3.1.6.1: The Writing Process

• 3.1.6.1.1: Writing as a Process

  No writer can generate a perfect draft on the first attempt. Most employ a writing process, in which they begin with prewriting and invention, then outlining, composing, revising and editing. Though the aforementioned might suggest a linear process, it is usually recursive. For instance, you might end up going back to the prewriting phase and do some brainstorming even while writing the actual draft. The general rule of thumb is to invest some time brainstorming and writing a rough outline

• 3.1.6.1.2: Freewriting

  Try to keep writing without stopping, crossing-out, or erasing. Even if what you are writing seems like it isn’t “correct” or “perfect,” keep going. This is the key to freewriting – to write freely! Go for five minutes without stopping. If you have more to say, keep going for as long as you can. Don’t evaluate what you are writing, or you will stop the free flow of thoughts and ideas.

• 3.1.6.1.3: Brainstorming

  Brainstorming is like freewriting in that you write down whatever comes to mind without stopping, but it is different because it looks more like a list of words and phrases than a string of sentences.

• 3.1.6.1.4: Journalist Questions

  You may be asked to write about a topic or book, in which case you will need a means to generate the questions that most intrigue you. While who, what, when, and where questions are an effective means of gauging your comprehension, the why and how questions lend themselves to analysis, which is integral to any essay. After generating a list of questions, answer them. You may discover that a question generates multiple answers, some of them contradictory.

• 3.1.6.1.5: Listing

  This is the most informal kind of outline in which you jot down your main supporting points and possible evidence and analysis. This kind of outline is for you only, and you don’t need to worry about making it more comprehensive if it does the job for you. Many students find this kind of outline helpful in taking timed essay exams because it is brief, and it doesn’t take much time to produce.

• 3.1.6.1.6: Clustering/Mapping

  Clustering, also known as mapping, is like listing in that you narrow down and begin to organize your ideas. Cluster/mapping provides a mental picture of the ideas you generate and how they connect to each other. Where you place ideas on the page shows their relationship to each other. Ideas placed closer to the middle are the overarching key concepts that unify seemingly disparate ideas and details.

• 3.1.6.1.7: Outlining

  Outlining is the road map for the essay. American writer Tom Wolfe said, “By writing an outline you really are writing in a way, because you’re creating the structure of what you’re going to do. Once I really know what I’m going to write, I don’t find the actual writing takes all that long.” Critical thinkers use outlines to organize their ideas and check the organization of their drafts throughout the writing process.

• 3.1.6.1.8: Drafting

  After you do some good prewriting and write up an outline, it’s time to start writing the paper; the first writing stage is called drafting. In this stage, get your ideas down as quickly as possible and don’t focus too much on grammar, punctuation or spelling. This is the ideas stage. Focusing too much on “correctness” can bog your ideas down and give you writer’s block.

• 3.1.6.1.9: Revising

  Revising means what is says: it is a re-vision of your paper. To revise is to see again, to re-conceive your original essay. When you revise a paper, the larger elements of writing generally receive attention first—the focus, organization, paragraphing, content, and overall strategy. Improvements in sentence structure, word choice, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics come later when you edit the paper.

• 3.1.6.1.10: Creating Essay Titles

  fter you revise your essay and are moving onto the editing and proofreading stage in the writing process, it’s time to pay closer attention to the title of your essay. Essay titles should let your reader know what your essay will be about and immediately draw in your reader’s interest. Titles should also be specific enough to prepare the reader for your particular argument, so avoid vague titles like “Racism” or “Hope.

• 3.1.6.1.11: Editing/Proofreading

  When you get to this stage, the hardest part is over. At the editing/proofreading stage, you are looking at sentence clarity, grammar, punctuation, spelling and any other sentence level issues or careless mistakes that distract your readers from your main ideas. Wait to edit and proofread until you are at the finishing stage, so you don’t waste time carefully fixing each sentence in a paragraph you might end up removing entirely in the revision stage.

• 3.1.6.1.12: Final Revision Example

  The law then lists the punishments and for a white person it was a hefty fine and possible imprisonment and for a free person of color they could be fined, imprisoned or whipped “not exceeding thirty nine lashes, nor less than twenty lashes” ("Slaves Are Prohibited to Read and Write by Law"). The fear behind passing laws such as these reveals the certain knowledge that reading and writing can indeed lead to “insurrection and rebellion.”

• 3.1.6.1.13: Essay Checklist

  The essay responds to all parts of the assignment and effectively fulfills all the requirements. The essay is an analysis of/argument about the text(s). The essay is double spaced with 1-inch margins at the top, sides and bottom of each page. There is no extra spacing between paragraphs, just half inch indents at the start of each paragraph.