An introduction to Writing

ChapterOneAnIntroductiontoWritingThischapterwillexplaintheimportanceofsupportingapointinwritingthestructureofthetraditionalessaythebenefitsofwritingthetraditionalessayPointandSupportinaParagraphTheHazardsofMoviegoingAlthoughIlovemovies,I’vefoundthattherearedrawbackstomovieging.Oneproblemisjusttheinconvenienceofitall.Togettothetheater,Ihavetodriveforatleastfifteenminutes,ormoreiftrafficisbad.Itcantakeforevertofindaparkingspot,andthenIhavetowalkacrossahugeparkinglottothetheater.ThereIencounterlonglines,sold-outshows,andever-increasingprice.AndIhatesittingwithmyfeetstickingtothefloorbecauseofotherpeople’sspilledsnacks.Anotherproblemismylackofself-controlatthetheater.Ioftenstuffmyselfwithunhealthycalorie-ladensnacks.Mychoicesmightincludeabucketofpopcorn,aboxofMilkDuds,agiantsoda,orallthree.Theworstproblemissomeoftheothermoviegoers.Kidsrunupanddowntheaisles.Teenagerslaughandshoutatthescreen.Peopleofallagesdropsodacupsandpopcorntubs,coughandburp,andtalktooneanother.Allinall,IwouldratherstayhomeandwaittoseethelatestmoviehitsoncableTVinthecomfortofmyownlivingroom.ByastudentTheStructureofaTraditionalEssayDiagramTitleoftheEssayI.IntroductionOpeningremarkstocatchreader’sinterestThesisstatementPlanofdevelopment(optional)II.BodyTopicsentence1(supportingpoint1)specificevidenceTopicsentence2(supportingpoint2)specificevidenceTopicsentence3(supportingpoint3)specificevidenceIII.ConclusionSummary(optional)Generalclosingremarks(orboth)BenefitsofWritingtheTraditionalEssay1.Masteringessayswillhelpmakeyouabetterwriter;2.Thedisciplineofwritinganessaywillstrengthenyourskillsasareader,listenerandspeaker;3.Writingwillmakeyouastrongerthinker.ChapterTwoTheWritingProcessThischapterwillexplainandillustratethesequenceofstepsinwritinganeffectiveessayprewritingrevisingeditingPrewritingtechniques:a.Freewritingb.Questioningc.Makingalistd.Clustering(Mapping)e.PreparingaScratchOutlineWritingthefirstdraftRevising:a.thecontentofyouressayIsmypaperunified?Ismypapersupported?Ismypaperorganized?b.thesentencesofyouressayDoIuseparallelismtobalancemywordsandideas?DoIhaveaconsistentpointofview?DoIusespecificwords?DoIuseactiveverbs?DoIuseconcisewords?DoIvarymysentences?ChapterThreeTheFirstandSecondStepsinEssayWritingThischapterwillshowyouhowtostartanessaywithapoint,orthesissupportthatpoint,orthesis,withspecificevidenceStep1:BeginwithaPoint,orThesise.g.Generalsubject:SportsLimitedsubject:SportsFansThesis:Footballfansareinsane.Thesisstatement:Footballfansbehaveinsanely,theyareinsaneaboutthepast,andtheyareinsanelyloyal.CommonErrorsinWritingaThesis1.AnnouncementsRatherThanStatementsThesubjectofthispaperwillbemyparents.IwanttotalkaboutthecrimewaveinourcountryThe“babyboom”generationistheconcernofthisessay2.StatementsThatAreTooBroadMyparentshavebeenthemostinfluentialpeopleinmylife.CrimeisamajorconcernofeveryoneinourcountryThe“babyboom”generationhaschangedhistory3.StatementsThatAreTooNarrowMyparentshadonlyonechild.Inthelastyeartherehavebeenovertwentyrobberiesinourneighborhood.Themembersofthepost-WorldWarII“babyboom”makeupthelargestsingleagegroupintheUnitedStates.4.StatementsThatContainMoreThanOneIdeaMyparentshelpedmegrowinimportantways,althoughinotherrespectsIwaslimited.TheproblemofovercrowdedAmericanprisonmustbesolved,andjudgesmuststarthandingouttoughersentences.The“babyboom”generationhashadmanyadvantages,butitalsofacesmanyproblems.ActivityI.Identifytheerrorsthatthefollowingstatementscontain:1.ThefirstcarthatIownedwasaFord.2.Computershavechangedoursociety.3.Mylastcarwasdependable,butmanyAmericancarsarepoorlymade.4.Thesubjectofthisessayisdailyprayerinourpublicschools.II.Completethefollowingthesisstatements:1.Ouroldcareatsgas,makesfunnynoises,and___________________.2.Duringmyfirstsemesteratcollege,Ihadtolearnhowtomanagemytime,mydiet,and___________________.3.Anyonewhobuysanoldhouseplanningtofixitupshouldbepreparedtoputinalotoftime,hardwork,and________________.Step2:SupporttheThesiswithSpecificEvidenceJustasathesismustbedevelopedwithsupportingpoints,eachsupportingpointmustbedevelopedwithspecificdetails.Theyarevaluableintwoways.First,detailsexcitethereader’sinterest.Second,detailsservetoexplainawriter’spoints.Activity:Identifythepassagewithspecificevidencetosupporttheopeningpointandtheonewithvague,generalandwordysentencesfollowingtheopeningpoint.Passage1Anotherconsiderationinadoptingadogisthecost.Initialfeesforshotsandalicensemightaddupto$40.Annualvisitstothevetforheartwormpills,rabiesordistempershots,andgeneralcheckupscouldcost$50ormore.Thenthereisthecostoffood.Atwenty-five-poundbagofdryfood(thecheapestkind)costsaround$10.Alargedogcaneatthatmuchinacoupleofweeks.Passage2:Peoplecanbecrueltopetssimplybybeingthoughtless.Theydon’tthinkaboutapet’sneeds,ortheysimplyignorethoseneeds.Itneveroccurstothemthattheirpetcanbeexperiencingagreatdealofdiscomfortasaresultoftheirfailuretobesensitive.Thecrueltyisaresultofthebasiclackofattentionandconcern—qualitiesthatshouldbethere,butaren’t.ChapterFourTheThirdStepinEssayWritingThischapterwillshowyouhowtoor