GETTING IDEAS FOR YOUR PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS

There different strategies that help get and organize ideas for paragraphs and essays. Explore them and decide which works best for you.

1. Brainstorming is the easiest way to begin the writing process. While brainstorming you write down every idea about the topic that pops into your head. Ideas may be generated in the group or by one person. The main purpose of brainstorming is to write down all the ideas you can think of. The brainstormed ideas may be organized as a list (this technique is called listing), or as a Venn diagram (it is used for writing comparison and contrast essays).

2. Freewriting helps to record you thoughts about the topic. Write anything that you think is related to you topic for fifteen minutes without stopping. Record all thoughts as soon as they occur. If you get stuck, write “I’m stuck” and keep going. After fifteen minutes select anything from your notes that looks worthwhile and develop these ideas.

3. Clustering helps to organize and develop the ideas generated in brainstorming and freewriting. While clustering the ideas you can see the relations between them and produce new thoughts. Here is an example of clustering model:

4. Asking questions can help you recall specific experiences or attitudes. You may use a journalists’ technique asking the questions Who? What? Where? When? How? and Why? This is a very useful technique when you write about any events (real, historical, or fictional). However, it does not work when you write comparison or argumentative essays.

5. Cubing is good for examining a subject from six sides (a cube has six sides):

· Describe the subject (what it looks like, what content it has, etc.).

· Compare the subject (what is it similar to or different from?).

· Associate it (think of what the subject reminds you of).

· Analyze it (explain how it is made, organized, etc.).

· Apply it (explain how the subject can be used).

· Argue for or against it (usually only one point of view is chosen).

APPENDIX 2

Studying an example essay:

1. What is the structure of the essay?

2. Study the introductory paragraph:

- What is the writer’s main message in this essay?

- Find the thesis statement of the essay.

- What kind of expectations does this paragraph set for the reader?

- Underline the ideas A, B, C.

3. Study the second paragraph:

- What is the main idea?

- What are the supportive sentences?

- What connectors did the author use? Why?

- What is the concluding sentence?

- What idea does it express?

4. Study the third paragraph:

- What is the main idea?

- What are the supportive sentences?

- What connectors did the author use? Why?

- What is the concluding sentence?

- What idea does it express?

5. Study the fourth paragraph:

- What is the main idea?

- What are the supportive sentences?

- What connectors did the author use? Why?

- What is the concluding sentence?

- What idea does it express?

- What is the structure of all paragraphs?

6. Study the conclusion:

- What kind of conclusion is it?

- What does the author want to tell us?

- What connectors are used?

