Writing 1002 Midterm Review

1. Writing 1002 Midterm Review Ms. Kristin Roberts October 20, 2008

2. Anatomy of an Essay

3. Introduction • The introduction of the essay serves two main purposes: 1. Introduce the topic 2. Present the thesis statement

4. Body Paragraphs • Each body paragraph should contain: • A topic sentence which announces the main idea of the paragraph. • A few examples or facts to support the main idea of the paragraph. • A closing sentence which wraps up the paragraph and transitions to the next.

5. Conclusion • The conclusion to an essay should contain: • A summary of the main ideas or paraphrase of the thesis statement. • A final comment or suggestion about the content of the essay.

6. Classification Essays • In a classification essay, a writer organizes, or sorts, things into categories. • Three Steps to Effective Classification: 1.Sort things into useful categories. 2. Make sure all the categories follow a single organizing principle. 3.Give examples that fit into each category. • The thesis statement usually includes the topic and how it is classified. Sometimes the categories are named.Ex: Tourists in Hawaii can enjoy three water sports: snorkeling, surfing, and sailing. *Information taken from: http://essayinfo.com/essays/classification_essay.php

7. How to Write a Classification Essay: • Determine the categories. Be thorough; don't leave out a critical category. For example, if you say water sports of Hawaii include snorkeling and sailing, but leave out surfing, your essay would be incomplete because surfing is Hawaii's most famous water sport. On the other hand, don't include too many categories, which will blur your classification. For example, if your topic is sports shoes, and your organizing principle is activity, you wouldn't include high heels with running and bowling shoes.

8. Classification, continued • Classify by a single principle. Once you have categories, make sure that they fit into the same organizing principle. The organizing principle is how you sort the groups. Do not allow a different principle to pop up unexpectedly. For example, if your unifying principle is "tourist-oriented" water sports, don't use another unifying principle, such as "native water sports," which would have different categories: pearl diving, outrigger, or canoe racing.

9. Classification, continued • Support equally each category with examples.In general, you should write the same quantity, i.e., give the same number of examples, for each category. The most important category, usually reserved for last, might require more elaboration.

10. Transition Signals for Classification Essays • The first kind, the second kind, the third kind • The first type, the second type, the third type • The first group, the second group, the third group

11. Sample Classification Essay • COLLEGE TEACHERS • The positive teachers are by far the most agreeable teachers. A positive teacher is one who seems interested in his subject and his students. The first thing a positive teacher does is try to learn all of the student’s names. This kind of teacher allows for questions and discussions in class and does not seem to mind if a student disagrees with him. A positive teacher shows his interest out of class as well. Not only is he available for conferences, but he encourages students to see him if they need help. The students tend to feel comfortable in the presence of this teacher. A good example of a positive teacher is my French teacher, Monsieur Poirrot. He always allows time during the class hour for some free discussion. Once, when some of the students in our class were having trouble with the pronunciation of the rolled “r” in French, he took several hours of his own time to work with us in very small groups in his office until we had mastered the sound. Unfortunately, teachers like monsieur Poirrot are relatively small in number.

12. Sample Classification, continued • Of the three types of teachers, the negative teachers are the least agreeable. These are the kind that every student dreads. Not only do they not learn the students’ names, but they seem almost hostile both in class and out of class. In class, the negative teachers, like the neutral teachers, primarily lecture; they may want the students to learn, but unlike the neutral and positive teachers, the negative teachers, the negative teachers allow virtually no questions and no discussion. The negative teachers also do not seem to favor the idea of having conferences and are almost never in their offices .Students avoid seeing them for conferences if at all possible. An excelled example of a negative teacher is Dr. Wollen, my physics professor. His classes are twice as boring as any class of a neutral teacher, and he is often intimidating in class. One day, for example, when one student asked him to repeat his explanation of the theory of relativity, he became quite angry and refused to repeat what he had just lectured on. The negative teacher is too often inflexible; in fact, he seems more like a machine than a human being. Fortunately, this group is in the minority. • Before I came to college, I was told not to expect my professors to care much about me or my work; indeed, I was told that I would be lucky if any of them even knew my name! But when I came to university, I soon learned that these generalizations were too broad. Not all the teachers are the same. In fact, I have found that most of the professors here at State fall into three categories: the positive teachers, the neutral teachers, and the negative teachers.

13. Sample Classification, continued • The type of teacher students get can directly affect how much they learn. Obviously, students learn more from a positive teacher; unfortunately, as we have seen, this type makes the minority. Since the mission of the university is to educate, administrators should try to get the neutral and negative teachers to improve their teaching methods and attitudes; otherwise, the administrators should consider dismissing at least the negative teachers and make every effort to hire those teachers who show promise of being positive ones. • Unlike the positive teachers, the neutral teachers are not very agreeable. In general, the neutral teachers just do not seem interested in either the subject or the student. These teachers usually do not learn all of the student’s names, though they may learn a few. Their classes tend to be more boring than the positive teachers’ classes because they allow less time for discussion. However, like the positive teacher, the neutral teacher allows for questions and some discussion, but he just does not seem to care if the students are interested enough to want to discuss the subject or not. Although the neutral teacher is available for conferences, he does not encourage students to come see him for help; as a result, most students feel slightly uncomfortable in his presence, especially during a conference. Professor Hilton, my economics professor, is typical of the neutral teacher. She comes into class, opens her notes, lectures, allows questions and some discussion, and then leaves class. When I had a problem understanding one of the concepts we had discussed in class one day, I went to her office for a conference. She was polite enough but did not make any special effort to see that I understood the concept during the conference. She more or less repeated what she had said in class. Very few students go to see her for a conference because they think she is simply not interested. From what I have gathered in my conversations with other students, the neutral teachers make up the largest category. Taken from: http://yadim.cu.edu.tr/Exams/CLASIFICATION.pdf

