Link to the article:
http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/resources/collegewriting/high_school_v_college.htm
Due by the first day of class.
Initial Response: 25 points
Responses to two classmates: 10 points
RVHS AVID |
|
For this initial blog, you need to read "Writing in College" by Joseph M. Williams and Lawrence McEnerney from the University of Chicago's Writing Center. As you read, think about your writing style. How do you approach writing? Next, identify a part of the article and respond to what you think it implies with regard to where you need to take your writing in order to succeed. Use quotes from the article. Avoid summarizing it as we have all read it. Your initial response must be between 300-600 words. Respond to at least two classmates. Link to the article: http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/resources/collegewriting/high_school_v_college.htm Due by the first day of class. Initial Response: 25 points Responses to two classmates: 10 points
74 Comments
Corey Gerbich
6/22/2013 05:56:06 am
My writing style would have to be a style that mostly gets the point across without giving too much info, while putting the reader in a position of understanding the meaning of the writing. To me what the article means by "But what's a good point" is that a good point does not have to be a point that everyone agrees with but a point that can get people to agree with. And in order for me to succeed in that part is to identify my audiences point and compare it to my point and then persuade those who don't follow to join me in my opinion. For example in the text it said under the "But what's a good point" that "Native Son is one of the most important stories about race relations ever written." My opinion is that "Native Son" may be one of the most important stories about race relations ever written but it may have not been in the context of the racial opinion of everyone and it did not prove to me that real truth in the relation of the racial relation then to what it is now. In my opinion the writing doesn't even provide real truth to the reality of racial relations even at that time. As the saying goes "harsh times calls for harsh actions" but there weren't that harsh of times where a "black man" would kill a white man in front of his family out of cold blooded hardheartedness. That is really all I got to say. But I have an opinion on another matter on which I could use some other opinions on. Whether or not you have faith I want anyone or everyone to think about this. Would you rather live your life as if there is a God(s) and die to find out there isn't or live as if there isn't to find out there is? Think about it.
Reply
8/12/2013 05:11:55 am
I agree with you that giving too much information can tend to confuse the reader more then help them in understanding your point. There should only be enough information for the reader to be able to understand what you're trying to get across to them.
Reply
Dalton Dazo
8/13/2013 05:44:52 am
I am on the same side as you with giving too much information. It can create confusion and make the essay go off track. It needs to include only the important information needed to make it clear.
Reply
8/13/2013 09:51:30 am
Typically, I tend to process and analyze the concept of the prompt being presented to me when given the task of composing a piece of writing. I want to convince the reader that I am reasonable in my perception. There are, of course more technicalities that must be noted and be correctly executed to make the convincing achievable. To begin, I create my thesis in a way as relevant as possible to the prompt to not only show the reader that he or she is reading the correct essay, but I also try to propose a more sophisticated point by keeping an open mind about the concept. I want to consistently maintain a strong content based body but I do not want to lose the entertainment of it. As a reader, I tend to lose the author (student) when the body lacks a consistent core of confidence shown by the mindless rambling of content with no sign of him/her in the writing, I feel like I am conversing with a computer. Due to that, I want to always provide evidence that is clearly presented and an analysis that is easy to comprehend and by easy I mean that the reader understands why my notion of the subject matter is reasonable. The evidence serves as that force to tip the reader's mind to my side in terms of convincing or understanding. I often run into adversity where according to the "Writing in College" article, the majority of students do. This is the writing that is "least restrictive and most intimidating", the writing in which I must present the analysis structure and claim from no guide as to which direction to go. I usually have a "weak" thesis here because I am unsure of who to convince, or what point to propose. Through the text, I was able to develop the notion that I should begin with the point that I would like to know more about and expand my knowledge through writing but I personally thought of a way to do it. I think of the concept of a chain in which my planned structure, with what I want to make clear, will open doors from what I learn to make my claim and show the "interior" or reason, for my claim in my analysis.
Reply
Corey Gerbich
8/14/2013 09:03:26 am
Well said, aknowledging the fact that the readers thoughts matter could cause people to follow you and agree with your positions and opinions on all subjects. 8/1/2013 12:03:32 am
My approach to writing is understanding what the question is asking and having a strong analysis. In order to write a thorough essay one must first understand what the reader is asking. Also the analysis is the key point in getting your opinion across to the reader and proving your point. Having a strong analysis to back the evidence helps to strengthen the essay.
Reply
Prabhjot Bains
8/13/2013 08:14:03 am
It seems like you have difficulty maintaining a balance with analysis and evidence, I kind of have that same problem while writing. But I'm with you 100% on the weak thesis problem, I guess investing more time should improve that though.
Reply
Sarabjit Kaur
8/13/2013 12:59:59 pm
I also relate to you because I also have a problem in strengthening the thesis. I also need to have a claim just as strong as my analysis. I learned that I find good evidence to use in my writing but I tend to have a weak analysis. I have a hard time interpreting the evidence into my writing. Also sometimes when I analyze my evidence, I get confused on how to explain and connect or tie it up to my writing.
