Planning, Drafting, Revising, and Editing Your Paper

Writing Process

• Understanding the assignment

• Zeroing in on a topic

• Gathering information

• Organizing the information

• Developing a thesis statement

• Writing the first draft

Understanding the Assignment

• Students lose an average of 20 points per assignment for not following the assignment’s requirements.

• Make sure to read all prompts and assignments carefully and at least twice. Make note of specific requirements. Should you have any questions, ask your professor.

Zeroing In on a Topic

• Subject: Broad discussion area (sports, college life, culture, and the like)

• Topic: One small segment of a subject (testing athletes for drug use, Collin College’s academic probation policy, the social networking phenomenon) – Pick a topic narrow enough so that you can develop it

properly within any length limitation.

– Pick a topic that is familiar or one that you can learn enough about in the time available.

Gathering Information

• Brainstorming: yields a set of words, fragments, and occasionally sentences that will furnish ideas for the paper. – Can be in list or branching format

• Reading: also known as researching. Use books, magazines, encyclopedias, databases, and other reliable sources. – For this course you are ONLY allowed to use those

sources that can found through the Collin College library.

Organizing the Information • Notes Systems

– Notecards – Sheets of Paper – Computer-based

• Outlines: Organize your essay into major units using Roman numerals (I, II, III), letters (A, B, C), and numbers (1, 2, 3) to show the structure you will use in the paper. – Topic – Sentence – To develop your outline, take your brainstorming and/or notes

and mark the major units as I, II, III based on the main ideas they demonstrate. Then start to develop your outline, identifying the major points for each major heading (I, II, III) and the next major points (A, B, C).

Topic Outlines • Simply state the main topic to be addressed in a section • Are made up of phrases (NOT sentences) and have no end punctuation • Let you know if you have enough info for a paragraph. If under one major

heading, you only have one letter or under a letter only one number (as in II B) you may need to do more brainstorming

I. Coordinating Activities A. Meeting friends for study sessions 1. Setting the time 2. Making certain everyone gets there B. Arranging a lunch date 1. Deciding where everyone is meeting 2. Arranging a ride to lunch II. Getting Things Done A. Coordinating a team project 1. Assign tasks 2. Monitor progress B. Resolving bill disputes 1. Call during business hours

Sentence Outlines

• Make full statements or sentences that can often be used in your paper

• Make you really think about what you want to say I. Cell phones can be used to coordinate activities that would be otherwise difficult to coordinate given students’ busy schedules. A. Cell phones can help students find out where a study session is being held. B. Often there is a complex schedule of classes, work, meals, and meetings to organize. C. Cell phones can let members of a team project keep the projects on track.

Developing a Thesis Statement • Identify your main topic (The commercial advantages

of computerized data storage systems)

• Convert the topic to a question (What advantages do computerized data storage systems offer businesses?)

• Answer the question/create a thesis (Computerized data storage systems offer businesses enormous storage capacity, cheap, instant data transmission almost anywhere, and significantly increased profits.)

• You can also ask yourself the following questions: – What are you trying to argue?

– What are you trying to show?

– What are you trying to prove?

Thesis Things to Remember • A thesis presents the main idea of a piece of writing. • A thesis must be something that can be proven or shown (i.e.

no facts). • A thesis is located at the end of your introduction. • A paper must match its thesis; the point of the rest of the

paper is proving that thesis. • A thesis focuses on just one central point or issue (unless

intended for a lengthy paper). • A thesis tailors the scope of the issue to the length of the

paper. • A thesis provides an accurate forecast of what’s to come. • A thesis is precise, often previewing the organization of the

paper. • A thesis should NOT use clichéd and excess wording like “In

this paper I will discuss . . .”. • A strong, effective thesis is the foundation of a successful

paper.

Thesis Examples:

• The life of a typical college student is characterized by time spent studying, attending class, and socializing with peers.

• A healthy diet is important because it increases energy, prevents illness, and promotes well-being in all people.

• School uniforms should not be mandatory in public schools because such a policy would stifle students’ creativity, take away students’ rights, and cause students to lose interest in school.

Writing the First Draft

• Have your brainstorming, notes, and outline in front of you. Looking over these can help you start thinking.

• Write quickly; capture the drift of your thoughts. Concentrate on content and organization. Get your main points and supporting details on paper in the right sequence. Don’t spend time correcting grammatical or punctuation errors, improving your language, or making the writing flow smoothly. You might lose your train of thought.

• Take breaks at logical dividing points, for example, when you finish discussing a key point.

• If a section is causing you a lot of trouble (like the introduction), move on and come back to that section later.

• Use topic sentences at the beginning of paragraphs and transitions at the end.

Preparing to Revise

• Set your draft aside for at least half a day, if not longer.

• Read your essay at least three times, once for each of these reasons: – To improve the essay as a whole

– To strengthen paragraph structure and development

– To sharpen sentences and words

• When you finish reading your paper for content, make a final, meticulous sweep to search for errors and problems that mar your writing.

Considering the Whole Essay

• FACT: the acronym for holistic essay revision • F: Does the whole essay FIT together, presenting a

central point? Do all parts connect to the thesis? • A: What do you need to ADD? Where does the reader

need more info or examples to understand the paper’s message? What major ideas have been left out?

• C: What do you need to CUT? Where is there repetition? What doesn’t contribute to the essay?

• T: Carefully TEST the organization of the essay. Does the text flow smoothly from point to point with clear transitions between the various ideas? Is the organization logical?

Strengthening Paragraph Structure and Development

• Examine each paragraph, one by one. – Is there one central idea? – Does the central idea help to develop the thesis? – Is the central idea expressed in a topic sentence? – Does each statement in the paragraph help to develop the

central idea? – Does the paragraph need additional explanations, examples, or

supporting details? – Would cutting some material make the paragraph stronger? – Would reorganization make the ideas easier to follow? – Can connections between sentences be improved? – Is each paragraph clearly and smoothly related to those that

precede and follow it?

Sharpening Sentences and Words

• What sentences are not clearly expressed or logically constructed?

• What sentences seem awkward, excessively convoluted, or lacking in punch?

• What words require explanation or substitution because the reader may not know them?

• Where does my writing become wordy or use vague terms?

• Where have I carelessly omitted words or mistakenly used the wrong word?

Selecting a Title

• Wait until you finish the paper to create one

• Must be accurate and specific

• Can be catchy or clever only if its wit or humor doesn’t clash with the overall purpose and tone of the paper.

Common: “Handling a Hangover”

Clever: “The Mourning After”

Common: “Selecting the Proper Neckwear”

Clever: “How to Ring Your Neck”

Proofreading Your Draft

• Use a printout

• Correct errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling

• Do NOT rely solely on a program’s spell and grammar check

• Check your paper slowly, word by word

• Be doubly alert for errors that have plagued your work in the past