14. Process Essays • In this kind of essay, the aim is to describe how something is done in a sequence of steps or how something operates. • The thesis statement should suggest a procedure or process, and sometimes outlines the main steps. • The steps should be written in chronological order, in the order that they happen. The readers should also be guided with transitions such as first, next, finally. • The process should first be organized into main parts (paragraphs) and each paragraph should be organized into multiple steps. Information taken from: http://www.buowl.boun.edu.tr/students/types%20of%20essays/Process%20Essay.htm

15. Sample Process Essay • Kool-Aid, Oh yeah! • It has been said that Kool-Aid makes the world go 'round. Let it be advised, however, that without the proper tools and directions, the great American beverage is nothing more than an envelope of unsweetened powder. There are five simple steps to create this candy-tasting concoction. • Picking the proper packet of flavoring is the first step in making Kool-Aid. Check the grocer's shelf for a wide variety, ranging from Mountain Berry Punch to Tropical Blue Hawaiian. If it is a difficult decision for you, knock yourself out and buy two. The packets usually run under 65 cents. • After choosing the flavor that best suits your taste buds, the second step is making sure that your kitchen houses some necessary equipment for making the Kool-Aid. Find a two-quart pitcher. Plastic is nice, but glass pitchers allow the liquid to shine through and add festive coloration to any refrigerator shelf. Next, find a long-handled wooden spoon, a one-cup measuring cup, a water faucet that spouts drinkable water, usable white sugar, and an ice cube tray full of ice. Then, you are ready to mix.

16. Sample Process, continued • Third, grab the left edge of the Kool-Aid packet between your thumb and index finger. With your other hand, begin peeling the upper-left corner until the entire top of the envelope is removed. Next, dump the contents of the envelope into the pitcher. Notice how the powder floats before settling on the bottom of the pitcher. Then, take the measuring cup and scoop two cups of sugar into the pitcher as well. At this point, adding the water is a crucial step. Place the pitcher under the water faucet and slowly turn on the cold water. If the water is turned on too quickly, powder will fly all over when the initial gusts of water hit. After the pitcher is filled within two inches of the top, turn the water off and get prepared to stir. With the wooden spoon submersed three-quarters of the way in the liquid, vigorously stir in a clockwise motion until all of the powder is dissolved. Taste it. If the Kool-Aid is not sweet enough, feel free to add more sugar. • Fourth, when you are finished seasoning the Kool-Aid to your liking, rinse off the spoon and the measuring cup. Take a glass from the cupboard. An eight-ounce glass is usually sufficient. But stronger thirsts might prefer a 32-ounce mug. Add ice and then fill the glass with Kool-Aid. Find a comfortable chair, put your feet up, and drink away. After all, Kool-Aid makes the world go 'round. Taken from: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/process.html

17. Timed Writing Tips • 1. KEEP TRACK OF TIME:– Time management is very important. 80 minutes seems very short in a timed situation. A general time distribution is 10-15 minutes to brainstorm and cluster ideas, 45 to 50 minutes to write, and 5-10 minutes to proofread. • 2. TAKE TIME TO ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS: Analysis usually takes place during the • organization stage. Take the time to organize your ideas and select your examples. Write your thesis. This is your plan for the essay. You will not have time to change your mind halfway through! Take the time in the beginning, and use this plan to stay focused and on track. • 3. SUPPORT YOUR THESIS WITH SPECIFIC EXAMPLES: Each paragraph should develop one topic with specific examples that support your thesis. Do not forget to include topic sentences for each paragraph. Providing clear concrete examples is a requirement for passing. Taken from: http://www.clmn.net/cer/PDFs/WPE/tentimetips.pdf

18. More Tips for Timed Writing • 4.. AVOID GRAMMAR ERRORS: Not all errors are equal! Grammatical errors that • hinder meaning will lower your score. Particularly important are verb errors. Incorrect verb tenses hinder meaning. An essay that is not understood will not pass. • 5. AVOID EXCESSIVE TIME SPENT ON INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION: The • introduction should include your thesis. The conclusion should have some sense of ending; don’t • just stop in mid-sentence. However, the majority of time should be spent developing the body of • the essay. • 6. WRITE NEATLY: While you will not be penalized for sloppy handwriting, it will make your essay • more difficult to read and understand. • 7. USE TRANSISTION WORDS: transition words connect your ideas together. Pick a few words that you are completely familiar with, and use those in your essay. Make sure, however, that you are using the words correctly. • 8. LEAVE TIME TO PROOFREAD YOUR ESSAY: Often important errors can be caught in with a quick proofread. Make sure your examples are specific. Check your verb tenses. Do you have proper punctuation? This 5-10 minutes could make a big difference in your score.

19. Good Luck! • Do not forget your appointment on Tuesday or Wednesday!