2. Why do we write?
• What types of writing Lists Social Media
do we do on a daily
basis?
• All writing seeks to
convey a message.
Personal
School Work
Writing
3. WRITING SKILL IS IMPORTANT
“As soon as you move one step up from the bottom, your
effectiveness depends on your ability to reach others through the
spoken or written word. And the further away your job is from
manual work, the larger the organization of which you are an
employee, the more important it will be that you know how to
convey your thoughts in writing or speaking. In the very large
organizations, whether it is the government, the large business
corporation, or the Army, this ability to express oneself is perhaps
the most important of all the skills a person can possess.”
Peter Drucker, “How to Be an Employee”
Work
Related
4. IDENTIFY THE PURPOSE
• To Inform
• To Persuade
• To Express Oneself
• To Entertain
• Work from the general to the specific
• “Having a specific purpose assists you at every stage of the
writing process” (Reinking & Osten 5).
Defining the audience
Selecting details, language, and approach
Avoiding sidetracked tangents
5. IDENTIFY THE AUDIENCE
Purpose and Audience are closely linked.
All writing is aimed at an audience.
That audience will determine how your writing is shaped.
The language you choose.
The tone you use.
The information you include……….
Public audience
Private or semi-private audience
What exactly is a “discourse community”?
6. KNOWING GOOD WRITING WHEN
WE SEE IT…
Fresh Thinking
Sense of Style
Effective Organization
Ethical
Truthful
Complete
Clear
Helpful, not harmful
7. CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
Orient your reading – what is your purpose for reading?
Read multiple times
First reading:
Read for content comprehension
Look for clues
Make connections
Additional readings:
Read carefully and critically
Annotate the text
Take notes
Analyze text
Respond to the text
8. CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
“All critical reading begins with an accurate summary” (Behrens &
Rosen 48).
Identify the main point, subordinate points, and counterarguments.
To what extent does the author succeed in his or her purpose?
To what extent do you agree with the author?
Identify points of agreement and disagreement.
Explore the reasons for agreement and disagreement.
9. CRITICAL EVALUATION
Evaluating Informative Writing Evaluating Persuasive Writing
Accuracy of Information Clearly Defined Terms
Significance of Information Fair Use of Information
Fair Interpretation of No Logical Fallacies
Information What is Logical Fallacy?
10. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Emotionally Loaded Terms Ad Hominem Argument
An attempt to sway reader’s Rejecting opposing views by
opinions by choosing attacking those who hold that
emotionally charged words viewpoint
“family values” Appealing to one’s
“pay the price” prejudices, emotions, or
Are the terms being used special interests
deceptively or to hide the Disregards the central issue
facts? in favor of negative attacks –
Should NOT be the ONLY (think political advertising)
argument in an academic
essay
11. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Faulty Cause & Effect Either / Or Reasoning
Assuming that one event Suggests that there are only
causes the second and two solutions to a problem
ignoring other possible The “correct” one that the writer
causes is favoring
Demonstrates unwillingness The “incorrect” one that the
writer opposes
to thoroughly research and
discuss the topic Demonstrates an
unwillingness to recognize
Also known as post hoc, ergo
complexity
proctor hoc (after
this, therefore because of
this)
12. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Hasty Generalization False Analogy
Drawing conclusions from Attempting to provide a
too little evidence or from comparison between two
unrepresentative evidence things when the differences
Demonstrates a lack of between them are greater
research and an than the similarities
unwillingness to thoroughly
analyze the specifics of a Oversimplification
situation
Offering easy solutions to
complicated problems
Ignores the complexity of an
issue
13. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Circular Reasoning Non Sequitur
Assumes as proven fact the Non Sequitur is Latin for “it
very thesis being argued does not follow”
If a thesis is indeed proven Describes a conclusion that
fact, then there is no need to does not logically follow from
write the essay in the first a premise
place. Assumes too much
Also known as “begging the
question”
16. SUMMARY
A Summary is a brief statement, in your own
words, of the content of a particular passage.
Approximately 25% of the length of the original
material
Include the author’s thesis (in your own
words), one-sentence summaries of the
subordinate points, and any significant details.
Do NOT include your own personal opinion of the
topic.
17. READ CRITICALLY TO SUMMARIZE
Critical Reading for Summary means you should…
Examine the context.
Note the title and subtitle.
Identify the main point.
Identify the subordinate points.
Break the reading into sections or stages of thought.
Distinguish between points, examples, and counterarguments.
Watch for transitions within and between paragraphs.
Read actively and recursively.
18. SUMMARY WRITING
Read the passage carefully.
Reread.
Provide the context for the essay.
Introduce the author and the article title.
Write a thesis of the entire passage.
Write one-sentence summaries of each stage of thought.
Write the first draft
Combine the thesis with your lists of one-sentence summaries
OR
Combine the thesis, the one-sentence summaries, and significant
details
Remember that summaries do NOT include your own personal
opinion of the topic.
20. INCLUDE CITATIONS FOR…
Summary Paraphrase
Because a summary is a Similar to
shortened version of the summary, paraphrase means
original material, it MUST be conveying a text’s message
cited accordingly, even in your own words.
though it has been put into Approximately the same
the writer’s own words. length as the original text.
Look for synonyms of the
Use a citation at the end of
original words and rearrange
every summarized section or your own sentences so that
paragraph. they read smoothly.
Use a citation at the end of
every paraphrased section or
paragraph.
21. INCLUDE CITATIONS FOR…
Use a Direct Quote for:
Direct Quotes Memorable language
Clear and concise language
Authoritative language
Use only what is necessary
IQ = Incorporate your Quote
into your own sentence
Avoid free standing
quotations
Use ellipsis marks … to
indicate omitted material from
within a quoted passage.
