Type of Exposition
Tell who might be the intended audience for this sentence: After examining the patients' chronic case of urticaria, I have recommended prompt treatment.
This is obviously written by a physician. The use of medical terms without further definitions indicates that it is directed at another physician or medical professional. (The term urticaria means "hives.")
Create a Web Make a web to help you narrow a topic. Write your broad topic in the center and specific topics in circles branching off from the center. Then, review the specific topics, and choose one as your narrowed topic.
Prewriting: Considering Your Audience and Purpose Your general purpose for writing a problem-and-solution essay is to share your ideas about how to solve a problem. The way that you share your ideas depends on your specific purpose and on the audience you are addressing. Suit Details to Your Audience—Always consider your audience's level of familiarity with your topic, and choose details that are appropriate for that audience. For example, if you were writing for an audience of computer experts, you would not need to define computer terminology; but if you were writing for beginning computer students, you would have to explain computer terms in detail.
Revising Your Paragraphs Each topical paragraph in your essay should focus on a single main idea. Functional paragraphs should perform a specific function, such as making a transition or emphasizing a point. In your problem-and-solution essay, many of your paragraphs will be topical. Consider the following strategies as you revise your topical paragraphs: Add a topic sentence. If you find a topical paragraph without a topic sentence, read it carefully. If the point of the paragraph is vague, add a topic sentence to make its meaning clear. Change the positions of some topic sentences. For variety and impact, change the positions of some topic sentences. Although many paragraphs begin with topic sentences, others build to a powerful close by saving the topic sentence for the last statement. Use a subject complement in your topic sentence. Use a short defining statement as a topic sentence. The following statements, each containing a subject complement, make a strong, clear point: Teamwork is essential. The only viable solution is recycling.
Before moving on, let's take a moment to review subject complements. A subject complement is a noun, pronoun or adjective that appears with a linking verb and tells something about the subject of the sentence. Common linking verbs are be, appear, seem, sound, feel, grow, and look. There are two types of subject complements: predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives. A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that renames, identifies, or explains the subject of the sentence, while a predicate nominative is an adjective that describes it. Predicate Nominative The essay in the morning newspaper is an editorial. The noun editorial is the predicate nominative. It renames the subject of the sentence, essay, and it is connected by the linking verb is. Predicate Adjective The problem is complex. The adjective complex is the predicate adjective. It describes the subject of the sentence, problem, and is connected by the linking verb is.
Revising Your Overall Structure It is now time to start revising your essay. Remember that you are looking through major structural issues during revision rather than smaller mechanical errors like spelling and grammar. In order to write a strong problem-and-solution essay, you have to have a balance of information. Analyze the Balance of Information—Your essay should present details that explain a problem, as well as details that describe one or more solutions to that problem. If your essay contains lots of details describing a problem and fewer details proposing a solution, fix the balance of details.
Color-Coding Details to Analyze Balance Use a highlighter or colored pencil to call out details that relate to the problem you are addressing. If you are discussing more than one problem, use a highlighter or pencil of a different color for each. Use a highlighter or pencil of a different color to call out details that describe your solution or solutions. Then, review your draft. Add details where necessary to improve the balance of information you provide
Choose an Appropriate Organization When describing the solution, choose an organization that will most effectively present the details you have gathered. If your solution has several steps, use chronological order. Describe all steps fully, in the logical order that they will be carried out, so that your audience will be able to follow your step-by-step description. If you are presenting several solutions, place them in order of importance. Begin with the least effective solution, and build to the solution you believe is most effective. This organization is particularly useful when you are trying to persuade readers that your solution is the best option.
Drafting: Providing Elaboration As you write your draft, elaborate on your major points by providing supporting details through the use of Five Points of Illumination. When you illuminate something, you reveal its qualities. As you draft your essay, create a graphic like the one shown here, and keep it nearby. As you write each paragraph, incorporate at least two different types of details. Click or tap through the activity to learn more about the five points of illumination.
