The Writing ProcessStages, Steps, Patterns

andTechniques

Stage 1: Prewriting

A. Determine the focus: discover and limit a topicfreewriting, listing (my favorites)

Stage 1: Prewriting

A. Determine the focus: discover and limit a topicfreewriting, listing (my favorites)brainstorming/asking journalist’s questions

Stage 1: Prewriting

A. Determine the focus: discover and limit a topicfreewriting, listing (my favorites)brainstorming/asking journalist’s questionsmind mapping or clustering (my wife’s

favorite)

Stage 1: Prewriting

A. Determine the focus: discover and limit a topicfreewriting, listing (my favorites)brainstorming/asking journalist’s questionsmind mapping or clustering (my wife’s

favorite)sketching or doodling

Stage 1: Prewriting

B. Develop the paper: generate materialfocused freewriting

Stage 1: Prewriting

B. Develop the paper: generate materialfocused freewritingfurther clustering

Stage 1: Prewriting

B. Develop the paper: generate materialfocused freewritingfurther clusteringextending the lists

Stage 1: Prewriting

B. Develop the paper: generate materialfocused freewritingfurther clusteringextending the listsresearching

Stage 1: Prewriting

C. Determine your target: consider the audiencedetermine if the audience is neutral, hostile, or

friendly

Stage 1: Prewriting

C. Determine your target: consider the audiencedetermine if the audience is neutral, hostile,

or friendlydetermine the appropriate level of technicality

(nontechnical, semi-technical, and highly technical) and the appropriate level of formality (colloquial, informal, semiformal, and formal or contract language)

Stage 1: Prewriting

C. Determine your target: consider the audiencedetermine if the audience is neutral, hostile, or

friendlydetermine the appropriate level of technicality

(nontechnical, semi-technical, and highly technical) and the appropriate level of formality (colloquial, informal, semiformal, and formal or contract language)

determine the appropriate level of complexity or density of thought

Stage 1: Prewriting

C. Determine your target: consider the audience determine if the audience is neutral, hostile, or friendly determine the appropriate level of technicality

(nontechnical, semi-technical, and highly technical) and the appropriate level of formality (colloquial, informal, semiformal, and formal or contract language)

determine the appropriate level of complexity or density of thought

consider the audience’s expectations; identify shared values

Stage 1: Prewriting

D. Decide on your main point: generate a thesisencompasses topic

Stage 1: Prewriting

D. Decide on your main point: generate a thesisencompasses topic makes a point about the topic that can and

should be defended or validated

Stage 1: Prewriting

D. Decide on your main point: generate a thesisencompasses topic makes a point about the topic that can and

should be defended or validatedoffers writer’s unique perspective and insight

into topic

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Arrange material: organizeexploit organization inherent in topic or writing

assignment boundaries (narration and process analysis are usually organized on a time line, for instance; a paper analyzing a causal chain will also have an inherent sequencing of material)

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Arrange material: organizeexploit organization inherent in topic or writing

assignment boundaries exploit organization inherent in prewriting

from step B (recognize and use the connections or relations between components or ideas in a clustering diagram, for instance)

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Arrange material: organizeexploit organization inherent in topic or writing

assignment boundariesexploit organization inherent in prewriting

from step B impose order using classic strategies or

patterns of organization

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Organizing (cont’d)Classic organizing patterns include:chronological: uses time as the organizing

principle

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Organizing (cont’d)Classic organizing patterns include:chronologicalspatial: establishes a point or frame of

reference and organizes material with respect to that (to the left of the front door is a bush; in front of that is a flower bed)

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Organizing (cont’d)Classic organizing patterns include:chronological: uses time as the organizing

principlespatialemphatic: uses order of importance as its

organizing principle (either save the most compelling idea or details for last, or put the most important cause first)

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Organizing (cont’d)Classic organizing patterns include:chronologicalspatialemphaticdeductive: general to specific (a general

statement followed by supporting detail or specific concrete reasons)

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Organizing (cont’d)Classic organizing patterns include:chronologicalspatialemphaticdeductive inductive: specific to general (specific detail

followed by an interpretive or explanatory general statement or abstraction)

Stage 1: Prewriting

E. Arrange material: organizeexploit organization inherent in topic or writing

assignment boundariesexploit organization inherent in prewriting

from step B impose order using classic strategies or

patterns of organizationonce the strategy for organizing the material

is set, capture the organization using a device like an outline or a flow chart.

