Let’s Get Started WritingLet’s Get Started WritingLet’s Get Started WritingLet’s Get Started Writing

Get organized and allow plenty of Get organized and allow plenty of time to get it right.time to get it right.

First things first Make sure you understand the

assignment. I actually had a student ask if I would accept the wrong assignment because he worked hard on it.

How long is it supposed to be? Who is the audience? What is the topic? The length

may determine the actual topic.

Prewriting How much do you really know

about your topic? Have you looked at it closely? Don’t rush to conclusions. Separate facts from opinions Freewriting Brainstorming Clustering Questions:who, what, when,

where and how Research Ask questions of others

Writing Once the topic is established decide what you plan to do with it and write a

Working Thesis Statement. http://www.tcc.edu/students/resources/writcent/documents/essay_devel_docs/

thesis_statement.pdf http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ for help

1.Identify the subject. 2. State a claim, an approach, or an attitude. 3. Suggest the direction of the writing. 4. Set the tone (informative, persuasive, entertaining, or a combination).

Just sit down and write the whole essay or section without stopping. Do not stop to check spelling or punctuation.

If you are typing on a computer, save it as soon as your name goes on. Set your program to automatically save every 5 minutes.

Write more than you think you need This is a draft– let it cool before you move on. Word count= Tools/Word count

Revision The first look should confirm you

followed the assignment. Do you have a working thesis?

Does it clearly show your goal and support your thesis?

Is it properly directed at your audience?

Writing is a recursive process not a linear one. Don’t be afraid to throw it, or part of it, out if it does not work.

Rewrite

Edit•We do the same steps as revision but a bit more.•Look at spelling– always run a spell check but remember that there are words that sound alike but aren’t.•Check the grammar. Try: http://www.tcc.edu/students/resources/writcent/HANDOUTS/index.htm•http://aliscot.com/bigdog/•http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

Let’s Move On Peer Review--Narrative Does the paper have a clear focus? Does the paper have a thesis? Is there a clear chronology? Is the verb tense consistent” Are there logical shifts/ transitions? Does it flow well? Detail– enough? Too much? Consistent Point of View? Does it do what the writer wanted

it to?