Patterns for a Purpose Chapters 1-3

Errors in logic

- particular forms of faulty reasoning that can lead a person to a false conclusion.

Aspects of the writing process

-Identifying and considering your writing context, -Generating ideas -Ordering ideas, -Developing a thesis, -Drafting, -Revising, -Editing,

Qualities of an effective thesis

-Present an assertion that is arguable or in need of explanation, rather than a statement or fact. -Present a manageable topic; it should not involve more than you can cover adequately in the assigned length of your essay. -Use specific language; avoid vague words, because they result in vague statements.

Preliminary Purposes for writing

-To entertain the reader -To express your feelings and/ or to relate your experience -To inform the reader about something interesting or important -To persuade the reader to think or act a particular way

Idea generation techniques

-Use provocative quotation as a topic source. -Pick a subject treated in a reading and brainstorm. -Freewrite for about 10 minutes on a subject found in a reading. -Examine the subject of a reading from different angles.

Reading charts and graphs critically

-What point is the chart or graph trying to make? -What is the source of the information? -What is the date of the information? -Is there any attempt to mislead? -What can you infer from the chart or graph? -How do the data and inferences relate to the text? How do they relate to what you already know?

The formal outline

-With the formal outline, you can plan your essay in considerable detail. Label your major points with roman numerals and your supporting details with capital letters. Use Arabic numerals for smaller details that explain or illustrate your supporting details.

Keeping a reading journal

-You can pursue your thinking further than you would without the benefit of writing. -You can record thoughts that you can later use in essays. -You can review earlier entries to see how your ideas have progresses and to discover ways to synthesize ideas. -You can write trial drafts and experiment with ideas. -You can summarize the reading to record the important ideas and "set" learning.

Answering the following questions about reading material can help you form a reasonable judgment about its quality.

Are the "facts" really facts? -Are the source and author trustworthy -Is the reasoning logical?

Questions for establishing your purpose

Are you trying to entertain your readers -Do you want to express your feelings and/or relate your experience? -Are you seeking to inform readers about something -Do you want to persuade readers to think or act a particular way

Ordering ideas

Chronological order arranges details across time. -Spatial order arranges details as they appear across space-front to back, near to far, top to bottom, left to right. -Progressive order arranges details from the least to the most important, compelling, interesting, representative, and surprising. A progressive order allows for a big finish because the most significant point comes at the end. A variation of progressive order is to begin and end with the strongest points for a strong beginning as well as a strong ending.

To preview the material

Consider the author and title and what they suggest about the piece. Check out the publication information -Read the headnote. -Read headings, charts, bold and italicized type, and lists for clues and context. -Read the first paragraph or two and the first sentence of other paragraphs

Critical Reading

Critical Reading is to dig deep into a text to determine what the author says, how he or she says it, and what the quality, significance, and implications are. To become a critical reader, you must analyze and assess a text.

Patterns of development

Description-using words to explain what something looks, sounds, feels, smells, and/or tastes like (spatial or progressive order often used). -Narration-telling a story (chronological order often used). -Exemplification-providing examples (progressive order often used). -Process analysis- explaining how something works or how it is made or done (chronological order often used) -Comparison-contrast-explaining similarities and/ or differences (block pattern or alternating pattern often used). -Cause-and-effect analysis- explain the reason for an action and/ or the results of an action (progressive order often used). -Classification-division-grouping items into categories and/ or breaking something down into its parts (progressive order often used). -Definition- explaining the meaning of a term or concept (progressive order often used).

To assess a text

Evaluate the quality and reliability of the text. Draw conclusions about the significance of the ideas. Discover connections between the ideas and what you already know.

Distinguishing facts from opinions

Facts can be or have been proved, but opinions are the writer's judgments, interpretations, or beliefs. An opinion is the writer's judgments, interpretations, or beliefs.

To analyze a text

Identify the author's ideas and understand their meaning. Determine how the author explains or proves ideas. Ascertain the author's likely purpose and audience.

Introduction

In general, that beginning is a one-or two-paragraph introduction aimed at stimulating the reader's interest and many times, presenting the thesis. You can approach the introduction many ways.

Reread and study procedures

Lookup words that you circled during your first reading and any other vocabulary you are unsure of. You can write the meanings in the margins as a study aid. Identify the thesis. Identify the purpose. Underline major points. Make notations as you reflect and question. You need to distinguish fact from opinion, make inferences, synthesize information, and evaluate quality. Reconsider any material you did not understand earlier. Reconsider the reading in light or your earlier impressions.

The following are the most common errors in logic.

Overgeneralizing. -Oversimplifying. Begging the question -Name calling. Also called an ad hominem -Either-or reasoning. -Assuming an earlier event caused a later event. -Assuming that what is for one person is true for everybody. Attacking or defending an issue on the basis of what was believed or done in the past. -Playing to general sentiments. Also called ad populum, Falsely indicating that one point follows conclusively from another -Using the "as any fool can see" approach. Alluding to but not naming authorities

Informal outline

This outline includes some details for developing major point, and it groups related ideas together, so you have a sense of which details will appear together in the same paragraph. Although more detailed than the scratch outline, the informal outline may still not be suitable for complex papers or for writers who need to plan in detail.