Reply
Corey Gerbich
8/14/2013 08:57:26 am
I also believe that a great analysis followed by good evidence is great for writing especially when the two flow very well.
Reply
Dilpreet Mann
8/14/2013 02:26:46 pm
I agree with how one must understand the question thoroughly before answering it. Also, I agree on having a good analysis. Having a good analysis gets the point across better.
Reply
Satvir
8/14/2013 02:32:42 pm
I agree with you that the claim is the first thing that a reader will look at and it should be strong to get the readers attention. I relate to you in that I also have a problem of not being able to write a good thesis.
Reply
Domenica Figueroa
8/5/2013 04:12:45 pm
The way I tend to approach writing is by making sure I know exactly what I am trying to do: what point I'm trying to get across and how I’m going to support that point. Ironically enough, the best advice on essays I’ve ever received came from two non-English classes, one was AVID 10 and the other was APUSH. From AVID I learned that T-BEAR is really helpful when it comes down to choosing evidence and analyzing it and in APUSH I learned about what makes a thesis arguable or not, as well as how to draw important and useful information from various, potentially “fluffy,” sources. Those two classes enhanced my writing both in the way of how I begin an essay and how I analyze the evidence I have chosen within the essay itself. The thing about the article that jumped at me was the revision portion of the article, I won’t lie and say that I’ve never procrastinated on a paper and in the article itself it says that “revision is a crucial part of writing.” You can’t do a whole lot of revising if you’re working on a paper at 1 in the morning, and I certainly wouldn’t be waking up an hour or two later to revise it. With that being said, the area that I need to work on is the revision portion of the writing process. Apparently, the longer the amount of time that you step away from your finished work “the more you will have forgotten what you were thinking when you wrote it” and that would then leave you with a mind that is more able to catch mistakes that it otherwise would’ve overlooked. By timing my writing appropriately to give me sufficient time to not only revise the paper myself but to have either my peers or teachers look over and critique the paper for me, I would be giving myself others opinion of my work and I could utilize their opinions and thus better my work, hopefully.
Reply
8/10/2013 02:34:31 pm
I agree with you that AVID and APUSH have played a great role in changing the way we write our essays. Knowing how to start your essay is the biggest part of writing it. Know what you're writing about is the most important thing in the essay. If you have an amazing essay but it does not answer the question then it is worthless. I also need to work on leaving enough time to revise my essay before it is due. That is one of the things I plan on working on this year.
Reply
Navdeep Dhindsa
8/13/2013 07:24:17 am
I agree with you that, " TBEAR is very helpful when it comes down to choosing evidence and analyzing." TBEAR has helped me a lot in writing a good essay. It helped make it more structured and a lot more stronger.
Reply
Miranda Haggard
8/13/2013 07:49:42 am
Seriously, as much as I dislike writing TBEARS it really does help you to organize your writing.
Sydney Malone
8/14/2013 10:03:38 am
I agree with you when you say that timing yourself writing will help you in the future. From experience I know that when you actually take the time to plan and revise your paper, as well as have a teacher and peer overlook it, you can accomplish so much more.
Reply
Miranda Haggard
8/10/2013 05:15:10 am
Grabbing the attention of my readers from the beginning is what I always try to accomplish in my writing. Without a good hook the rest of the writing essentially appears less interesting and important. I approach my writing by first completely understanding the prompt and then making sure to clarify each part of the question. I always make my opinion apparent and tend to get straight to the point. While sometimes this strategy benefits me it also weakens my writing more than strengthens. In my writing I lack good claims and evidence. Because I get straight to my point in the beginning I lose the attention of my readers because my claims aren't solid enough and each paragraph begins to lose its smooth transition. Making my body paragraphs weaker and weaker as the readers move on. The one part of the article that grabbed my attention the most was Ensuring your Evidence Fits your Claims. It easy for me to find a great quote i want to use but to analyze it and to break it up so that my readers understand the point I'm trying to get across is a whole other story. The article says, "Do not assume that what you see is what your readers will get." Making my readers confused is apparently something I'm good at. I know exactly what I'm trying to say but I want to approve on making my claims and evidences more clear and concise so my readers can have a greater understanding on the point I'm trying get across. By thoroughly rereading and rewriting over and over again I plan on making my body paragraphs stronger. I always have a strong introduction and conclusion so my goal is to not only be more clear in my writing but to make my writing stronger from beginning to end as well.
Reply
Jasjeet Hansi
8/11/2013 03:59:40 pm
I agree, without a good hook the rest of the writing substantially does appear less interesting
Reply
Miranda Haggard
8/13/2013 07:47:52 am
Yeah it is. Except sometimes I spend to much time making a hook that I lose time to finish my thought in my writing. But I will work on it.