Use brackets [ ] to add or
substitute words within a
quote.
24. CRITIQUE
“A critique is a formalized, critical reading of a passage” (Behrens
and Rosen 62).
Begin with critical reading and turn that into a systematic
evaluation in order to deepen your reader’s (and your own)
understanding of that text.
Consider…
What the author says
How well the points are made
What assumptions underlie the argument
What issues are overlooked
What implications can be drawn
25. CRITIQUE
Critique begins with a summary of the work
Whether responding positively or negatively, present a fair and
accurate summary of the work
You might draw on and cite other sources
Include a statement of your own assumptions – your opinion is
included in a critique
State your opinions explicitly
26. READ CRITICALLY TO CRITIQUE
Examine the context Establish the author’s primary
Note the title and subtitle purpose
Identify the main point and Evaluate informative writing
subpoints Accuracy / Significance / Fair
Interpretation
Break the reading into
Evaluate persuasive writing
sections
Clear Definitions / Significance / Fair
Distinguish between points, Interpretations
examples, and
Evaluating writing that entertains
counterarguments
Interesting Characters / Believable
Watch for transitions within Action, Plot, and Situations /
and between paragraphs Communication of Theme / Use of
Language
Read actively
Decide whether you agree or
disagree
27. CRITIQUE WRITING
Introduce both the author and the article title
State the main argument and the points you intend to make about it
Use background information to provide context – information explaining why the issue is
of current interest, a reference to a possible controversy surrounding the
topic, biographical information about the author, circumstances under which the passage
was written, a reference to the intended audience
Summarize the main points and state the author’s purpose for writing
Assess the Presentation
Comment on the author’s success in achieving his or her purpose by reviewing three or
four specific points
Consider whether the author as argued logically
Respond to the Presentation
Where do you agree or disagree?
Discuss your reasons for agreement or disagreement
Conclude
State your conclusions regarding the overall validity of the piece – your assessment of
the author’s success at achieving his or her purpose – and your reactions to the author’s
views.
Comment on the weaknesses or strengths of the article.
29. SYNTHESIS
Written discussion that draws
on 2 or more sources
Demonstrates an ability to infer
relationships between sources
Builds on Summary and
Critique skills
30. TYPES OF SYNTHESES
Comparison
Explanatory Argument
and Contrast
• Conveys • Conveys • Conveys the
information opinion and similarities
provides and
interpretation differences
between
texts
31. SYNTHESIS WRITING
Consider your purpose in writing.
Select and carefully read your sources.
Take notes on your reading.
Formulate a thesis.
Informative / Mildly Argumentative / Strongly Argumentative
Decide how you will use your source material.
Develop an organizational plan.
Draft.
Document sources.
Revise and Edit.
32. ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES
A Synthesis is a blending of sources organized by ideas, not by
sources.
Thesis.
First idea:
Refer to and discuss parts of more than one source in support of the thesis.
What do both the sources suggest about idea #1?
Second idea:
Refer to and discuss parts of more than one source in support of the thesis.
What do both the sources suggest about idea #2?
Third idea:
Refer to and discuss parts of more than one source in support of the thesis.
What do both the sources suggest about idea #3?
Conclusion.
33. EXPLANATORY SYNTHESIS
Provide the facts in a reasonably objective
manner.
Do Not attempt to argue a particular point.
Convey the relationships between the sources.
34. ARGUMENT SYNTHESIS
Claim – the proposition or conclusion you are trying to
prove
Support – in the form of fact or expert opinion
Assumption – linking the supporting evidence to the
claim is your assumption
35. ARISTOTLE’S RHETORICAL
APPEALS
Plato and Aristotle (Rafaello- The three persuasive appeals:
1510)
Logos – the appeal to logic
Pathos – the appeal to
emotion
Ethos – the appeal to ethics
These three are often
combined to persuade the
reader to agree with a specific
point of view
36. LOGOS
• Start with a
generalization
The rational appeal • Then cite a
Deductive specific case
The appeal to reason related to that
Reasoning generalization
Employs consistency and • From which
logic follows a
conclusion
Includes statistics, facts, data
The basis of persuasive
writing in academia
Writers must argue logically • Begin with several
pieces of specific
and supply appropriate evidence
evidence to support their Inductive • Draw a conclusion
Reasoning from the body of
cases evidence
Includes Inductive and
Deductive Reasoning
37. ETHOS
The ethical appeal
Employs trust and credibility
Based not on the ethical
rationale for the subject or
PATHOS
topic under discussion…
The emotional appeal
But on the ethical status of
the person making the Employs emotions and
appeal imagination
Becomes problematic only
when it is the sole or primary
method of argumentation
38. FORMULATE AN ARGUMENT
STRATEGY
Summarize, paraphrase, and quote supporting evidence from your
sources
Provide various types of evidence and motivational appeal
Use climactic order –.
Use the next most important evidence first.
Use logical or conventional order.
Present and respond to counterarguments.
Remember that good academic writers acknowledge and refute counter
arguments.
Use concession.
Concede that one or more arguments against your position have some
validity; re-assert, nonetheless, that your argument is the stronger one.
39. WORKS CITED
Behrens, Laurence and Leonard J. Rosen. Writing and Reading
Across the Curriculum, 11th ed. Boston: Longman, 2011.
Reinking, James A. and Robert von der Osten. Strategies for
Successful Writing: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and
Handbook,” 9th ed. New York: Pearson, 2010.