Introduction to American Studies: Introductory Lecture

Approaches to WritingDr. Tom Adam Davies

Lecture Outline- What to bear in mind before you start writing

What to bear in mind while you are writing

What to do when you think youve finished writing

AudienceThe first question you should always ask yourself when you set out to write something is: Who is going to read it? Who is the audience you are writing for?

AudienceFor undergraduate coursework and all written work at undergraduate level you must operate on the basis that you are writing for an intelligent general reader who, although certainly able to understand complex ideas and words, has no prior knowledge of the subject matter.

Your audience, therefore, is NOT your tutor.Audience: A common mistake[.] The best example of tensions increasing between America and the Soviet Union came in the Cuban Missile Crisis. The episode also highlighted President Kennedys uneasy relationship with the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev during this period. The Cuban Missile Crisis also demonstrated the increasingly important role played by technology in the Cold War. [.]

Other important considerations before you start writingSpending the necessary time considering the question are you sure you know exactly what it is asking you to do? Does it set quite tight parameters, or does it afford you a high degree of freedom?Once you are clear on the question, you can then begin your outline planning, which will then lead into the research (i.e., the secondary reading and primary research), which will then lead into the more extensive, more detailed main planning stage.

Other important considerations before you start writingComprehensive, detailed planning is an essential ingredient of a well written essay. The tactic of just sitting down in front of your computer and starting to type has a long history of delivering negative results.Good planning rests heavily upon good note taking - remember to get all the information that you may need in order to accurate reference ideas, material, etc, in the future. You should think also about ways to make navigating what will be increasing amount of notes as effectively and swiftly as possible in the future obviously with computers this is made easier by bibliographic tools (such as EndNote or Zotero).

Good PracticeAdvice and exercises used here can be found on Purdue Universitys Online Writing Lab one of a number of excellent online resources concerning guidance on writing.Good Practice: StructureThe structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following:A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement or research question that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.Body paragraphs that include evidential support.A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

Thesis statement or research question?What is a thesis statement? Every paper you write should have a main point, a main idea, or central message. The argument(s) you make in your paper should reflect this main idea. The sentence that captures your position on this main idea is what we call a thesis statement. American academics always use this format in their work.How long does it need to be? A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your paper and also make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. Your thesis statement or research question should tell your reader what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and keep your argument focused. Where is your thesis statement or research question?You should provide a thesis or a research question early in your essay -- in the introduction, or in longer essays in the second paragraph -- in order to establish your position and give your reader a sense of direction. Why research question rather than thesis statement?If you open your essay with a statement of your position, the reader is effectively seeing the same idea 3 times over: first in your intro, then in the body of your essay, and finally in your conclusion. This is boring and can look very mechanical. Better, therefore, to formulate your argument at the beginning as a question: rather than say I will argue you might write: I will be asking whether.[http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/thesis/]

Good Practice: Using the Active Versus Passive Voice

In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.E.g., The dog bit the man.

In a sentence using the passive voice, the action is performed upon the sentence subject. he or she receives the action expressed by the verb. The agent performing the action may appear in a "by the..." phrase or may be omitted.E.g., The man was bitten by the dog.Active/Passive VoicePassive voice example:

Action on the bill is being considered by the committee.

Shifted to the active voice the sentence would read:

The committee is considering action on the bill.Active VoiceActive voice is used for most non-scientific writing. Using active voice for the majority of your sentences makes your meaning clear for readers, and keeps the sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy. Too much use of passive voice can cloud the meaning of your sentences.Good PracticeAs a rule of good practice, try and work to the following time split:

1/3 of your time researching1/3 of your time writing1/3 of your time editingEditingThe more efficient your use of language, the better.Isolate each sentence and consider whether what you have written could be expressed in a more concise fashion.Some sentences will require you to use many words that is unavoidable just make sure that the ones you do use are the best ones for conveying your exact meaning.Every word countsWordy: (14 words)The politician talked about several of the merits of after-school programs in his speech.

Concise: (8 words)The politician touted after-school programs in his speech.Every word countsWordy: ( 14 words)Suzie believed but could not confirm that Billy had feelings of affection for her.

Concise: (6 words)Suzie assumed that Billy adored her.Every word countsWordy: (20 words)Our Web site has made available many of the things you can use for making a decision on the best dentist.

Concise: (9 words)Our website presents criteria for determining the best dentist.Every word countsWordy: (20 words)Working as a pupil under someone who develops photos was an experience that really helped me learn a lot.

Concise: (10 words)Working as a photo technician's apprentice was an educational experience.Every word countsWordy: (22 words)The teacher demonstrated some of the various ways and methods for cutting words from my essay that I had written for class.

Concise: (10 words)The teacher demonstrated methods for cutting words from my essay.Every word countsWordy: (66 words)

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood formed a new band of musicians together in 1969, giving it the ironic name of Blind Faith because early speculation that was spreading everywhere about the band suggested that the new musical group would be good enough to rival the earlier bands that both men had been in, Cream and Traffic, which people had really liked and had been very popular.Every word countsConcise: (32 words)

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood formed a new band in 1969, ironically naming it Blind Faith because speculation suggested that the group would rival the musicians previous popular bands, Cream and Traffic.Combining SentencesWordy: (18 words)Ludwig's castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness. By his death, he had commissioned three castles.

Concise: (11 words)Ludwig's three castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness.Combining SentencesWordy: (24 words)The supposed crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico aroused interest in extraterrestrial life. This crash is rumored to have occurred in 1947.

Concise: (16 words)The supposed 1947 crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico aroused interest in extraterrestrial life.