Stage II: Drafting

A. Introductory paragraph(s)attract and hold the favorable attention of

the target audience

Stage II: Drafting

A. Introductory paragraph(s) attract and hold the favorable attention

of the target audience address topic

Stage II: Drafting

A. Introductory paragraph(s) attract and hold the favorable attention

of the target audience address topic state or imply thesis

Stage II: Drafting

A. Introductory paragraph(s) attract and hold the favorable attention

of the target audience address topic state or imply thesis establish tone

Stage II: Drafting

B. Body Paragraphsexecute design represented in Stage I,

step E.4 identify subtopics within thesis (reflected in

divisions in outline, for example)

Stage II: Drafting

B. Body Paragraphs execute design represented in Stage I,

step E.4 identify subtopics within thesis (reflected in

divisions in outline, for example) develop each facet/subtopic in one or two

paragraphs using mix of general observation or assertion and specific detail that supports, clarifies, or illustrated

Stage II: Drafting

B. Body Paragraphs execute design represented in Stage I, step

E.4 each paragraph self-contained

focused (with topic sentence) unified (all development relevant to topic

sentence) coherent (logically arranged and using adequate

organizational cues) paragraphs work together to create envisioned

effect on target audience

Stage II: Drafting

B. Body Paragraphs execute design represented in Stage I,

step E.4 each paragraph self-contained achieve essay coherence by using

adequate transitional devices within and between paragraphs

Stage II: Drafting

C. Conclusionsignal that the paper is about to end

successfully

Stage II: Drafting

C. Conclusion signal that the paper is about to end

successfully restate reworded and expanded

expression of essay’s thesis

Stage II: Drafting

C. Conclusion signal that the paper is about to end

successfully restate reworded and expanded

expression of essay’s thesis summarize key areas of development

Stage II: Drafting

C. Conclusion signal that the paper is about to end

successfully restate reworded and expanded

expression of essay’s thesis summarize key areas of development draw conclusions, make judgments and

evaluations for readers

Stage II: Drafting

D. Transition paragraphs signal major shift in subject matter, tone,

or both

Stage II: Drafting

D. Transition paragraphs signal major shift in subject matter, tone,

or both often useful in comparison, classification,

and analysis essays (though not an essential element of any mode of expression)

Stage II: Drafting

D. Transition paragraphs signal major shift in subject matter, tone,

or both often useful in comparison, classification,

and analysis essays (though not an essential element of any mode of expression)

usually very short—one or two sentences

Stage II: Drafting

E. Dialogue paragraphsused to represent verbatim speech in

direct quotation

Stage II: Drafting

E. Dialogue paragraphs used to represent verbatim speech in

direct quotation involve using quotation marks in

collocation with other marks of punctuation

Stage II: Drafting

E. Dialogue paragraphs used to represent verbatim speech in

direct quotation involve using quotation marks in

collocation with other marks of punctuation

each change in speaker requires beginning of a new paragraph

Stage II: Drafting

F. Title constructionuse the title to:

describe the topic catch a busy reader’s attention express some aspect of the writer’s personality

Stage II: Drafting

F. Title construction use the title to:

describe the topic catch a busy reader’s attention express some aspect of the writer’s

personality try to keep it short and simple (except for

serious academic compositions)

Stage II: Drafting

F. Title construction use the title to:

describe the topic catch a busy reader’s attention express some aspect of the writer’s personality

try to keep it short and simple (except for serious academic compositions

do not use quotation marks around your own titles

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundaries lengthsubjectrestrictions

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and thesis does the essay accomplish what it set out to

do? thesis appropriate to assignment, writing

situation, and target audience? engaging? does it teach the audience something

worthwhile or persuade it to a position in its own benefit?

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and

thesisC. Review essay organization and

structure is the material arranged according to some

logical principle? does the essay have all three necessary parts? are transitions within and between paragraphs

effective?

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and thesisC. Review essay organization and structureD. Evaluate sections does introduction effectively capture favorable

attention/ control tone? are body paragraphs long enough? too long?

coherent? unified? does conclusion forecast the end of the paper?

remind reader of essay purpose? leave reader thinking?

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and thesisC. Review essay organization and structureD. Evaluate sectionsE. Review sentences length variety of structure grammar propriety of voice (active voice preferred)

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and thesisC. Review essay organization and structureD. Evaluate sectionsE. Review sentencesF. Reconsider individual words precision and accuracy of denotation connotations appropriate for tone, audience, style? appropriate levels of

formality technicality

spelling

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and thesisC. Review essay organization and structureD. Evaluate sectionsE. Review sentencesF. Reconsider individual wordsG. Review individual marks of punctuation too many commas? exclamation points? parentheses? current wisdom: the leaner, the better double check punctuation marks used in collocation with one

another commas, periods, question marks with parentheses, quotation

marks ellipsis marks and terminal punctuation

Stage III: Revision

A. Review assignment boundariesB. Reconsider essay purpose and thesisC. Review essay organization and structureD. Evaluate sectionsE. Review sentencesF. Review individual marks of punctuationG. Reconsider individual wordsH. Proofread

Generate Final Copy

A. Materials 8 ½ X 11 white paper blue or black ink

Generate Final Copy

A. MaterialsB. Manuscript conventions double space 1-inch margins 12-pt. simple font—no cursive or italics one side of the paper only justify only left margin special restrictions

Generate Final Copy

A. MaterialsB. Manuscript conventionsC. Submission of final copy cover sheet with name, title, assignment

number, and course/section final copy on top w/cover sheet, and

prewriting and drafting included underneath staple upper left corner no report covers please