Aims and Modes
Effective communication relies on understanding the relationship between the audience, the message, and the communicator. Writing that is focused on the writer is mostly expressive, writing centered on the message is informative or analytical, and writing focused on the audience is generally persuasive.
In this course, we will study the aims and modes (or purposes and patterns) of writing.
The Aim or Purpose
Characteristics of Expressive Writing (Paper 1)
Expressive writing is generally written from the first person perspective.
Emotional responses are made. (Words that express emotions like "love, hate, hope, or fear.")
Values are expressed. (Writer expresses principles, standards, or qualities.)
A self-definition is formulated or suggested. Writer uses words like, "I am an American" or "I am a woman."
Language appropriate to the writer is used. (Writer uses first person pronouns "I, me, my, mine, we, us, or our.")
Characteristics of Literary Writing (Paper 1)
Verisimilitude is present. (The reader identifies with the scenes and events.)
Tension is created. (dramatic action, irony, conflict, etc.)
Artistic unity is apparent. (The writing must have a beginning, middle, and an end.)
Language that creates an aesthetic response is used. (The writer uses imagery, symbolism, rhythm, sound patterns, etc.)
Examples include poetry, drama, novels, and short stories.
Characteristics of Referential/ Informative/Expository Writing (Papers 2 and 3)
Evidence to support the thesis is offered.
Accuracy and clarity are maintained.
Language appropriate to the topic is used. (The topic dictates the kind of language used. The writing is neutral, unbiased, and unslanted. Third person pronouns are used.)
Examples include reference works, research materials, scholarly journals, government publications, etc.
Characteristics of Persuasive/Argument Writing (Papers 3 and 4)
Writing with the purpose to influence or change the reader's beliefs .
A claim is made.
Support for the claim is offered (Logos, Pathos, Ethos).
Effective argument is void of Logical Fallacies.
Characteristics of a Analysis (Paper 4 and 5)
Writing that seeks to analyze or offer a logical explanation.
Examples include book reviews, art criticism, music reviews, literary analysis, and theater reviews.
Patterns, Methods of Organization, or Modes
Check out this overview of the methods of developing or organizing an essay.
Description - Attempting to make the reader understand how some physical reality or concept is structured (seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, smelling).
Narration of Process - Explaining how to complete a process. This mode of writing is common in how-to papers and manuals.
Comparison/Contrast - Analyzing the similarities and differences.
Cause and Effect - the relationship between events or things, where one is the result of the other or others.
Classification - Organizing the details of the writing into general categories. For example, high school students often informally join cliques: jocks, nerds, druggies, and wannabes.
Narration of Events- Showing how events are related in time. The narrative arc of a story is shaped by the beginning, middle, and end of a story.
Evaluation/Analysis - Making a judgment about the subject being evaluated.
Definition - Writing that seeks to define an abstract concept.