Prewriting: Gathering Evidence Once you have narrowed your topic, gather details about the problem and the solution. The deeper you explore your problem, the more likely you are to come up with truly successful solutions. Begin your research and preparation by getting to know each important aspect of your problem. Write It! Complete a T-chart to collect ideas for your essay. In the left column of the chart, list the problem or problems you will address in your essay. In the right column, list your solutions. Refer to the details that you gather as you draft your problem-and-solution essay.
Drafting: Shaping Your Writing You have gathered a number of interesting and important details. Now you have to present them to your audience in the most logical and comprehensible way possible. Strong organization will help you with this. The most common organization for a problem-and-solution essay is suggested by the name itself. Most writers begin by describing the problem and then present one or more solutions. Begin your draft with a clear statement of the problem. Depending on your audience, you might decide to include background information or explanations about how the problem developed, as well as specific descriptions of each important aspect of the problem.
Peer Review: Use "Double Vision" Ask two partners to read and review your problem-and-solution essay. Give each partner a specific focus. You might try one of these divisions of responsibility: Problem and Solution—One partner evaluates your description of the problem; the other evaluates your presentation of the solution. Clarity and Style—One partner assesses the clarity of what you say; the other considers the effectiveness of the way you say it. Overview and Details—One partner looks at your overall structure; the other inspects the details you present.
Editing and Proofreading: Focusing on Punctuation Carefully read your essay to make sure it is free from errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Proofreading is an important part of the writing process. When you proofread your problem-and-solution essay, check especially to see whether you have used punctuation marks correctly. If you have used hyphens and dashes, check the rules for usage to make sure that you have used them correctly. Hyphens and dashes look similar, but remember: they are used for different purposes. Use a dash to indicate an abrupt change of thought, a dramatic interrupting idea, or a summary statement. Use a hyphen to connect a compound modifier that comes before a noun. Also, use a hyphen in words with the prefixes all-, ex-, self-.
Revising Your Word Choice Next, it is time to revise for word choice. To do so, read your draft and examine your choice of words. Replace imprecise words with more precise ones, and double-check to be sure you've used unfamiliar words correctly. Be on the lookout for redundancies. A redundant sentence contains more words than necessary. Deleting the "extra" words makes the sentence more concise. Examples of Words or Phrases that are Redundancies free gift, past history, completely finished, surrounded on all sides, various different, usual custom, first begins, referred back, repeated again, advanced forward, speak out loud, unknown stranger
How would you correct this redundant sentence? The lipstick was a free gift I received with the purchase of the moisturizing cream. A) The word free is redundant and can be removed. The corrected sentence should read like this: The lipstick was a gift I received with the purchase of the moisturizing cream.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of a problem-and-solution essay?
It compares and contrasts multiple subjects.
Which sentence contains a subject complement?
Our city's most pressing problem today is traffic.
Make a List Make a list to help you find and evaluate a wide variety of possible topics. Once your list is finished, choose the entry you find most promising as the topic for your problem-and-solution essay.
Prewriting: Narrowing Your Topic You should now have a general topic. More than likely, however, it is too broad to lend itself to a short essay. The trouble is that many problems are too complex to be described and solved effectively in a single problem-and-solution essay. You may need to narrow your topic to focus on one aspect. One way of doing this is by creating a web.
Publishing and Presenting: Building Your Portfolio Share your problem-and-solution essay with an audience to provide a meaningful conclusion to your writing process. Local Publication If your essay addresses a vital contemporary problem, submit it to a local newspaper or student magazine. In your cover letter, you might suggest that the publication could use the essay on an editorial page. Discussion Read your essay to students, teachers, and community members who are concerned about your topic. Your essay can be the launching point for an in-depth discussion about the problem and potential solutions.
Publishing and Presenting: Reflecting on Your Writing Pause to reflect on your writing experience. Then answer the following questions, recording your responses in your portfolio: Which strategy did you try for the first time, and how successful was it? What discoveries did you make during the revision process that strengthened your writing? Finally, click or tap through the rubric for self-assessment. Use it to evaluate your problem-and-solution essay.
