Invention
- If you have not carefully read and annotated the reading assignment that your wiritng prompt comes from, take time to do so, paying special attention to the structure and style that each writer uses. Make note of their sentence structure, word choice, and paragraph development. Try to understand how content and style work in concert. Determine what the writer’s purpose is. Be analytical in your reading.
- Begin mapping, brainstorming, or jotting down sentences or phrases that seem to relate to your topic. Work quickly without concern for mechanical correctness. Your task is to get your ideas down first before putting the finishing touches on your essay. Write down as many examples as you can think of in an hour. Try dividing your page in half vertically once you have selected a topic and jot your bases for comparison-contrast side by side to ensure a balanced development.
- Set your notes aside overnight.
- After letting your ideas incubate, return to your notes and choose one of the topics for your essay.
- Outline your essay using both the point-by-point and block techniques. Determine which method works best for your topic and purpose. Make sure that your thesis clearly states the purpose of the essay. Your attitude should also be reflected in your thesis. Consider your audience and your purpose. Select details from your preliminary work in order to develop your thesis and achieve your purpose. Make sure that your details are both sufficient and appropriate for your readers.
Arrangement
- Read over your preliminary draft.
- Refine your thesis and make sure that it reflects your attitude and implies or states the dominant impression that your details will develop. Keep your audience and purpose in mind as you flesh out your paragraphs.
- Organize the paper logically. Make sure that your transition devices help the reader move from one paragraph to another easily.
- State conclusions and recommendations in your final section. Your conclusion for this assignment should answer the question “So what?"
- Write your second draft, focusing on developing strong paragraphs that are rich in detail.
- After you’ve written your second draft, look back over each paragraph. If you are aiming for a humorous or satiric tone, recast your paragraphs to reflect that. Keep in mind your audience if you are using a humorous approach.
- After you’ve looked over each paragraph, read over the complete essay. Any superfluous or irrelevant details that are not directly related to your purpose should be deleted.
- If you are developing your essay using extended examples, make sure that you have included all of the necessary details so that your reader understands your example. Try to avoid using a single personal example that may not relate to all of your readers. Look beyond your own experiences.
- Once you’ve completed draft two, read it over and draft an introduction that
- engages the reader and
- announces your topic and your attitude toward it.
- If you have consulted outside sources, be sure to document properly.
- Read your draft aloud, listening for concrete details, carefully structured paragraphs with rich detail, and smooth transition between paragraphs.
- Consider variety in both sentence type and length and paragraph size.
- As you read your draft aloud, think about your audience. Double check your language use, your examples, and your tone to determine whether or not these elements have been selected with your audience in mind. This is especially important if your purpose is to persuade.
- Write your conclusion, leaving the reader with no doubts about the purpose you wish to achieve.
Revising
- After completing your second draft, reread it before submitting it, making sure that all words are spelled correctly, all commas are appropriately placed, and all sentence structure errors have been corrected.
- Rewrite your final copy neatly, following any instructions for document preparation that your instructor may have given you.
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