College English Composition
Organizing an Essay
This is a quick overview of what is in your textbook.
We have covered most of this First Semester. We covered it in Oral English Class and Writing class.
P. 1 The only way that anyone learns to write is by writing a lot.
P.11
Description is a basic writing skill. Being able to write clear, vivid descriptions is fundamental
P.15 Purpose underlies description. We write with a purpose in mind. We describe with a purpose in mind. Every Essay must argue its own worth. Every essay needs a clear thesis.
P. 22
The first step in writing a descriptive essay is Observation. Look for unique or distinguishing features.
P. 35 Objective and Subject Writing
Objective: Facts speak for themselves
Subjective: How we view what we see (Worldview / Culture)
P. 45
Comparisons:
Comparing two things / situations, side-by-side
Our values, worldview, culture, understanding come to play in this when we write subjectively, because we are making Choices about what to say. Objectively, we present the facts.
P. 57
Compare means to find similarities, but we should not just find similarities, but Contrast / differences as well.
There are different ways to do both in an essay. The best way is that way which reads well in English (not Chinese.)
P. 73
Limiting the Topic: Choose the most relevant points of all points that you can think of about the Topic.
Most relevant can mean: Most relevant to the Reader (not the writer), Most important things: most interesting things: The things which easily and naturally relate to each other within the essay. Remember that paragraphs have their town topic and must have transitions to the next paragraph. A Topic which is not naturally related to another will stand out in the essay as ODD.
Do not state the obvious! The Chinese man had 'yellow skin, black hair and brown eyes'. The American man comes from America.
Do not presume! His English is perfect because he is an American so English is his first language! All foreigners like Christmas! All foreigners eat beef! All foreigners are rich. All foreigners believe in Jesus.
P.88
Process Analysis: Read it for yourself.
Analysis = to work out step by step the way something works, or the way in which something should be done.
When you analyse an Essay, you note that there is a basic Formula:
Title
Introduction
Body
Conclusion There is a topic
There are points about the topic
There is the narrative which joins the points
There is some thesis involved. There are paragraphs
Each paragraph has a topic
Each paragraph has an introductory sentence
Each paragraph has supporting sentences for the thesis of the paragraph
Each paragraph has a concluding sentence which may form a transition to the next paragraph
There will usually be some form of transition between paragraphs. P. 106
Make everything clear to your reader.
Next Summer I will go home to see my family! - Which months fall in Summer?
Different people will give you a different answer depending upon whether they live in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. Do not let your personal culture, worldview, or perspective, interfer with the reader's understanding or impression of what you write. Be Clear. Effective communication is making sure that both parties understand the meaning of the other. Since you are not in dialogue with the reader, it is YOU who must make sure to communicate clearly.
'As we all know' doesn't apply to every reader, so 'what we all know' should be clearly set out as a statement. 'Chinese people know that' - 'Chinese people believe that'...
P. 130 Read your own Essay as if you are the reader, and find as much fault with it as you can. Does the reader really understand what you are saying? Does he really understand your point of view? Does this essay make sense? Is it logical? Is it an opinion essay or a fact essay?
P. 134
Esposing the Essence: Read for yourself.
Notice the question: 'What is the meaning of this word in it's purest form?'
How often in your essays do I write: 'What do you mean?'
Write 'to the point' and then expand as required. Don't let the 'point' of your essay be lost among the words that you are using to impress the reader, or the 'word count' required for the essay.
P. 145
Questioning the Assumptions.
If you read these pages you will see what I have been trying to teach in Essay Deconstruction and Rewriting.
Deconstruct an author's article - stripping it back to it's outline, then select those points of particular interest to you, and then do your own story using that outline. Provide your own viewpoint.
P. 155
Basically the same as what I have taught about putting outline points into some order.
P. 158
Basically the same as what I taught you about a thesis - Breaking a big topic down into smaller more easily managed topics. P. 171 follows on from this.
Unit 25 Writing Through your Exam : READ THIS Note Page 227 Write it Mentally. |