APPENDIX 3

PEER EDITING SHEET # 1

Narrative Essay Outline

1. Is the beginning of the introduction interesting? If not, how could you make it more interesting?

2. How many paragraphs are going to be in the essay?

3. What action or event does topic sentence of Paragraph 1 show?

4. What action or event does topic sentence of Paragraph 2 show?

5. What action or event does topic sentence of Paragraph 3 show?

6. Is there a good ending to the action of the story? If not, what could you suggest to make it more interesting?

7. What kind of ending will a story have – a moral or revelation/ prediction?

8. Is there enough information?

9. What additions could you suggest?

APPENDIX 4

PEER EDITING SHEET # 2

Narrative Essay

1. Is the beginning of the introduction effective?

2. What is the main point or thesis?

3. Underline the connectors you can find. Does the writer use them correctly?

4. Is the story in chronological order?

5. Are there any repetitions or omitions?

6. Does the conclusion effectively end the action?

7. Are there any grammar mistakes?

APPENDIX 5

PEER EDITING SHEET # 1

Comparison and Contrast Essay Outline

1. Is the beginning of the introduction interesting? If not, how could you make it more interesting?

2. How many paragraphs are going to be in the essay?

3. Does the writer use the block or the point-by-point organisation?

4. Is this method effective for the subject?

5. Does each topic sentence clearly state the point of comparison?

6. Do these subjects have enough similarities and differences for comparison?

7. Is there enough information?

8. What is the best part of the outline?

9. What additions could you suggest?

APPENDIX 6

PEER EDITING SHEET # 2

Comparison and Contrast Essay

1. What is the essay about?

2. What is the main point or thesis?

3. Is there a clear topic sentence in any of the paragraphs?

4. What method of organization does the writer use?

5. What are the points that are compared?

6. Underline the connectors you can find. Does the writer use them correctly?

7. Are there any repetitions or omitions?

8. Is the thesis restated in the conclusion?

9. Are there any grammar mistakes?

APPENDIX 7

PEER EDITING SHEET # 1

Classification Essay Outline

1. Is the beginning of the introduction interesting? If not, how could you make it more interesting?

2. How many paragraphs are going to be in the essay?

3. Does the writer use the most logical principle of division or classification for your purpose?

4. Does he stick to one principle throughout?

5. Has s/he identified components or categories that are comparable?

6. Has s/he used the best order for the components or categories?

7. Are there specific examples for each of your components or categories? similarities and differences for comparison?

8. Is there enough information?

9. What is the best part of the outline?

10. What additions could you suggest?

APPENDIX 8

PEER EDITING SHEET # 2

Classification Essay

1. What is the essay about?

2. What is the main point or thesis?

3. Is there a clear topic sentence in any of the paragraphs?

4. What categories are used to classify?

5. Is the principle of classification logical?

6. Is the main idea in each paragraph fully developed?

7. Is each detail or piece of evidence relevant to the paragraph?

8. Underline the connectors you can find. Does the writer use them correctly?

9. Are there any repetitions or omitions?

10. Is the thesis restated in the conclusion?

11. Does the conclusion answer the question, "So what?"

12. Are there any grammar mistakes?

APPENDIX 9

PEER EDITING SHEET # 1

Cause-Effect Essay Outline

1. Is the beginning of the introduction interesting? If not, how could you make it more interesting?

2. How many paragraphs are going to be in the essay?

3. What kind of essay will it be – cause or effect?

4. Can you tell this from the thesis statement?

5. Is this method effective for the subject?

6. What are the topic statements of each paragraph?

7. How are they related to the thesis?

8. What is the best part of the outline?

9. What additions could you suggest?

APPENDIX 10

PEER EDITING SHEET # 2

Cause-Effect Essay

1. What is the essay about?

2. What is the main point or thesis?

3. Is there a clear topic sentence in any of the paragraphs?

4. Do all topic sentences support the thesis statement?

5. Underline the connectors you can find. Does the writer use them correctly?

6. Are there any repetitions or omitions?

7. Is the thesis restated in the conclusion?

8. Are there any grammar mistakes?

Keys:

Task 2. B c, C d.

Task 4.

1. Kyiv is a capital of Ukraine. – Not a good topic statement. It’s a fact; no point of view is given here.

2. I’m going to write about my city. - Not a good topic statement. It just provides a general topic of the essay. There is no focus, no point of view, no indication which aspects of the topic will be discussed.

3. Odessa is a wonderful city. - Not a good topic statement. It gives the author’s point of view, but there is no specific focus here.

4. Life in Kyiv resembles life in any other capital in the world as it gives various educational, career and entertainment opportunities. - Good topic statement. It explains why the writer thinks that life in Kyiv resembles life in any other capital in the world.

Task 5. 1 – good, does not break any rules, 2 – no, breaks Rule 3, 3 - no, breaks Rule 4, 4 - no, breaks Rule 1, 5 - no, breaks Rule 5, 6 - no, breaks Rule 2.

Task 8. 1a; 2c; 3b.

REFERENCES:

1. Greg Armfield. Academic Writing. English Language Support Programme Academic Skills Centre. University of Canterbury 14/12/05 www.canterbury.ac.nz/student/asc.shtml

2. The Bertrand Russell Society Library. Russel’s Writings. http://users.drew.edu/~jlenz/brtexts.html

3. Writing Essays. http://essayinfo.com/essays.php

4. Folse, K. Great Essays. – Boston, 2001.

5. Miller, J. L. Reasons to Write. – Oxford University Press, 1998.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 1296