Eliminating Redundancies As you have learned, redundancy is the unnecessary repetition of an idea. To identify a redundancy, look for a passage in your essay that seems wordy or weak. Within that passage, look for repeated words that take away from the impact or meaning of your statement. Eliminate the redundant words and phrases.
Read the sentence. In past history, mosquito-borne illnesses have wiped out whole sectors of the city's population. Which phrase includes redundant words? A) In past history
Prewriting: Choosing Your Topic A problem-and-solution essay is a piece of exposition that describes a problem and one or more likely solutions. These are the features of an effective problem-and-solution essay: Clearly states a specific problem Identifies the most important aspects of the problem Presents one or more possible solutions Supports each solution with specific details and logical reasons Is logically and effectively organized Your own problem-and-solution essay should address an important problem. Challenge yourself to select a topic that has a complex solution.
Strategies for Generating Topics Finding a good topic can sometimes be difficult. Use the following strategies to help you. Scan a Newspaper Newspapers can provide you with countless examples of issues and problems. For example, you might read about a conflict between a mayor and the school board. After investigating the situation, you might propose a fair compromise. Use a highlighter or self-sticking notes to mark possible articles as you flip through the newspaper. Then, choose the topic you like best for your essay. Work With a Peer Work with a partner to find a topic for your problem-and-solution essay. Each of you should create a list of problems. Then, take turns reading each item on your list aloud to your partner. After each item is read, allow time for your partner to write down one or two possible solutions to each problem. Review your responses to find a topic.
Revising Your Sentences Now you are ready to revise your sentences. You should revise to make sure that your sentences are complete and that the length of your sentences are varied. Complete Sentences—Sentences are an important part of an essay. Review each sentence in your draft to be sure that it contains a subject and verb. If a sentence lacks either a subject or verb, it is a fragment and should be rewritten. Vary Sentence Lengths—Edit your draft to include sentences of various lengths. A series of short sentences can sound choppy and unconnected. A series of long sentences can be tiring to read. Next, you will learn about a strategy to help you analyze your sentence lengths.
Underlining to Code Sentence Length Read through your draft, and underline in one color sentences containing fewer than six words. Underline in another color sentences that contain six or more words. Then, review the markings in your draft. If most of your sentences are underlined in the same color, rewrite some of them to add variety to your essay. For example, to add sophistication, combine some short sentences into longer, complex ones; to add clarity, break some long sentences into shorter, simpler sentences.
Read the sentence. The local people's usual custom is to warmly welcome foreign dignitaries. Which revision removes a redundant word from the sentence?
delete "usual"
Which is not an effective method for revising and editing your draft?
eliminate predicate adjectives from your draft
quotations
help summarize ideas in new ways
Read the sentence from a problem-and-solution essay. Because MP3s are easy to burn onto discs, they can be distributed by almost anyone. For which audience is this sentence most appropriate?
high school students
Which of the following is a component of the Five Points of Illumination?
quotations
historical examples
show how past events can help you predict
personal examples
show how real-world cases support ideas
comparative evidence
shows how to solve similar problems
Comparative evidence _____.
shows how your solution has worked to solve similar problems
Problem-and-Solution Essays I In this section, we have learned the following: Select a topic that addresses an important problem with a complex solution. Create a web to narrow your topic to focus on a single aspect. Choose details that are appropriate for your audience. Get to know each important aspect of your problem. Choose an organization for your paper that will most effectively present the details to your readers. Elaborate on your major points by providing a variety of supporting details. Problem-and-Solution Essays II In this section, we have learned the following: Review your essay for the balance of details describing the problem and proposing a solution. Make sure that each topical paragraph in your essay focuses on a single main idea. Edit your draft to include sentences of various lengths. Eliminate redundant words and phrases as you review your draft. Ask two partners to read and review your problem-and-solution essay. Check that hyphens and dashes are used correctly. Proofread your essay to make sure it is free from errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Submit your essay to a local publication, or read it to a group of concerned students, teachers, and community members.
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