Reena Saroya
8/13/2013 12:05:38 pm
I agree that having a good hook makes a paper seem much more interesting rather than having no hook and I also find good quotes but I have a hard time breaking it down and analyzing it.
Reply
Selina zavala
8/14/2013 05:13:26 am
I have the same problem as you, my introduction is solid and interesting, but everything that continues after that tends to get weaker and weaker. I think taking time in our paragraphs is the only thing we can really do.
Reply
Marina Ulloa
8/14/2013 06:34:24 am
I agree with you miranda. If you dont have a good hook, the writing seems to lose intrest beacuse it wasnt there to begin with.
Reply
Domenica Figueroa
8/14/2013 02:29:11 pm
I completely understand where you're coming from on the analyzing the quote thing! The texts are usually riddled with good quotes it's the analyzing part that gets us.
Reply
Rajwinder Kaur
8/10/2013 08:22:08 am
Proving my point and providing evidence to support my argument, is how I approach writing. I do not simply state what I am trying to prove, I make the readers try to understand the meaning of my writing. Having the readers question in curiosity towards the end of my introductory paragraph is a goal I tend use to make the readers more interested. While using these tactics can be helpful, I tend to confuse the readers at times because, I misplace the point since I focus too much on the curiosity of the readers. This article gives me depth knowledge of proving my point, such as writing the paper first will give you a more clear understanding of what your point actually is. After drafting, I need make sure that I know the key characteristics of a good point, such as the article states, “it says something significant about what you have read, something that helps you and your readers understand it better; it says something that is not obvious”. As my goal is to make sure that I leave my readers in curiosity after reading the introductory, I need to make sure that I make it easy for my readers and myself to understand but not too obvious. Which is why I need to write my point after I am done writing my essay, so in that case, I know what I talked about the most throughout my paragraphs and more importantly, what I tried to prove. As the article states “we are getting ahead of ourselves” is something I commonly do because I want to rush and just get it over with. But because of that I forget what my actual point is. So I need to take my time, draft and make sure that I get rid of all the unnecessary that confuse me and my readers.
Reply
Dalton Dazo
8/13/2013 05:47:40 am
I also have a difficult time clearly stating my claim in the beginning of the essay. Rushing does take a huge role and do believe that taking time and proof reading the paper more than once with multiple people will make the essay stronger.
Reply
8/13/2013 10:28:26 am
I have similar views as you Dalton regarding stating my claim in the beginning of an essay, especially when the prompt is vague. I have trouble with the development of it for the most part. Taking a fair amount of time to incorporate all other aspects will most definitely make the essay stronger than rushing if by rushing you mean carelessly compiling words to fit into a claim.
Sarabjit Kaur
8/11/2013 03:09:42 am
My writing technique is clearing understanding in what the prompt is discussing, understand what the prompt wants me to answer, and clearly stating my opinion. My main goal is focusing on the main point or the thesis. I focus on strengthening the main point by finding evidence and analyzing the main point. I agree that the “most common evidence you will use to support your claims will be quotations from the texts you read and references to passages in them.” I learned that when I pick out a quote as the evidence, it needs to be strong. I should be able to explain the quote and have a clear understanding of how the quote is related to the point I am trying to make in my writing. Before I start to write, I brainstorm the evidence I may use in my writing. When I am writing, I tend to use the TBEAR format. The TBEAR format helps me by organizing my writing. The article states,” The first step is intended to ensure that the beginning and end of your paper cohere with each other, is to 'frame' you paper. I feel like the TBEAR format helps me structures my writing in the way the instructor would like the paper to be prepared. The format also helps my writing be making it flow better, in a way that makes sense to the reader and understand the point I am getting across. Like many other high school students, I am a procrastinator. I tend to put off my writing until the last day or two. Since I wait to do my writing later, I don' t get any time to revise my writing to my satisfaction. I think I would be able to write a better essay if I spend more time on it and also spend time to revise the writing. The article states, “ Your conclusion is your last opportunity to shape your reader's memory of your paper.” I learned that conclusion is only good if it summaries all the evidence and key points you used to make your point across. The conclusion is important to have because it helps tie and understand the purpose of the writing to the reader. I always try to make my conclusion better and sum up everything I wrote; but to make my writing stronger, I need to stay on topic. I tend to lose focus and add in things that don't need to be there.
Reply
Rajwinder Kaur
8/12/2013 06:38:40 am
My primary goal is to strengthen the point as well, but strengthening the conclusion is also very important. I agree with you in that "conclusions tie and understand the purpose of the writing". Because it is the last paragraph and gives you a second chance to make your essay a bit more interesting.
Reply
Navdeep Dhindsa
8/13/2013 07:21:27 am
I agree with you that, " the main goal is to focus on the main point or idea." In order to have a great essay, you need to know exactly what the question is asking and how to answer it. Focusing on the main point and using it to your advantage, is a sign of a good writer.
