prewriting: gathering ideas
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Prewriting: Gathering Ideas. Introduction Exploring what you know Researching your topic Evaluating your ideas Writing your thesis statement Implying a thesis Reviewing your ideas. Introduction. Detective work requires exploring ideas and gathering information. Introduction. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Prewriting: Gathering Ideas
Introduction
Exploring what you know
Researching your topic
Evaluating your ideas
Writing your thesis statement
Implying a thesis
Reviewing your ideas
Introduction
Detective work requires exploring ideas and gathering information.
Introduction
Like a detective, you have to explore your writing topic and gather information before you can begin to write.
Topic: owl adaptations
(physical traits that help owls survive in their environment)
Exploring what you know
First, determine what you already know about your topic. Write down all the ideas and information that you have on your topic.
Topic: owl adaptations• Most owls are nocturnal.• Owls hunt small animals.• Owls have excellent hearing.
Exploring what you know
What information or ideas are missing? Next, write down specific questions that show what you still need to know about your topic.
Topic: owl adaptations• How do owls hear so well?• What kinds of animals do owls eat?• How do owls catch and eat their prey?• Are owls noisy or quiet when they fly?
Researching your topic
Next, do some research to find answers to your questions. Research is a part of nearly all forms of writing, not just informative reports. For example,
information about the author of the work
a literary response
details of the event you’re relating
a personal narrative
the beliefs of those who disagree with you
a persuasive essay
the place and time in which your story is set
a short story
If you are writing You might research
Ways to research your topic include
Researching your topic
creating a survey to see how others feel about your topic
viewing documentary videos
typing your topic into a search engine
talking with others about your topic
reading books, magazines, and newspaper articles
Evaluating your ideas
As you research, you must evaluate the ideas and information that you find to make sure they are usable. Ask the following questions about each idea or piece of information:
Will this information interest my readers?
Is this information too specific or too broad?
How does this information relate to my topic?
• How does this relate to my topic?
Evaluating your ideas
The shape of an owl’s face and its uneven ear openings help it collect sounds and determine their direction.
• Will the information be interesting to my readers?
• Is the information too specific or too broad?
yes
no
All are owl adaptations.
Writing your thesis statement
You should be able to determine your thesis—the main idea of your topic—from the ideas and information you gather. Look for patterns in or relationships between the facts you’ve gathered.
Topic: owl adaptations• The shape of an owl’s face and its uneven ear openings
help it collect sounds and determine their direction.• An owl can fly silently because it has tiny ruffles on the
edges of its feathers.• An owl’s talons help it catch and kill prey such as mice,
rabbits, other small mammals, and insects.
owls’ special physical traits
Adaptations such as specialized ear openings and specially structured feathers enable owls both to hunt with ease and to exist in almost any ecosystem.
Writing your thesis statement
Often, you will give readers a thesis statement, which directly states your topic and what you want to say about it. To create a thesis statement, use the following equation:
+ Main idea about topic:Topic:
Thesis statement:
Owl adaptationsOwls have specialized
physical traits that enable them to hunt and to survive in almost any environment.
Writing your thesis statement Implying a thesis
In some types of writing—especially short stories and personal or biographical narratives—it is effective to use the details you provide to imply, or hint at, the main idea.
Implied main idea: Sam and John are not the only
ones in the forest.
As he traveled deeper into the forest, a strange feeling came over Sam. He felt as if he were being watched. John kept walking ahead as if everything were normal, but Sam felt a gentle breeze blow past him, like an eerie whisper in his ear.
Reviewing your ideas
After deciding on your thesis, review the ideas and information you have already gathered. Do you have enough strong ideas to support your thesis? If not, go back and gather more information.
The End