from idea to page and beyond: the life cycle of a paper with hillary wentworth writing consultant
TRANSCRIPT
From Idea to Page and Beyond:
The Life Cycle of a Paper
With Hillary WentworthWriting Consultant
Webinar Overview
The writing process: What is it?• Reading critically• Getting started• Writing the rough draft• Sharing your work• Writing the final draft• Reflecting on your writing
The Writing Process
The AssignmentFor a philosophy class:
Choose a historical figure who lived by the Golden Rule: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” Write a 2-page essay convincing your reader of that person’s adherence to the golden rule. Use examples and credit sources.
With the assignment now in mind, you could try freewriting.• Short 15-minute burst of writing anything that comes to
mind on the assignment topic.• Don’t worry about structure, grammar, spelling.• At the end, go over what you’ve written to see if you’ve
narrowed your focus or have any usable information.– Did you discover who you think is an ethical historical
figure? This can now guide your research and reading.
– http://library.waldenu.edu/
Reading Critically
Reading critically is• reading the text as a judge of scholarly value. Ask
questions concerning potential weaknesses in the articles. This step allows you to assess the validity of the author's work and decide how you're going to employ it in your own document.
• reading the text as an insightful member of the academic community with your own agenda (your assignment). This is typically done by viewing the literature through the lens of your own study and interest.
Reading Critically
What Does It Look Like?
No malice, no revenge. Proves that he was concerned with other people.
No malice, no revenge. Proves that he was concerned with other people.
Slavery as evil.Slavery as evil.
Moral language. But what about actions? Did he show this morality in action too?
Moral language. But what about actions? Did he show this morality in action too?
Admitting own faults and not being self-righteous.
Admitting own faults and not being self-righteous.
Excerpt from a book on Lincoln, with student notes
• Synthesize your reading.– You have taken careful notes. Now what do
those notes say?– Come to an understanding on your topic. Do
some of the sources say similar things while others say different?
• Form an argument– What is the argument you want to make
based on your reading?
Getting Started
• Outline– When you outline, you build off the argument
to “map out” a full paper– Outlining
• Offers visual representation of your paper• Allows you to progress your argument• Shows organization of major topics• Sample outline here:
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/318.htm
Getting Started
What Does It Look Like?
Introduction/Main idea •Abraham Lincoln demonstrated the Golden Rule throughout his life.Supporting idea 1: Lincoln’s speeches and writings showed his belief in treating others fairly.•Speech at Peoria established his hatred of slavery and the idea of seeing people as equal•Include quotes from speeches and writingsSupporting idea 2: Lincoln’s actions toward freeing the slaves also showed his devotion to the Golden Rule.•Abolishment of slavery in the Confederate states with the Emancipation Proclamation•Paved the way for complete abolishment•Address counterargument about political gain hereConclusion
Basic Outline for Lincoln Paper
What Does It Look Like?
From http://bubbl.us/
Mind Map of Lincoln Paper
Now that you have an outline, develop your supporting ideas into paragraphs.
Four components of a paragraph:
M = Main Idea
E = Evidence
A = Analysis
L = Lead-out
Writing the Rough Draft
Writing the Rough Draft
1. What you put in the top of the funnel must relate to what
comes before it. Use this opening sentence to introduce
the main idea.
2. Follow the opening sentence with support in the form of paraphrase or direct
quote.
4. What comes out of the funnel should conclude the topic of that paragraph and
lead into the next.
3. Analyze your evidence to narrow your topic even more. How does this evidence relate
to your main idea?
What Does It Look Like?
Rough Draft of Lincoln Paper (excerpt)
One of the best ways to grow as a writer is to share your work with others.
Some options:• Form a peer writing group• Partner with a fellow student in your course and
exchange papers• Connect with students on the Writing Center’s eCampus
discussion board or Facebook page
Sharing Your Work
Make an appointment with a writing tutor and upload your paper.
• Read the instructions in our Tutoring Guide: http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/Tutoring.htm
• Know what to expect
Our goal is to help you become a better writer by pointing out patterns and offering suggestions for revision. Therefore, we
– comment on cohesion and flow, voice and grammar, and APA citations.
– do not offer line-by-line proofreading or editing
– cannot comment on content (because we are writing experts and not necessarily experts in your subject area)
Sharing Your Work
What Does It Look Like?Tutor Comments on Rough Draft
Revising Based on Others’ Comments• Spend time away from the document; return when you
are refreshed• Do not get overwhelmed• Where to begin? Try starting with the big stuff. Did the
tutor or friend mention gaps in your ideas, confusing organization, or a missing introduction/conclusion?
• Once you have revised for ideas, organization, and introduction/conclusion, look at the sentence-level comments.
Writing the Final Draft
Revising on Your Own• Determine overall readability: Does it make sense?• Check organization of paragraphs: Do they follow the
MEAL plan?• Read aloud for flow: Is there a logical thread from
sentence to sentence? Is there repetition of wording or sentence structure?
• Proofread
Writing the Final Draft
What Does It Look Like?
What Does It Look Like?Final Draft of Lincoln Paper (excerpt)
Writing is a process and not a single event. Therefore, think beyond the one paper in front of you. What did you do effectively? What would you like to improve? Jot notes for that next paper.
Possible areas of reflection:
• Managing time wisely• Researching and using sources• Reading those sources critically• Organizing information• Writing complete and grammatically correct sentences
Reflecting on Your Writing
What Does It Look Like?
Student’s sticky notes reflecting on the paper and his writing process
Then What?
The process starts again with your next paper!
ReferencesGolden Rule. (2011). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. Retrieved from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goldenruleGuelzo, A. (2004). Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. New York, NY: Simon &
Schuster.Hofstadter, R. (1948). The American political tradition and the men who made
it. New York, NY: Knopf.Lincoln, A. (1894). Abraham Lincoln: Complete works, comprising his
speeches, letters, state papers, and miscellaneous writings. New York, NY: Century Co.
Miller, W. L. (2008). The exacting legacy of a virtuous president. In P. S. Paludin (Ed.), Lincoln’s legacy (p. 28). Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Rockler, M. (2007). Presidential decision-making: Utilitarianism vs. duty ethics. Philosophy Now. Retrieved from http://www.philosophynow.org/