Outline tree

This outline is similar to the informal outline in degree of detail, allows a writer to see how ideas relate to each other. Many writers appreciate the visual representation the tree provides. To construct an outline tree, write your preliminary thesis at the top of a page and connect ideas with braches.

Scratch outline

This outline is the least detailed outline. It is simply a list of the major ideas you plan to include in your first draft, written in the order you plan to cover them. Typically, the scratch outline covers only major points and gives no details for developing those points, so it is not well suited for complicated essays or for writers who must plain in detail before drafting.

First Reading

To begin with that closer examination, read the material through in one sitting, without pausing or laboring over anything. Relax and get a sense of the author's purpose and main points. If the piece appeals to you, enjoy it without considering exactly what techniques create the appeal. If you encounter unfamiliar words that you cannot understand from the context, circle them to look up later. If you do not understand a point, push on knowing that you will come back to it later. If the piece is too long to read in one sitting, break it into sections and do separate first readings.

Reading advertisements critically

What audience does the advertisement target -What is the purpose of the ad? -Does the ad appeal more to reason or to emotion? -What does the ad imply? -How do techniques involving color, size lighting, and so on highlight the ad's appeal? -How does the text work with the image to achieve the ad's purpose? -Is the ad credible?

Questions for assessing your audience

What does your reader already know about your topic? How interested is your reader in what you have to say? Does your reader have strong feelings about your topic? How will your reader's age, gender, level of education, income, job politics, or religion affect his or her reaction to you writing?

Reading photographs critically

Who took the photograph and why-for what organization or cause? -Is the photograph candid, posed, or digitally altered? -Is the image meant to document an event, to arouse emotions, or to do both? -What inferences can you make about the photograph? What message is it intended to convey? -How does the caption help you understand the photograph?

Questions for identifying your audience

Who would enjoy your essay? -Whom do you want to know and understand you better? -Who is interested in your topic? -Who could learn something from your essay? -Who should be convinced to think or act a particular way

Once you have a topic you must discover ideas for developing that topic, ideas compatible with your writing context. The following idea generation techniques may help:.

Write a discovery draft. -Review the marginal notes and journal entries you made during critical reading. -Write a brainstorming list. -Try clustering. -Talk to other people about your topic. -Combine techniques.

• Topic sentence

a generalization that must be developed with adequate, relevant supporting details.

Analyzing

a text involves determining what the author is saying and how he or she is saying it.

Assessing

a text involves making judgments about the quality and significance of the text.

Valuable opinions

are offered by knowledgeable people and are backed up by solid support. Less valuable opinions are unsupported beliefs or are offered by people with little relevant knowledge or experience.

The Conclusion

conclusion provides closure for your essay. It may be one or more final paragraphs or just the last sentence of your final paragraph. Your conclusion is an important part of your essay because it influences the reader's final, lasting impression.

think of your thesis and each of your topic sentences as a

generalization, a broad statement that asserts something is true in most cases or in every case.

Writing context

includes what the reason for writing is (the writer's purpose), who the readers are (the audience), and how the writer wants to present him-or himself (the writer's role).

Inference

is a conclusion about what a piece of writing "suggests" rather than "states." Must be supported by evidence

Editing Your Draft

is finding and correcting mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage. • Do most or all of your editing after you revise.

Revising Your Draft

is improving your draft until it is ready for your reader. Most experience writers will tell you that revising is the heart of their writing process and that it is time consuming. • When you revise, you should completely rethink your essay to be sure everything in it suits your purpose, audience, and role. • Revision requires you to consider each aspect of your draft.

Synthesis

is the process of connecting new information to what you already know.

o Supporting Details

o Are adequate o Are relevant to the topic sentence o Have coherence

• Conclusion: The Final Paragraph (s)

o Brings the essay to a satisfying close o Leaves the reader with a positive final impression

• Guidelines for Responding to Drafts.

o Comment on strengths and weaknesses. o Put your responses in writing. o Be specific. o Offer suggestions.

• Examples of conclusions are:

o Draw a conclusion from the information in the essay. o Present the final, most important point. o Offer a solution to a problem mentioned in the essay. o Call your reader to action. o Look to the future. o Leave your reader with a final impression.

• Introduction: The Opening Paragraph(s)

o Engages the reader's interest o Presents the thesis (the statement of the essay's central point)

Each body paragraph

o Helps explain or prove the thesis o Includes a topic sentence stating a main idea relevant to the thesis or implies such an idea o Includes supporting details

• Tips for Editing:

o Look for the kinds of mistake you typically make. o Learn the rules. o Use computer grammar and spell checks with caution. o Trust your instincts. o Edit print your copy.

o Each topic sentence

o States the main idea of the paragraph o Is relevant to the thesis

• Guidelines for Using Visuals.

o Use images only to help explain, illustrate, or prove a point. o Consider your audience and purpose. o Consider the quality of the visual. o Write the caption carefully. o Properly credit the source of visuals.