Reply
Manjit Gurcha
8/13/2013 07:22:11 am
I agree with you that using the TBEAR format helps structure your writing in a organized manner rather than having a mess of paragraphs and sentences. I also agree with you on that the conclusion is a very important part of an essay because it helps tie everything together, but just like you I also tend to lose focus and add in unnecessary sentences, which causes my essay to be weak.
Reply
Marina Ulloa
8/14/2013 06:38:48 am
Most of the times I also use TBEAR while brainstorming for my writings. This is an easy method to use when your having trouble, because it lays out how an essay should be.
Reply
Navdeep Dhindsa
8/11/2013 07:15:07 am
Catching the reader's attention is how I like to approach my writing style and get the point across. Before I begin my essay, I like to know exactly what the question is asking and how to answer in a good way. My past English classes have given me a lot of knowledge on how to write a good essay. My best essay's have been in a format called TBEAR. I use this format as a kind of a pathway. If I'm going in the wrong direction it helps me get back on track. It gives me a specific order to write it and I love it because it helps me write more precisely and at the same time organize my writing. Using this format has helped me to use outside sources and quotes in a way, not only to help support my claim, but also help my essay sound more put together and stronger. I have also learned how analyze my evidence better so that it makes sense and sounds like I know what I am talking about. When I write I like to re- read the question and try to focus only on the main point. Something that I found really important was the section, " Effective Conclusions." The conclusion is one of the most important paragraphs. Everything is wrapped up in it. I spend so much of my time in the body paragraphs and introduction that I tend to spend a little or no time at all with my conclusion. I talk about all of the main points in the body paragraphs with so much analysis that I don"t know what to pull out and use in the conclusion. Another section that caught my eye was, " Creating coherent sections." Even though I usually have a format to use, I still get confused on the order. I don't know what evidence I should use first in order for it to make sense to the reader. I have trouble trying to put the pieces of evidence in a order everyone will understand even if they have never even heard about the topic. By re- reading the paragraphs, I can pull out the main points and have a strong conclusion. By having someone else in my class read my essay, I can get some opinions on how to make my evidence seem more in place. I tend to over use evidence that isn't necessary and I need to work on how to use a good amount, enough to support my claim.
Reply
Jasjeet Hansi
8/11/2013 03:53:52 pm
I agree, trying to catch a readers attention is a good way to approach an essay because as a writer we are supposed to get the reader interested in reading in our essay.
Reply
Manjit Gurcha
8/13/2013 07:57:52 am
Just like you, I also use TBEAR as a pathway to help me write my essays. TBEAR has also helped me analyze my evidence better to make the point of my essay stronger. I also spend so much of my time on the introduction and body paragraphs that I barely spend any time on the conclusion. I agree with you that having someone else read your essay can help make it better by getting opinions on how to make your evidence seem more in place.
Reply
Miranda Sandhu
8/14/2013 05:41:18 am
I agree with you TBEAR format is like a pathway and helps the writer get on track with their essay. Just like you, I also don't spend time on my conclusions; I usually spend little time on them even though it is one of the most important paragraphs of an essay.
Reply
Miranda Sandhu
8/14/2013 05:44:54 am
I agree with you TBEAR format is like a pathway and helps the writer get on track with their essay. Just like you, I also don't spend time on my conclusions; I usually spend little time on them even though it is one of the most important paragraphs of an essay. I also tend to over explain/use the evidence that maybe not be needed.
Reply
Daniel Nunez
8/14/2013 01:21:17 pm
I also think that TBEARS have been very helpful in various essays I've written. They are simple and well organized and have also helped me on my best writings.
Reply
Navdeep Cheema
8/14/2013 02:03:41 pm
I was taught to write essays using TBEAR as well. It is a great way to have a well, thought out essay written. Having others perspectives on your essay does give you a better sense on what you need to work on.
Reply
Manjit Gurcha
8/11/2013 11:59:09 am
I tend to approach writing by understanding the prompt clearly and what it is asking of me to do and write about. By doing this one step, I am able to easily figure out what the main point of my essay will be and the evidence I can use to prove the main point. The article states “You must know what your instructor expects. Start by assuming that, unless you see the words 'Summarize or paraphrase what X says about . . . ,' your instructor is unlikely to want just a summary. Beyond this point, however, you have to become a kind of anthropologist, reading the culture of your particular class to understand what is said, what is not, and what is intended.” I do this by asking myself questions about the prompt or assignment in order to thoroughly interpret what the instructor wants me to do. The article also states “By 'point' or 'claim'...they will more often mean the most important sentence that you wrote in your essay...”, and I agree that the thesis is always the most important sentence in an essay.
Reply
Rajwinder Kaur
8/12/2013 06:33:34 am
I agree, understanding the prompt clearly makes it easier for you to understand. I don't really use TBEAR but I should since it makes it clear about what you need step by step in the intro.
