Introduction to Writing

What is writing?If we google it we can easily find the Definition of Writing by Merriam-Webster as seen below.

Writing doesn’t have to be painful...While the concept of writing might seem easy it is something that almost everyone struggles with. Sadly, it is something that you will have to deal with forever, as it is a huge part in any job you currently do, or will do. With that sad, it doesn’t have to be painful!

Starting at the beginningPrewriting is what we do to prepare for a writing assignment or task. There are numerous ways to prewrite. From our textbook we will focus on the 5 listed below.

1. Questioning2. Concept mapping3. Brainstorming4. Freewriting5. Listing

QuestioningThis is where you get to play detective. You want to ask the important questions of Who?

What?

Why?

When?

Where?

How?

ListingListing is a way to organize your thoughts into groups. Similar to how we prepare lists to go grocery shopping. You might place “Bananas” in one column under “Fruits” and you would place “Cereal” under “Breakfast.” All of the columns are dictated by you. You organize your thoughts into which columns feel appropriate to you.

FruitsAppleBananaMango

Packing ListFlip FlopsSunblockSunglassesCashSocksClothes

School Supplies1. Cheap items

a. Pencilsb. erasers

2. Necessitiesa. Music for studyingb. Top Ramen

3. Expensive itemsa. Expensive

textbooksb. Laptop

❖ Class Schedule❖ Monday

➢ ENGL 1101➢ Psyc1101

❖ Tuesday ➢ MATH1111

❖ Wednesday➢ ENGL 1101➢ Psyc1101

❖ Thursday➢ MATH1111

❖ Friday➢ No Class!

Concept MappingThis is similar to Brainstorming. In circles or boxes you will place the name or the item. Then you draw lines showing the relationship of that item to other items in your map.

Animals

DogsPets Exotic

Large SmallPoodle ElephantBirds

Food

Rabbits

BrainstormingThis is similar to Concept Mapping, except with a group, instead of

individually. In circles or boxes you will place the name or the item. Then you draw lines showing the relationship of that item to other items in your map.

On the next slide you will see a survey. At the top of the slide it will instruct you to text your response (or you can go to the link). This survey will gather all of your individual responses in live time. Response words that get repeated will grow bigger. For example if the question was “what is your favorite pet?” And we got 10 responses of “Dog” “Cat” “Bird” “Dog” “Dog” then the word “Dog” would appear larger than the other words (cat and bird.)

FreewritingFreewriting is the prewriting technique in which you will write continuously for 5-10 minutes, nonstop. You write any and everything that comes to mind. Do not pay any attention to spelling, grammar, or topic. Whatever comes out comes out. Often times this helps us combat writer's block. Also this helps us sort through the various items we have bogging down our brains.