To become a critical reader

that is, to learn how to analyze and assess a text-you must learn to distinguish facts from opinions, make inferences, synthesize information, evaluate quality, and detect error in logic. You must also learn effective reading strategies.

Thesis

the idea that everything else in the essay pertains to. You can think of the thesis as the controlling idea of an essay.

coherence

the supporting details in your body paragraphs, and the body paragraphs themselves, must connect to one another in ways your reader can easily understand and follow.

Role

the way you want to present yourself. This will also influence the character of your writing.

Establishing Tone

the writer's attitude or feelings toward the reader of the writing subject. • The tone can be angry, sarcastic, serious, preachy, and so on. • Most often, tone is established by the words you choose to convey supporting details.

• Four strategies can help you achieve coherence

transitional words and phrases, repetition of words or ideas, synonyms, and sentences that look backward and forward.

Audience

who your reader is and what the reader is like.

Providing Adequate Supporting Detail

you must back up every generalization, including your thesis and each topic sentence, with enough detail to prove or explain it to your reader's satisfaction.

Proofreading

• After editing, make any changes necessary to put your essay into the proper form for your reader. Then, check carefully for typing error. • Read very slowly, lingering over each word and punctuation mark, so you do not build up too much speed and miss something.

Reread and Study

• After your first reading, return to the piece, using your reflective and questioning attitude to look more closely and discover as much as you can. Shorter, simpler pieces may require only one rereadings, but longer, more complex pieces will probably take two or more rereadings. Take notes in the margin and underline key passages.

Tips for Revising

• Allow plenty of time because revising is time consuming. • Remember your writing context. • Revise in stages by considering one or two of the revision concerns at a time. • Return to idea generation or adjust your thesis, if necessary. • Revise typed • Think like a reader. • Avoid editing, which comes later. • In Microsoft Word, use Track Changes.

Idea generations using the patterns

• Can you describe something related to your subject? (description) • Can you tell a story related to your subject? (narration) • Can you provide examples that illustrate your subject? (exemplification) • Can you explain how your subject works or how it is made or done? (process analysis) • What is your subject like? What is it different from? (comparison-contrast) • What causes your subject? What are the effects of your subject (cause-and-effect analysis) • Can you classify your subject into different categories? Can you break your subject down into parts? (classification-division) • What is the meaning of your subject? Are there any terms or concepts you need to define? (definition)

Steps to read visual material critically

• Determine the purpose of the visual. • Distinguish facts from opinions. • Make inferences • Synthesize the information in the visual. • Evaluate the quality. • Detect errors in logic.

Organizing Body Paragraphs

• Each body paragraph focuses on one main idea, to help support or explain the thesis. • This main idea can be expresses in a topic sentence or implied.

Tips for Drafting

• If you get stuck, move on. • Use your outline. • Write from start to finish in one sitting • Write the way you speak • Turn off your computer's AutoCorrect function.

Writing your outline

• Refer to your preliminary thesis. • Consider your context. • Be flexible. • Return to idea generation, if necessary.

Composing your thesis

• Study the ideas you generated to develop your topic. • Engage in additional generation, if necessary. • Consider your writing context. • Allow your early thesis to be preliminary

Providing Relevant Supporting Detail

• Supporting details must be relevant, which means they must be clearly related to the thesis and to the topic sentence.

Body Paragraphs

• The body paragraphs, which form the middle of the essay, prove or explain your thesis. • Each body paragraph has two parts. One part expresses the paragraph's main idea-the point the paragraph will develop to help support or explain the thesis. • That part is the topic sentence, which can be specifically stated or strongly implied. • The other part consists of the rest of your paragraph-the supporting details.

Knowing When to Paragraph

• Typically, writers begin a new body paragraph each time they move to a new main idea to support the thesis. However, if you have a great deal to say about one point, you can break up the discussion into two or more paragraphs. • If you have a point that deserves special emphasis, you can place it in its own paragraph, or if you have an extended example or narration, you can set it off by placing it in its own paragraph.

Questions for critical reading

• What is the source of the author's ideas: experience, observation, considered opinion, or research? • Is the author expressing facts, opinion, or both? • Is the author's detail adequate and convincing? Does the author support generalizations by showing and not just telling? What is the author's purpose, tone, intended audience and role? Do you agree or disagree with the author? What is the significance of the selection?

Purpose

• Whether you are writing an e-mail to a friend, preparing a business report, or composing a college essay, you are writing for a reason- and that reason is your

The Source and Form of Supporting Details

• Your supporting details can come from your own experience and observation, as well as from what you learn in the classroom and as a result of reading, watching television, listening to the radio, or surfing the Internet. • You can use the patterns of development to organize and present your supporting details.