writer's survival guide

8/11/2019 Writer's Survival Guide

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English 8 Writers Survival Guide

Mrs. Joanna Burkholder

Authors Name: ________________________

DO NOT LOSE***DO NOT LOSE*** DO NOT LOSE*** DO NOT LOSE*** DO NOT LOSE*** DO NOT LOSE*** DO NOT LOSE***

Thorough not minimalDiscussion &

Conversation Norms

Dead Words

Thesis WritingEmbedding quotes &

quotes/evidence


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Thorough, not minimalWhat does this mean?

Discussion & Conversation NormsFirst, let me be clear: you WILL participate in this class.This will benefit you in numerous ways:

build your confidence

help you learn

help others learn

keep you engaged

challenge you to think deeper, etc.

Class will involve a great deal of discussion: in partners, in small groups, and as awhole class. Think about successful discussions you have had in previous classes.

For this to be successful, what do you need from your classmates?

What do you need from me, as your teacher?

What will be the most challenging part of this class norm for you?

Norm: (noun)

1. Somethingthat is typical,usual orstandard.


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DEAD WORDS (and phrases)**You will be deducted one point per word

(phrase) used in an essay.

This essay is about

This paragraph is about

This quote shows

In my opinion

In this essay I will argue

My argument matters because

This is important because

Anyway

Just

A lot

Stuff

Things

Cool

Awesome

Awfully/Really

Bad

BigGood

Great

Happy

Sad

Look

NiceQuite

Said/Says

Fun


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Thesis writing

You speak naturally in

thesis statements:

What is one thesis statement you have said recently?

What is a THESIS

statement? It is usually a single sentence at the _________ of

your ___________________________ paragraph

It directly ______________ the prompt asked of you

It makes a ________________ that others mightdispute

It is a ___________ ___________ for the paper It basically ____________ the paper

It tells the reader how you will ________________the significance of the subject matter

It is an ____________________________ of thequestion or subject, NOT the subject itself

o The subject of an essay might be World WarII or Tom Sawyer; a thesis must then offer a

way to understand the war or the novel

Without a strong thesis, you will not have a strongessayREMEMBER: The ESSAY is a KINGDOM

in which EVERYBODY

SERVES KING THESISWhere do I begin? 1. Start with the prompt that your teacher has assigned

2. Look at all the evidence you have gathered3. Form an opinion based on the prompt4. Rephrase the prompt by asserting your opinion

(without using 1stperson)

5. Based on how many paragraphs you will write, breakyour thesis into sub points

a. Two body Paragraphs= two sub points

Have I taken a position that others might


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To tell if you have a

strong thesis, ask

yourself:

_____________ or _________________?

Is my thesis ________________ enough?

Does my essay support my thesis specifically and

without ___________________?

How to tell a strong

thesis from a weak

one:

A strong thesis statement ____________________

______________________________________________

A strong thesis does not just state a fact; it _______

________________________________________

________________________________________

A strong thesis statement expresses one _________

______________

In a persuasive essay, a strong thesis acknowledges a______________________________

Thesis Checklist

Is it a complex sentence?(has an independent clause & a

dependent clause) Example:y using symbolism

Steinbeck portrays the human nature as evil

through his depictions of the pearl and the breaking of the canoe.

Does it answer the prompt?(hint: This may mean you

should include key words from the prompt)

Is it arguable?(Could someone disagree or see a different point

of view?)

Can it be supported? (is there evidence to support your claim ?)

DependentIndepen


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Embedding Quotes Continued

** USE ________________ TENSE. Notice I did not usestatedor argued in my examples.

Embed the following quotes from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

In your world, I have another name. You should know me by it.C.S. Lewis, pg. 203_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

It was, however, clear to everyone that Eustace's character had been rather improved by becoming a

dragon. He was anxious to help.- C.S. Lewis, pg. 126

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

~ Conclusions: Notes ~

Remember:

*You dont

have to use

he ENTIRE

quote.**


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CommentaryPrompt: Choose one theme from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, explain it, and show how it could

apply to life.

Thesis: Lewis utilizes Eustace to convey a poignant message about how painfulexperiences can lead even the most difficult people to be changed and transformed.

Example paragraph: Student practice

The character of Eustace shows how a person can be changed through a difficult

situation.1 Through a series of events, the selfish Eustace is terrified when his greed triggers a

spell that turns him into a dragon with (Lewis).2

Commentary sentence #1: ___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

After failed attempts to strip the scales from his skin, Eustace meets Aslan who cleanses

him through a symbolic baptism and turns him back into his human form (Lewis).3


______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Commentary sentence #2:

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Through the discomfort and fear of his experience, Eustace is changed as he begins to realize

how awful he had been to those around him.4

1Introductory sentence: introduce the reader to the concept you are about to discuss in this paragraph

2Embedded quote with parenthetical citation

3Embedded quote with parenthetical citation

4Concluding/transition sentencethis sentence concludes the paragraph so we can move on to the next

Does you

comment

connect ba

to your

thesis?


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Commentary Starters - for use with essays, paragraphs, and journals...Analysis

This action reveals...

This scene demonstrates...

This conversation illustrates/highlights/

exemplifies...

One can see from this

This is interesting/fascinating/disturbing because

It is important to notice that...

Author

The author reveals/shows/presents/emphasizes/suggests...

The author wants the reader to understand...

The authors use of _____x____ is revealing

because...

The authors purpose of _____x_____ is achieved in

this quote when...

The author includes this in the story to show

The authors point/idea is...

The essence of the authors argument is...

Language

The repetition of __x__ (words, symbols, images)

shows...

The language of the passage reveals... (these words

____)

The ___x____ symbolizes....

The reader is meant to understand that...

The point of this conversation is...

This passage/quote is effective because

This event in the novel shows/proves/explains

Because of this

This quote/passage adds to the readers appreciation

of the story/poem because...

Character/Conflict

The character makes this decision/says this quote

because...

Because of this event, the character must ___x__,

and he/she says...

At this point in the story, the character is realizing...

When the character makes this choice we see that...

In making this choice the story changes in this

way...

The character has a choice between __x___and

___y__; the choice he/she makes reveals...

The characters choice has the following

consequences...

Conclusion

The author has used the character ____w____ to

show that __x__ is __y___. As a reader, we are

meant to understand....

At the end of the story, the character has come torealize/understand....

When we come to the last paragraph of the story,

the reader is meant to that __xs__ decision to

___y__ was based upon ___z___. This is important

because...

The author wants the reader to understand...

Although the character began the story believing

__x__, by the end he/she has come to believe __y__.

It took __z__ to bring about this change of thought,

but ultimately...

Although the character initially felt __x__, the

events of the story caused him/her to have a change

of heart/mind/attitude. Now, the character is

__y__ and this would not have been possible

without __z__.


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Grammar and Mechanics Study Guide

Notes: How will I remember this? Your own example

Ellipses

Dash

Verb:

Gerunds

Verb:

Infinitive

Verb:

Participle

Connotation

vs

Denotation

Active vs

Passive

Voice

Figures of

Speech:

Irony


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Figures of

Speech:

Pun

Figures of

Speech:

Hyperbole

Figures of

Speech:

_________


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