The Reading and Writing Processes

reading journal

A notebook that contains reading notes. Try using two columns. In the left column, record the author's words; in the right column, write your impressions of the text.

bubble brainstorming

A prewriting exercise in which you put any idea you think might be interesting in a circle and then draw lines out from it to other circles. You put associated ideas in those circles.

branching

A prewriting exercise that allows you to organize the ideas from your notes as if they were branches on a tree. To start branching, write a central topic in the middle of a page; think of this as the trunk of the tree. Then, think of everything you associate with that topic. Start drawing lines out from the center and write your ideas on the lines. Your associated ideas are the branches of the tree. You can draw smaller and smaller lines from the branches for other related ideas.

outlining

A process in which you clearly identify which ideas to cover first, which ideas are more general, and which ideas provide specific support for the general points you're making. The basic format of an outline uses a combination of Roman numerals, letters, and numbers to distinguish major ideas from minor ones or more general points from supporting ones. Outlining organizes your ideas and is the skeleton of your essay. Keep your outline flexible so that your ideas can continue developing.

free writing

A process that begins with an idea, phrase, question, or observation about the text you've read and then involves writing down anything that comes to mind without worrying about grammar, punctuation, or organization.

writing

A process that requires you to think critically, pay attention to detail, use all the elements of writing about literature, and support a carefully constructed thesis. Writing benefits from the following principles: Use standard conventions of written English; plan before you begin writing; know your audience and the purpose of the piece; use appropriate diction and words correctly; offer variety in your sentence structure; use a clear, original voice; and stay focused to ensure unity and coherence.

close reading

A technique that helps you interpret and write about literature. The idea behind it is that any small section of a text, when analyzed closely, will also reveal a richer, more accurate interpretation of the whole text.

previewing

A tool used in close reading. It usually begins with giving some attention to the title, author, and the date of publication. It can also help you decide how to approach a text and what to expect from it, as well as help you better remember what you've read.

note taking

A tool used in close reading. Taking notes as you read helps you engage with the text and prepares you to interpret what you've read.

local revision

Done at the end of the writing process, it tackles grammar, punctuation, diction, tone, and other mechanical sentence-level issues.

global revision

Targets the "big-picture" issues in your essay, including your thesis statement, organization, paragraph development, and focus. When you're revising globally, compare what you say in each paragraph to the thesis statement in your introduction to make sure that your ideas are interrelated.

critical reading

The process of actively engaging a text. When you read, you're involved in a relationship with the writer. Thinking about how this relationship works is the primary element of critical reading. A critical reader is one who actively engages with the writer by asking questions, taking notes, challenging and evaluating the ideas the writer presents, and thinking carefully about the ways in which they were presented. So, part of reading critically involves constantly asking yourself, "What does this mean?" and "How do I know what this means?"

prewriting

The process of taking notes, asking questions, and developing your own ideas about what you're reading. As a result, when you sit down to actually write your paper, you're confident about the arguments you plan to make.

brainstorming

The process of writing as many thoughts down as you can about a particular idea in order to better understand what you're thinking. The three kinds of brainstorming are free writing, branching, and bubble brainstorming.

metacognition

Thinking about your own thinking and keeping track of how you're responding to what you're reading.

thesis statement

This statement explains the purpose, or main idea, of a piece of writing, as well as tells the reader the topic of the essay and what the point about that topic will be.

persuasive writing

To articulate your own interpretation of the text while backing up your ideas with evidence from the text itself. That is, you must support each point you make with appropriate references to the work.

revising

To reconsider and change your text. Revisions fall into two categories: global and local.

paraphrase

To rewrite the text or dramatic dialogue in your own words while attempting to be faithful to the original meaning of the action or dialogue.

argumentative writing

When you write about a literary work, your goal is to support each point you make with appropriate references to the work. This type of writing is known as persuasive, or argumentative, writing.