English 380Wednesday, August 22

Melissa Gunby

Warm Up Activity

Lobster, Caviar, Cheesecake:› If you were choosing the menu for your

last meal, what would it include? Write detailed descriptions of each item on the menu.

Today’s full agenda

Discussion on the reading homework Introduction/Review of the writing

process and brainstorming Introduction/review of paragraph

structure Introduction/review of thesis

statements and essay structure. Introduction of the first essay

assignment

The Writing Process

Writing is a process, a series of steps that begins when you get an assignment.› Step 1: Planning› Step 2: Organizing› Step 3: Drafting› Step 4: Revising and Editing

Focus on Assignment, Purpose, and Audience (C1)

Assignment/Topic: What you are writing about?

Purpose: Why you are writing? Audience: for whom are you writing?

Practice

Brainstorming

Finding and gathering ideas

Types of Brainstorming

Talking and listening Annotating texts Listing Free writing Mapping/Diagramming Clustering Outlining

Sample Essay Topic

Given the recent natural disasters around the world (earthquake and tsunami in Japan, earthquake in New Zealand, earthquake in Haiti) and the general destruction, do you think that California is prepared for “the big one?”

It’s okay to just talk

One of the most effective methods of brainstorming is to just talk it out. Sometimes, discussing a topic with fellow students, family members, or an instructor can help you gather ideas.

LISTIN

G

Listing does exactly what it sounds like; a writer can list all the ideas or responses they have to a general topic. Yes No

CLU

STER

ING

Rather than using the more linear format of mapping, clustering uses bubbles and lines to connect ideas based on a main topic or idea.

MA

PPIN

G/D

IAG

RA

MM

ING

Mapping/diagramming and clustering are very similar. Starting with a central idea, branches are added as new ideas, branch off. Related ideas are attached by branches. New ideas start a new branch.

FREE W

RIT

ING

Free writing is a stream of consciousness exercise. It’s useful to get the ideas flowing without thinking about organization or mechanics.

Spend five minutes (until I tell you to stop) just writing about California’s preparedness for a big natural disaster (earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, zombie outbreak, etc).

AS

K T

HE JO

UR

NA

LISTS

Q

UES

TIO

NS

The journalists questions: WhoWhatWhenWhereWhyHow

Activity

1. On your own, brainstorm some ideas about the topic presented here.

2. After a few minutes, get with a small group and discuss the ideas you came up as individuals, and keep notes of new ideas you came up with.

3. As a group, brainstorm details to support your ideas. Think about examples, personal experience, etc.

Should “Superbowl Monday” and the day after Halloween be national holidays?

Refer back to the group brainstorm you did on adding national holidays:

Write two topic sentences:› One in favor of adding the holidays› One against adding the holidays