Reply
8/13/2013 10:33:22 am
I agree with you Manjit, TBEAR is a solid way to set a foundation for an essay. I even think that if given a longer period of time, one can adjust for an even more sophisticated structure of writing by coherently "fading" in the lines that divide each "letter" of the TBEAR structure.
Reply
Reena Saroya
8/13/2013 11:59:40 am
I also tend to approach writing by understanding what the prompt is asking for and I agree with you, TBEAR format also helps me write my essay much more thoroughly than other formats.
Reply
Jasjeet Hansi
8/11/2013 05:19:41 pm
The way I try to approach writing is with a good hook. Without a good hook the reader isn’t much interested into reading. Then I make a spider web chart with four large ovals. I fill each oval with an idea or a quote that is related to the topic. Then I try to analyze the quote or see if I can find a quote that supports one of my ideas. After I do that I try to get my background and try to lead up to my quotes. After I have successfully done that, I try to put the ideas in an order so I don’t seem to be all over the place. Then I reread what I have written and try to make it bigger and clearer.
Reply
Sahil Ralh
2/17/2014 07:21:21 am
I agree with you a hook is very important to use so you can grab the readers attention
Reply
Prince Prince
2/19/2014 10:49:45 am
I agree too.
Dalton Dazo
8/13/2013 05:15:07 am
Demonstrating the instructor with your knowledge of the prompt is my approach. I take the time to find the best evidence possible for the prompt. With the proper evidence I find creative ways to bring up the evidence using quotes. With more than adequate evidence, it makes the analysis of it easier to strengthen the essay. I then make sure to use transitions at the start and end of a paragraph to maintain flow. Although my focus is more on the evidence, analysis and transitions my beginning and ending paragraphs still need work because I tend to drift from a hook and summarize more so the beginning and ending is boring to read. I need to work on how to create something new. As the article states, "You get no credit for asserting the existence of something we already know exists." I need to start drifting away from adding information in that is already known and given to succeed in writing papers in college. This made me understand that if I do end up placing known information in the paper, it will not be a college paper. It will still be a high school written paper which is not adequate to succeed. By reading all of the material I am given for a paper and to not place it inside without a quote or being understood in the prompt of the paper will make my college papers better.
Reply
Miranda Haggard
8/13/2013 07:52:50 am
How exactly do you demonstrate your knowledge through your writing?
Reply
Prabhjot Bains
8/13/2013 08:20:19 am
Trying to separate analysis and summarizing are also problems that I deal with, sometimes it's just so easy to summarize than analyze. But instead of trying to 'create something new', I would suggest you just ask yourself why what you're saying matters and how that supports your claims. Like the article says, good points say something that's not very obvious. This can usually be achieved by not looking for different sources, but just digging deeper into the meaning of what you're already looking at.
Reply
Prabhjot Bains
8/13/2013 08:05:14 am
I approach writing with an open mind and also a desire to take something away from what I write, never anything too specific when I start. The main goals I set for myself while writing are to make at least 2 claims and to provide legitimate evidence for those claims. Since I usually write very last minute, some ideas just come from the blue and surprise me. I feel that if you dig deep enough into your own mind, that you could find these incredible thoughts and eventually you find the answers to your questions. But sometimes it’s hard for me to make essays coherent, and they end up being a little choppy. So I guess I write the way I speak, analysis usually comes in someplace.
Reply
Sarabjit Kaur
8/13/2013 12:45:05 pm
I relate to you because when I write my essays, I usually write them the way I speak too. I also approach my writing with an open mind because it helps me connect some of my ideas together. I also agree with you to provide legitimate evidence for the claim(s) because it make the point I am trying to make stronger.
Reply
Selina zavala
8/14/2013 05:07:54 am
I also try to write the way I speak, but I sometimes find myself getting lost in the essay. I stray away from the hard facts, and usually try to maintain the readers attention. Ultimately making my evidence somewhat weak, so I sometimes stray away from adding too many personal opinions.
Reply
Domenica Figueroa
8/14/2013 02:47:40 pm
That's a really good way at looking at writing, "a way of thinking through a problem, of discovering what you want to say." For me often times I don't really know what I'm trying to say until the very end of a paper, the quote works perfectly.
