

3

Revising

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B. Subject, Audience, and PurposeEarly in the prewriting phase, writers should give some thought to their subject, audience, and purpose.

In college courses, you may be assigned a broad subject by your instructor. First, make sure you understand the assignment. Then focus on one aspect of the subject that intrigues you. Whenever possible, choose something that you know and care about: life in Cleveland, working with learning-disabled children, repairing motorcycles, overcoming shyness, watching a friend struggle with drug addiction, playing soccer. You may not realize how many subjects you do know about.

To � nd or focus your subject, ask yourself:

� What special experience or expertise do I have?

� What inspires, angers, or motivates me? What do I love to do?

� What story in the news affected me recently?

� What campus, job, or community problem do I have ideas about solving?

Your answers will suggest good subjects to write about. Keep a list of all your best ideas.

How you approach your subject will depend on your audience—your readers. Are you writing for your professor, classmates, boss, closest friend, youngsters in the community, or the editor of a newspaper?

To focus on your audience, ask yourself:

� For whom am I writing? Who will read this?

� How much do they know about the subject? Are they beginners or experts?

� Will they likely agree or disagree with my ideas?

Keeping your audience in mind helps you know what information to include and what to leave out. For example, if you are writing about women’s college basketball for readers who think that hoops are big earrings, you will approach your subject in a basic way, perhaps discussing the explosion of interest in women’s teams. But an audience of sports lovers will already know about this; for them, you would write in more depth, perhaps comparing the technique of two point guards.

Finally, keeping your purpose in mind will help you write more effectively. Do you want to explain something to your readers, persuade them that a certain view is correct, entertain them, tell a good story, or some combination of these?

ESL TIPStudies show that it is harder to remember information exchanged orally in a second language; thus, for ESL students (and visual learners), writing on the board, working directly from pages in the text, and using charts are useful memory aids.

TEACHING TIP

You might bring in examples of different types of writing—an editorial, a magazine article, a humorous essay, or the text of a website. Have students determine audience and purpose in each.

6 UNIT 1 Getting Started

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Subject Audience Purpose

EXAMPLE 1. ______________ ______________ ______________

2. ______________ ______________ ______________

3. ______________ ______________ ______________

4. ______________ ______________ ______________

5. ______________ ______________ ______________

my recipe for seafood gumbo

inexperienced cooks

to show how easy it is to make seafood gumbo

TEACHING TIP

Developmental students may think they have nothing to write about. To help counter this myth, ask volunteers to share their answers to some of the boxed questions on page 5. Have them apply the questions to Practice 3.

PRACTICE 4Jot ideas for the following two assignments, by yourself or in a group with four or fi ve classmates. Notice how your ideas and details differ, depending on the audience and purpose.

1. You have been asked to write a description of your college for local high school students. Your purpose is to explain what advantages the college offers its students. What kinds of information should you include? What will your audience want to know? What information should you leave out?

2. You have been asked to write a description of your college for the governor of your state. Your purpose is to persuade him or her to spend more money to improve your college. What information should you include? What will your audience want to know? What information should you leave out?

LEARNING STYLES TIP

To help students think about their learning styles, you might administer a questionnaire like the one at http://vark-learn.com/english/index.asp. Lead a class discussion about specifi c study and practice strategies for each style. For strategies, click “Helpsheets” on the same VARK site.

PRACTICE 5In a group with three or four classmates, read these sentences from real job-application letters and résumés, published in Fortune magazine. Each writer’s subject was his or her job qualifi cations; the audience was an employer, and the purpose was to get a job. How did each person undercut his or her own purpose? What writing advice would you give each of these job seekers?

1. I have lurnt Word and computer spreasheet programs.

2. Please don’t misconstrue my 14 jobs as “job-hopping.” I have never quit a job.

3. I procrastinate, especially when the task is unpleasant.

4. Let’s meet, so you can “ooh” and “aah” over my experience.

PRACTICE 3List fi ve subjects that you might like to write about. Consider your audience and purpose: For whom are you writing? What do you want them to know about your subject? Notice how the audience and purpose will help shape your paper. For ideas, reread the boxed questions on the previous page.

TEACHING TIP

Your students will enjoy doing Practice 5 in class. Remind them that the link between good writing and good jobs is strong.

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5. It is best for employers that I not work with people.

6. Reason for leaving my last job: maturity leave.

7. As indicted, I have over fi ve years of analyzing investments.

8. References: none. I have left a path of destruction behind me.

PRACTICE 6Study the public service advertisement below and then answer these questions: What subject is the ad addressing? Who is the target audience? What is the intended purpose? In your view, how successful is this ad in achieving its purpose?

EXPLORING ONLINE

Throughout this book, Exploring Online features will suggest ways to use the Internet to improve your writing and grammar. A number of online writing labs—called OWLs—based at colleges around the country offer excellent additional practice or review in areas where you might need extra help. Here are two good sites to explore:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Purdue University’s OWL

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

Capital Community College’s OWL

Premium Student Website for Evergreenwww.cengage.com/devenglish/Fawcett/evergreen9e

Visit the Premium Student Website for more practices and quizzes, videos to accompany the readings, career and job-search resources, ESL help, and live links to every Exploring Online in the book.

TEACHING TIP

Print ads and cartoons are excellent tools to spark student interest and prompt critical thinking about subject, audience, and purpose.

TEACHING TIP

Your students can access a rich array of resources on the Premium Student Website for Evergreen. Instructors will fi nd diagnostic and assessment tools, many practices and tests, and a computerized gradebook on WriteSpace for Evergreen. An extensive Test Bank and more Test Bank and more Test Bankteaching tools are available on the Instructor Companion Site.

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