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Patterns for College Writing Chapter4 - Coggle Diagram
Patterns for College Writing Chapter4
Writing the First Draft
the first draft's purpose is to get words onto the paper so that they can be reacted to
the first draft is only a work in progress
One should feel free to run with any new ideas that come to them as they are drafting
Revising the Essay (Part 1)
this is not done exclusively after the essay is finished
revision is a continual process where the logic and clarity of ideas is considered
revision can take longer than just one time
revision involves re-seeing and rethinking what has been written
revision advice
Give yourself a cooling-off period
Putting the essay aside for any amount of time allows you to become distanced from the essay
this allows for you to read it more objectively when you return
things will be noticed that were missed the first time
Revise on a hard copy
printed-out drafts show all the pages of the paper and allows for handwritten edits to be visible
this is not possible directly on a computer
Read the draft aloud
this helps to spot
missing words
or phrases that don't sound right
choppy or wordy sentences
Take advantage of feedback opportunities
peer-editing groups, distributed revision checklists, writing centers, and one-on-one conferences work well here
having a second set of eyes look at the essay increases the readability it will have to your audience
try to prevent becoming overwhelmed
systematic revision helps to prevent becoming overwhelmed
consider the validity of each change before it is made
consider if comments create new problems
Don't let the ego get in the way
no one likes to get negative criticism
honest feedback is important no matter how unpleasant it is
criticism is a necessary part of the writing process
Revise in stages
deal with the larger elements before moving onto smaller ones
Revising with an outline allows for you to check the structure of the essay
outlines show whether or not anything was left our
outlines show if your essay follows a pattern of development
outlines clarify the relationship between the thesis statement and the body
Revising checklist
does it have a good thesis
does it have good body paragraphs
does it have solid sentences
does it have a strong introduction and conlusin
does it have clear and effective words
Revising the Essay (Part 2)
Revising with the Instructor's written comments
these comments can suggest changes in
changes in content
arrangement
style
a clearer thesis statement
more explicit transitions
recommend the relocation of a paragraph
propose a new essay direction
Revising in Conference
one-on-one conferences also help with revision
ask deliberate questions
note the revisions discussed by the teacher
Revising in a peer-editing group
getting feedback from students can also be helpful with revision
this can be formal but it is usually an informal process
getting feedback from others mirrors how people in the real world will receive your essay
this kind of revising is most helpful in the early drafts
Peer editing guidlelines
be tactful
interact with the writer if the session is done orally
be specific
don't focus only on little issues
be involved
offer concrete suggestions for improvement
look at the big picture
write down and explain comments
be thorough
mention good things as well as improvable ones
Strategies for revising
Outlining
Instructor's Written Comments
Checklists
Instructor Conferences
Writing Center Conferences
Peer editing
Checklist for revising
What is the essay's thesis? is it clearly worded? Does it provide a focus
Do the body paragraphs clearly support the essay's thesis? should any of the topic sentences be revised? Which, if any could be worded more clearly
How do the body paragraphs develop the essay's main idea? where could the writer have used more detail
Can you follow the writer's ideas? Does the essay need transitions
Which points are especially clear? What questions do you have that are not answered in the essay?
If this were your essay, What would you change before you handed it in?
Overall, do you think the paper is effective? Explain.
Points for Special Attention: First Draft
The Introduction
keep feedback in mind
remember what you and others noticed about your essay then revise it
begin to put your essay into it's final format
The Body Paragraphs
feel free to brainstorm additional ideas
examine your content in more detail
keep comparison and contrast in mind
remember to use transitions
add emphasis with key words wen necessary
The Conclusion
make sure the readers see the connection between the essay and the assignment
bring the essay full circle
develop the idea that was alluded to in the introduction
reinforce the thesis and provide closure to the essay
Points for Special Attention: Second Draft
The introduction
smooth out the fine points
assume that your audience knows nothing about the topic
The Body Paragraphs
put on the finishing touches
examine tone
remove unhelpful details
make sure everything flows together well
Add helpful material when necessary
Conclusion
remove unnecessary material
focus the reader's attention on the conclusion instead of random details
Working with sources
add helpful quotations
document the quotation correctly
The Title
Choose a title that complements the tone the essay expresses
hook the reader's attention with the title
Choosing a title
the title should create interest
single-word "cute" titles don't spark interest