Reply
Reena Saroya
8/13/2013 01:49:55 pm
The way I tend to approach writing is by having a clear understanding of what the prompt is asking me to do and having strong pieces of evidence to back up my claim. How I see what the author is wanting me to write about is by looking for such as " illustrate," "explain," "analyze," "evaluate," "compare and contrast" Before I even start to write I begin to jot ideas down and pick the side that has stronger and clearer evidence. The format I tend to use for my papers would be TBEAR. This format tends to make me stay on the right track with my writing and not tend to lose focus and start talking about something completely irrelevant to the topic. Using TBEAR makes my writing seem structured and organized. What stood out to me in this article was "an argument is something less contentious and more systematic: It is a set of statements coherently arranged to offer three things that experienced readers expect in essays" because I tend to have a weak thesis because I have a hard time making it "an interesting claim is one that can be reasonably challenged" so that it can be arguable for both sides. Another weakness my that my papers usually have are my conclusions because I tend to write down everything in a hurry because I know I'm almost done with my essay and rather than actually taking time and writing down something that actually states the strong points of my body paragraph and ending it with a powerful statement that would make the reader wonder about it after they were done reading it. In order to succeed, I need to make my thesis stronger that would make the reader say "That's interesting. I'd like to know more." and I would need to make my conclusions stronger by actually taking the time and thoroughly explain my strong points from my body paragraphs in order to complete my powerful statement.
Reply
Miranda Sandhu
8/14/2013 05:51:45 am
Just like you I approach writing with a clear understanding and see what the author is wanting me to write. Also I use the TBEAR format because it can become very useful and my essays tend be more organized and not off topic.
Reply
Dilpreet Mann
8/14/2013 02:18:32 pm
I agree with you on so many things especially on keeping a reader intersted. I also agree on using the TBEAR because it really helps organize the essay.
Reply
Davd Perez
8/14/2013 03:08:13 am
The way I approach writing is by trying to figure out what I’m going to write about and to make my easy stand out in my own way. The main thing I try to do while writing is to get at least two claims and to get some good evidence to help support my claims. Since I’m a very slow at writing I usually take forever to get a good idea on the paper. When I’m doing a timed easy Ideas usually come out of nowhere that a surprisingly good. The bad thing about that is that things don’t always sound very good. It’s very choppy and sounds a lot like how I speak. The part of the article that stood out most to me was the part about revision because I noticed that I usually never have enough time to revise. The article says that “revision is a crucial part of writing.” When I’m writing I notice that when I finish an easy I don’t automatically think about going back and revising it. With that being said the part of writing that I need to work more on is revising my easies. Apparently, the longer the amount of time that you step away from your finished work “the more you will have forgotten what you were thinking when you wrote it” and that would leave you to over look all the mistakes and cause you to not make your work up to its true postnatal. By timing myself better more accurately and giving myself enough to write my easy I will be able to revise my work more accurately. It would also help to have enough time to have others critique my work like a peer or a teacher that way I will be able to have others opinion
Reply
Selina Zavala
8/14/2013 04:59:55 am
When I approach my writing I tend to focus on a strong introduction in order to gain the readers attention. But sometimes when I approach it this way, my paragraphs lack the same enthusiasm; and I need to make sure my writing maintains a constant tone. I usually try to provide at least two peices of evidence for each paragraph and explain them enough to adequately support my claim. What I liked about the article is that they discussed my problem of "laying down foundation" after starting with a strong introduction. What I do need to focus on is revision, the article states that I should use at least "a few hours for revision." But I constantly find myself rereading it once and hitting the spell check key on my laptop. I need to take time and properly revise my writing, rereading it multiple times, and possibly get a second opinion. I also try to avoid repeating statements in my conclusion, I try to maintain the same perspective from my introduction paragraph, and use completely different words to summarize my essay in my concluding statements.
Reply
Sydney Malone
8/14/2013 10:00:06 am
I agree with you completely. I also try to approach my writing with a strong introduction in order to draw the reader's in and the rest of my paragraphs sometimes lack the same enthusiasm as well.
Reply
Miranda Sandhu
8/14/2013 05:33:36 am
I tend to approach writing by making sure I have a clear understanding of the prompt. Then I come up with a point that I am trying to get across and what evidence will support that. I tend to use the TBEAR writing format to organize my evidence and analysis. This format is kind of like a guide that directs in the correct direction. It also makes the writing flow and the reader can understand my point I'm trying to get across. In the beginning of my first paragraph, I try to grab the readers attention, but I usually have a weak thesis. But I usually do great thorough explanations in my body paragraphs. And my last paragraph, the conclusion, I usually rush through it and don't spend as much time on it. In the article, it states that conclusions should have the first and/or maybe the second sentence to explain the main point of the essay. Also it states that if someone can ask "so what" and if you are able to answer then you have identified the significance of your point in your conclusion. To end my conclusion, the article suggests that I should use a striking or graceful quotation that will bring the essay into a close. Sometimes I also have a hard time coming up with titles for my essays. In the article, it states that after I have revised my essay, I am ready to write my title. I should avoid using words that are not bold in my paper. The article also says, "The point of a title is to anticipate key points.", which I should start doing and try not be clever with my titles. I think that working on the areas that I am weak in, will improve my essay. Such as not to over think my title and try to be clever with it. And also to spend more time on my conclusion, explain only the main points and end it with a quote to close the essay.
