WHY DO WE WRITE



WHY DO WE WRITE?

There are 4 main purposes to writing:

1. TO EXPRESS (To get to know themselves better; to find some kind of meaning in their own lives)

2. TO INFORM, TO EXPLAIN OR TO EXPLORE (To give other people information that they need or want; to provide an explanation; to explore an idea or problem)

3. TO PERSUADE (To convince other people either to do something or believe something they’d like)

4. TO CREATE LITERARY WORK (To be creative with language; to say something in a unique way)

HOW DO WE WRITE?

1. PREWRITING (Finding and narrowing a subject; gathering ideas, using prewriting techniques; identifying a purpose and an audience; Ordering ideas)

Prewriting techniques

Finding ideas for writing

Keeping a writer’s journal- recording personal experiences, perceptions, and ideas

Freewriting- writing for a few minutes about whatever comes to mind

Brainstorming- Listing ideas (alone or with others) as quickly as possible

Clustering- drawing lines and circles to show connections between ideas

Asking questions- Using news reporter’s 5 W’s and How questions.

Reading with a focus- Reading efficiently to locate and collect specific info.

Listening with a focus- listening attentively to locate and collect specific info.

Observing- Noticing details through the senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch

Imagining- Probing your imagination for ideas, often using a “What if?” approach

*CRITICAL THINKING*

Consider your audience:

How much does my audience already know about the topic? Do I need to give background information or explain technical terms?

What strong feelings might my audience have about the topic?

What level of language should I use? Should the level be formal or informal? Should the writing be simple or complex?

How can I make my message interesting and worthwhile to this particular audience?

Consider your tone:

Word Choice-The choice of formal language will convey a more serious tone than informal language.

Choice of Details- a list of facts creates a rather serious tone, while a set of personal examples or reminiscences creates a friendlier, perhaps playful tone.

Sentence length and structure- Long, involved sentences can produce a serious and weighty tone or even a lush tone.

Consider how to arrange your ideas:

Chronological- in the order in which it occurs, from past to present or vice versa.

Spatial- Order that describes an object according to its location.

Importance- Order that gives details from least importance to most important or the reverse.

Logical- Classification: Order that relates items and groups

2. WRITING A DRAFT (Putting ideas into sentences; Including new ideas you discover as you write)

Use your prewriting notes or outline as a guide.

Write freely. Concentrate on expressing your ideas.

Include any new ideas that come to you as you write.

Don’t worry about making errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. You can fix them later.

3. EVALUATING AND REVISING(Judging content, organization, and style; Making changes to improve the draft)

Read carefully. Read your paper several times. First concentrate on content (what you say), next on organization (how you’ve arranged your ideas), and then on style (how you’ve used words or sentences).

Guidelines for evaluation and revising

4. PROOFREADING AND PUBLISHING (correcting errors in spelling, usage, and mechanics; Sharing your writing)

Guidelines for Proofreading

Is each sentence a complete sentence?

Does every sentence end with the appropriate punctuation mark?

Does every sentence begin with a capital letter? Are all proper nouns and proper adjectives capitalize when necessary?

Does every verb agree in number with its subject?

Are subject and object forms of personal pronouns used correctly?

Does every pronoun agree with its antecedent in number and gender? Are pronoun references clear?

Are frequently confused words used correctly?

Are all words spelled correctly? Are the plural forms of nouns correct?

Is the paper neat and in correct manuscript form?

Guidelines for Publishing

Handwritten work:

Be sure to place your name, instructor name, class information and date (day month year) on the upper LEFT hand corner of your paper. Center the title on the first line of the page.

Make sure your writing is legible and your paper is neat and clean.

Do not skip lines and use only one side of the paper.

Typed work:

Use New Times Roman, 12 point font.

Double space

Margins are to be set at one inch top, bottom, left and right.

Name, date, period in the upper left corner.

Title on the top of the paper, centered.

Number all pages except the first in the upper right corner.

*Use MLA formatting for all type assignments unless otherwise instructed. MLA guide lines available at

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Is the writing interesting?

Add examples, an anecdote, dialogue, or additional details. Cut repetitions or boring details.

Does the writing achieve the writing purpose?

Add explanations, descriptive details, arguments, or narrative details.

Are there enough details?

Add more details, facts, or examples to support your idea

Are there unrelated ideas or details that distract the reader?

Cut irrelevant or distracting information

Are unfamiliar terms explained or defined?

Add definitions or other explanations of unfamiliar terms. Replace unfamiliar terms with familiar ones.

Are ideas and details arranged in the best possible order? [pic]

Reorder ideas and details to make the meaning clear.

Are the logical connections between ideas an[pic]d sentences clear?

Add transition words to link ideas; therefore, for example, because, and so on.

Is the meaning clear?

Replace vague or unclear wording. Use words and phrases that are precise and easy to understand

Does the writing contain clichés or overworked phrases?

Cut or replace with specific details and fresh comparisons.

Is the language appropriate for the audience and purpose?

Replace formal words with less formal words and phrases to create and informal tone. To create a more formal tone, replace slang and contractions.

Do sentences read smoothly?

Reorder to vary sentence beginnings and sentence structure.

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