Emphasizing Process versus Product in Writing Classes

Brecca Hoffman (brecca-hoffman@uiowa.edu)Craig Dresser (craig-dresser@uiowa.edu)University of Iowa Intensive English Program

Process-oriented writing

•Focus instruction on the process involved in creating meaning rather than the end product of writing

Objective:

Process-oriented writing

• Drafts• Workshops• Overlapping instruction and feedback

• Revision to improve the text

Methods:

Extending the process

PROBLEM: Working with only full drafts (versions of

the paper that include all of the parts) can make the process difficult and confusing for students and teachers

The scope of the assignment Gives students too many things to

consider all at once Creates large amounts of revision

Becomes difficult for students to monitor and control all weaknesses simultaneously

Dealing with feedbackTEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE Creates a large task

for the teacher to read and comment on full drafts

STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE Can be confusing and

disheartening to the student

Solution

Break the process of writing into discrete parts “Builds” the essay from the ground up Focuses on particular skills in small

manageable assignments Further emphasizes the “process” aspect

of writing within the essay

Effects

Allows students to apply

feedback to new writing

immediately, instead of

“fixing” things and trying better next

time

Allows students to see how the various parts of

their writing work together

Helps the students

become better at monitoring

their own writing as they

write

Strategies:Essay basics

Essay basics

Creating an outline (or similar plan) is critical We ask our students to write parts of

their essays without having written other parts, so it is necessary that they develop a plan first

Divide and conquer

Have students choose one part of the body to write (topic sentence, paragraph, section, etc.)

Focus on an important writing skill as the students create that part Provide specific instruction about how to

achieve that skill before writing

Divide and conquer

Have students workshop each other’s writing using a guiding worksheet Handout (A): Body Paragraph Workshop

Have students revise their writing and offer teacher feedback

Divide and conquer

Have students produce another part of the body

Students should apply

what they learned from the previous part to the new part

Focus on a new skill of their writing in the next section

Remember to instruct or review the

goals for that skill and how

to achieve them before

writing

Divide and conquer

CONCLUSIONHave students write a conclusion that mirrors the

introduction

INTRODUCTIONHave students write an introduction that reflects the body of the essay

ESSAY BODY

Divide and conquer

Have students workshop a full draft, looking for any of the skills that you have covered

Possible additional steps

Reflection writing Handout (B): Peer-Review Reflection

Reduced teacher feedback Specialized rubrics for the parts

Skills we focus on

Paragraph structure Cohesion

Connecting paragraphs

Logical

development Unity/focus Thesis statements Precise vocabulary GrammarHandout (C): Peer Review Workshop

Skills we focus onParagraph structure Cohesion

Logical developm

entUnity/focus

Handout (C): Peer Review Workshop

Thesis stateme

nts

Precise vocabula

ryGramma

r

Strategies:Argumentative writing

Argumentative writing

•Taking a position and then supporting it and defending it from opposing positions

Objectives:

Argumentative writing

Strategies using drafting

Develop personal ideas first

Identify opposing

arguments

Develop rebuttals

that connect the two

Argumentative writing

Strategies without drafting Use debate activities in class▪ Understanding the development of ideas,

anticipating and responding to opposing arguments▪ Evaluate debate as a class▪ Apply skills and evaluation to personal writing

Strategies:Research writing

Research writing

•Establishing an opinion or conclusion and using research to support it

Objectives:

Research writing

Start with ideas Have students write a short essay using

only reason and logic Find sources to support the ideas

Have students draft and workshop summaries, paraphrases, or quotes for their sources

Integrate sources into already existing ideas

Research writing

Draft and workshop citations and works cited entries Handout (D): Citations “Cheat Sheet”

Wrap-upBenefits

Benefits

The overall process for writing an essay is longer, but the work for both teacher and student on each draft is comparatively smaller Students are not trying to produce a

complete paper all at once Students do not need to edit their own

writing for all skills all at once until the end Teachers are commenting on specific skills

and leaving others for later drafts

Benefits

The process emphasizes to students that they are responsible for applying the process to further parts of their writing instead of relying on the instructor to point out their mistakes This focuses them on honing their

writing skills rather than simply “fixing” errors and trying to do better next time

Benefits

This process emphasizes the idea that the students must think about their writing as they are writing it, not just afterwards

Benefits

This process helps the instructor and student to identify and focus on particular strengths and weaknesses for the student

Benefits

This process helps to bolster the students’ confidence in their own writing Students can more clearly see what their

own strengths and weaknesses are Students are given support throughout

the writing process

Thank you!

If you would like a copy of this PowerPoint presentation, please email us brecca-hoffman@uiowa.edu craig-dresser@uiowa.edu

A big thank you to Jane Gressang for helping us put together the PowerPoint