Reply
Marina Ulloa
8/14/2013 07:06:50 am
My main goal when writing is to have a strong and clear introduction. This is the first thing I worry about because the introduction is the first thing people read. You want the readers to know your opinion right away. Readers don’t want to be guessing if this is what you meant. Having a strong and interesting intro is a must. If the introduction seems boring, then they make it a hassle to read the rest of the piece. The introduction is what sets the writing piece. If the intro doesn't grab the reader’s attention, then you have lost the audience making it a hassle to finish reading. The article states "start by laying down the foundation." The foundation in my writing will always be the introduction because that’s what you start off with and continue to build from. The foundation in anything you are doing has to be strong or the rest of it will fall apart. Once I have my strong intro I can look back to it to help me stay on track for my essay. Staying on track is very important. If you tend to get off track it may confuse the reader, making it harder to understand the writing piece. To help me stay on track and avoid losing my audience I use the method TBEAR. TBEAR is an easy way to make sure you have all the necessities you need in a passing essay. This is also an easy way to brainstorm because it lays out everything should have in an essay.
Reply
Daniel Nunez
8/14/2013 01:50:41 pm
I completely agree on making the introduction strong, I believe that without a strong and powerful introduction, the essay is not as interesting or moving.
Reply
Navdeep Cheema
8/14/2013 02:00:38 pm
I completely agree on using the method TBEAR to write essay's because it does make it easier to get the essay well written. Also, it is a good idea to have a strong introduction to start off because you wouldn't want your readers dozing off while reading the rest of your essay.
Reply
Sahil Ralh
2/17/2014 07:24:46 am
I totally agree with you introduction is very important so the reader doesn't get bored.
Reply
Sydney Malone
8/14/2013 10:27:25 am
When I approach writing, I approach it first by truly understanding what the prompt is asking me to do. One thing I have learned over the years is that it doesn’t matter how well you can write if you don’t understand what you are being asked to write. My main goal during the writing process is to clearly state the main point and purpose of the paper. Not only is it important to draw your reader in and make your purpose for writing known, but it is also important to keep focus on your point. Once I know the focus of my paper, I begin to gather evidence to support my case. From experience I can agree when the articles says the “most common evidence you will use to support your claims will be quotations from the texts you read and references to passages in them.” When choosing evidence to support my topic, I make sure that I understand what is being said in the quote so I am able to use it to my advantage by relating it to my point. I think that with my writing personally I need to write without trying to answer a certain question, at least at first. A downfall of mine is sometimes getting so caught up in what I think I need to write that I can’t write what naturally comes to mind. When the article states, “Writing is a way of thinking through a problem, of discovering what you want to say. So do not feel that you should begin to write only when you have a fully articulated point in mind. Instead, write to discover and to refine it”, I agree wholeheartedly. I believe that you should be discovering what you want your point to be, what you want your tone to be and what you want your reader to remember as you are writing rather than before.
Reply
Satvir
8/14/2013 02:42:45 pm
I agree with you on that it doesn't matter how well a person can write if they don't even understand what their being asked. I also agree that it is very important to "clearly state the main point" so the reader knows what your argument is about.
Reply
Daniel Nunez
8/14/2013 01:48:05 pm
I like to approach my writings with a good understanding of the prompt. I like to make my points pretty quick and direct, and then follow up with any supporting evidence. I make sure to keep my options and mind open when it comes to making decisions for which points to use. When it comes to writing, I might make points I don’t entirely agree on, but that I am able to support with the most evidence. Approaching my essays this way has given me much more to write about. I also use TBEARS, which really help me organize my main body paragraphs so that they are able to be read without so much difficulty or questioning. My paragraphs could still use tons of work because I’ll sometimes tend to swerve off the TBEAR format. I will also sometimes have trouble making my points clear, I believe that I try to make them clear, but I might be writing in a way where only I understand and might not appeal to my audience. I could be leaving out important background information that everyone needs to know before making my point. When I swerve off TBEAR format, my sentences also tend to get choppy, and I don’t really catch them until they are pointed out to me, those are things I definitely need to work on this year. My conclusions also tend to be very short and bland, they lack enthusiasm and interesting points that keep the reader around. I believe that by focusing on my paragraphs, claims, and conclusions, I will become a better writer.
