The Writing ProcessFrom topic to paragraph

englishuphson@gmail.com

Learning Targets

• Process of paragraph writing– Brainstorming for ideas– Grouping ideas– Choosing and narrowing

a main idea– Listing and organizing

supporting details

• Outlining

The Writing Process

• Good writers go through several steps to produce effective piece of writing

Pre-Writing

Drafting Reviewing & Revising

Rewriting

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

Adapted from:Zemach, Dorothy E, and Lisa A Rumisek, Academic Writing, from Paragraph to Essay, p. 3

1: Choose a topic2: Gather ideas3: Organize ideas (outlining)

4: Write first draft

5: Review content & structure6: Revise7: Proofreading

8. Make final correction

The Writing Process

Pre-writing Phase• Step 1: Choose a topic• Step 2: Gather ideas• Step 3: Organize ideas

(outlining)Drafting Phase• Step 4: Write first draft

Reviewing and Revising• Step 5: Review content

and structure• Step 6: Revise• Step 7: ProofreadingRewriting• Step 8: Make final

correction

Step 1: Choose a topic

• Most paragraphs are five to ten sentences long, or at the most 15 sentences long.

Choosing and narrowing a topic

Choose a topic that is just right (NOT too narrow nor too broad) to write one paragraph.

Which one?1. The address of my university2. My University3. My favorite place in campus

Try this!

Which topics are just write to write a paragraph of 10 – 15 sentences?

1.The number of population in Jakarta2.My good friends in campus3.The ages of my brothers and sisters4.The most important benefit of driving a

motorbike to campus

Narrowing down topics

• Work with a partner or a small group. Choose one of the following topics. List as many ideas as you can in five minutes.

BangkokWow—I have never seen so many motorcycles in one place! Almost everybody gets around on a motorbike. They go to school, campus, office, even to the malls by motorbike. Almost half of the streets here are packed with motorbikes. You have to watch for them when driving here. They often cut in front of you without notice. Perhaps, I will think twice before deciding to drive here.

Outline

• What’s the topic?• What’s the topic sentence?• What are the supporting ideas?• What are the supporting details?• What is the concluding sentence?

Outline

Topic: Amazing number of motorbike in Bangkok• Topic sentence: I have never seen so many

motorcycles in one place.• Supporting idea 1: Almost everybody rides a

motorbike• Supporting idea 2: Watch for the motorbike

when driving here.

Outline

• Supporting idea 1: Almost everybody rides a motorbike

Supporting detail 1: Go everywhere by motorbikeSupporting detail 2: Streets are full with motorbikes

Outline

Supporting idea 2: Watch for the motorbike when driving here.

Supporting detail 1: They cut in front of yourSupporting detail 2: Think twice before driving here

Outline

Concluding sentence:• Perhaps, I will think

twice before deciding to drive here

Try this!

• Choose one topic• Narrow down the

topic until it is just right to write a paragraph.

• Then make an outline.

Tokyo, Japan

Outline• Topic?

• Topic sentence? ____________________• Supporting idea 1. ____________________

- Supporting detail?• Supporting idea 2. ____________________

- Supporting detail?• Supporting idea 3. ____________________

- Supporting detail?• Closing? ___________________

Write First Draft

• Write a paragraph based on the outline that you’ve developed.

Reviewing and Revising

• Review content & structure

• Revise• Proofreading

Rewriting

• Rewrite the revised paragraph to produce final draft.