chapter 16 the writing process: a case study of a writing assignment

Chapter 16

The Writing Process: A Case

Study of a Writing Assignment

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 16 | 2

Chapter overview

• Reviews stages of the writing process

• Presents a case study of a writing assignment (Krista Guglielmetti writing an essay for a mass communications course)


The writing process includes

• Invention

• Planning

• Drafting

• Peer review

• Revising

• Editing, proofreading, and formatting the final document


Collaborating to understand

• Many students find it helpful to work together to better understand the requirements of writing assignments, even when doing individual papers

• Two heads are better than one


Readers and writers

• Reading and commenting on other people’s papers is a way to strengthen your skills, both as a writer and a reader.

• However, both have responsibilities tothe other.


A writer’s responsibilities

• Provide reader with legible draft (typed, double spaced, if possible)

• Communicate the status of the draft (an early attempt, still pretty rough, or a working draft).

• Keep an open mind.

• Try to understand the reader’s comments and why there were made.


A reader’s responsibilities

• Give honest feedback, not from the perspective of a teacher but as a peer

• Don’t give empty praise or vague remarks.

• Give a clear and accurate explanation of how and why you reacted to the essay.


Shared responsibility

• Readers and writers share the responsibility to handle disagreements in such a way that they keep talking to resolve the conflict.


Case study

• The chapter takes a detailed look at an essay that Krista Guglielmetti has been assigned for a mass communications course.

• It begins with the writing assignment description, suggesting that the first task is to analyze the assignment


Three guidelines toanalyze an assignment

• Find key words in the writing assignment (describe, summarize, evaluate, for example)

• Discuss information needed to complete the assignment; is it based on class readings and texts, or is outside research required?

• Look for directions about the format and genre (essay, report, review, or proposal)? Anything about the length or documentation style?


Understanding readers

• Krista discusses the assignment with her roommate, Tamika.

• Their conversation is on pages 506-507.

• Her friend helps her clarify some of her ideas, and Krista decides she has found her focus.


Exploring topics and outlining

• Krista does an exploratory writing; it is on page 507-508, followed by a short response from her friend Eric.

• Next, she lists her main ideas and puts them into a simple outline form, as shown on page 508-509.


Drafting

• Her first, or working, draft is found on pages 547-548.

• She now needs to find a reader, who can provide feedback to help her revise.


Three kinds of commentary

• Describes the writer’s strategy

• Analyzes the organization

• Evaluates the argument

You may ask a reader to do one of those tasks, more than one, or all three, depending on the circumstances.


Describing the writer’s strategies

• Asks the reader to look at the essay in terms of how each part functions.

• Helps to see how ideas are developed and supported.

• See example on page 511. It presents the main point and then the main idea of each of the paragraphs.


Describing the organization

• Builds on the rough outline done for the previous task.

• Five guidelines focus on how ideas are presented and connected, and whether more details are needed or if some points should be omitted.


Evaluating the argument

• Four guidelines are listed, pages 513.

• Focus on analyzing the parts of the argument (claim, evidence, assumptions, etc.).

• Asks if you agree with the main point, and then gives a series of questions for both possibilities.


Guidelines for revising

• See page 515 for five key points.

• Focus on how the readers see your essay, with suggestions for how to revise various aspects, including the main point, the evidence, the way you connect the evidence to your main point, and the ending.


Student sample

• Notice Krista’s sample working draft and revised essay, which appear on pages 516-518

• Final touches are also mentioned—the need to edit and proofread an essay to catch final problems (awkward sentences, missing words, typos, etc.).


Writing centers

• The chapter closes with a reminder that most campuses have a writing center, with tutors or peer editors.


Student Companion Website

• Go to the student side of the Web site for exercises, chapter overviews, and links to writing resources for this chapter:

http://college.hmco.com/pic/trimbur4e

chapter 16 the writing process: a case study of a writing assignment

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