Reply
Navdeep Cheema
8/14/2013 01:58:07 pm
Writing to me is a form that will most likely get my views and prospective of a certain topic analyzed in writing prompt. Before writing an essay, I like to think about what point I would like to get across to my readers. Furthermore, I like to consider reading what the prompt is asking so I can answer only directly to the prompt without adding extensive details. I like to analyze all my thoughts completely on a separate piece of paper before I get started on my writing. The author in the section “what’s your point” is most likely trying to tell us that you won’t always have specific point that is listed clearly in your essay. You will have to analyze your paper many times to find a specific meaning that is comfortable to you and fits your essay. “When most of your instructors ask what the point of your paper is, they have in mind something different”, I think the author is trying to apply that most students just always keep a generic point of their paper rather than the main idea. I too have once committed this same process while writing essays. I would always refer to the main prompt point as my main idea rather than using the essays real implication of a main idea. In order for me to succeed in this part is to try to find my essays own main idea than using a generic main idea already given. In the future, I’ll keep in mind that if I include” I want to prove that” with good analysis, my readers would get what I’m trying to imply. For an example under the section, “what’s your point” that “"Well, I wanted to write about the way Falstaff plays the role of Prince Hal's father." This implies that the writer has a topic for the paper but does not include a good thesis or point in the paper. Furthermore, this results in the teachers to have their own correct thesis that you have in your paper but are unaware of.
Reply
Dilpreet Mann
8/14/2013 02:14:23 pm
Writing is something that does not come to me naturally to be honest. When I first get a prompt I think of one answer, but then later while I'm actually working on it I tend to think more openly and have more thoughts about the topic. The introduction is the worst part of the writing assignment so I tend to get my essay started really slowly. I have to think a lot about what I'm going to write about then once I get started it does sort of just goes on. In order to probably succeed more I need learn how "to make a point" without beating around the bush. I tend to get off topic then get back on topic. I also still use the TBEAR method Mr. Parsley taught us in AVID10. TBEAR has been used in most of my essays since then especially for English. I know that we "discover good points at the end of the process of drafting" but I usually only have one draft unless I have to turn in more than one. I know that I should at least have two drafts for every essay, but I sort of stopped doing that after middle school. In college though I will probably need like three drafts. I also have to learn how "to want your [my] readers to think that your [my] points are terrifically interesting and significant." Keeping a reader interested in like a five or ten paged can be extremely difficult if the topic is on "which president of the United States won an election in which his victory was very uncertain and how did his victory effect the change in the political parties system?" I'd have to include many interesting facts or things that would bring my reader back to the reading. I want to learn how to write an essay that's different but still good, an essay that stands out.
Reply
Gursharan Singh Mann
8/14/2013 04:10:45 pm
Learning about the TBEAR method has really helped me organize my essays and make my body paragraphs stronger.
Reply
Satvir
8/14/2013 02:28:30 pm
When it comes to writing about something I’m the last person you should go to help for. Writing has always been a difficult task for me. When the teacher gives a topic I tend to overthink it, and get confused with myself. I always start thinking about what I could write about but never really think about what my claim and evidence could be. Starting the essay with my thesis never comes out right. My claim is always too weak or just doesn’t stand with the evidence I have given. I usually take forever to start my essay because I never know how to begin it. I always feel like my introduction is never good enough. Once my intro is written it’s pretty easy for me to keep going. I just type whatever comes to my head, because if I take a pause I lose my train of thought. I’m also used to using the TBEAR method which I learned in my sophomore AVID class. This method helps me make sure I have everything I need in order to have a clear argument.
Reply
Gursharan Singh Mann
8/14/2013 04:09:11 pm
I agree with not taking a break and keep on writing because when I start doing something else, it is really hard for me to come back and keep on writing as well or about just that topic again
Reply
Gursharan Singh Mann
8/14/2013 04:06:29 pm
When it comes to writing I feel like there is a tall brick wall right in front of me and to go on I just have to climb over it. So, whenever I am given a prompt or a topic to write about, I sit there and stare at it for a few minutes deciding how I should start it. The introduction is the hardest part for me and it takes about ten minutes just to start it. I try to keep a open mind about different point of views and try to see which side seems like it has more to write about. Sometimes I take the side that I really don't agree with but the only reason I take it is because that side has more I can write about. After I have started my essay and I am done with the introduction, I just keep on writing down whatever comes in my head. I usually try not to take a break because that gets my brain off topic. The body paragraphs are a little easier because I just have to look back at the introduction and write off of it. The TBEAR method is what I usually use. Mr. Parsley had taught it to me in English 2C class. I thought I would never use that method but it came in handy for all my essays and term papers I wrote. The author says, “discover good points at the end of the process of drafting”. By the end of essay, I usually get it proof read and learn from some of the mistakes I have made. I take college classes too and they have a writing center that I can get help from. I really think it is useful and I think it really helps us to improve our writing skills.
Reply
yiribeth rodriguez
2/18/2014 12:41:04 pm
Hero. His loyalty was to the state and the constitution, not to the officials who were actively violating both. Snowden clearly broke the law and violated article 3 in the constitution but as the Supreme Court has said: "[A] citizen may take actions which do aid and comfort the enemy- making a speech critical of the government or opposing it's measures.. and the hundred other things which impair our cohesion and diminish out strength- but if there is adherence to the enemy in this- if there is no intent to betray, there is no treason."
Reply
Prince Prince
2/19/2014 10:48:04 am
I don't agree because realising that information he put all of us in danger.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2014
Categories |