Planning and Outlining Workshop

Please make sure the essay type is at the top of your outline.

While I am looking over them, take some time to work on your paragraph assignments. Check your evaluated folder and your revisions for my new comments and purple marks; look over the comments I left and then make a copy of P3.Evaluated so that you can revise it. Put the new file in the writing folder you made for this class. When you revise your paragraphs, make sure that you make numerous and substantial changes by next class period. Please work on your paragraphs in class until I am ready to work on the outlines with you.

Once I have checked your outlines, I will select a few to use as examples for the class so that each of you can think about the quality of your thesis statements and the quality of your two stages.

Paragraph Revision Workshop

Today, you can "share" your paragraph with another classmate, and he or she will share a paragraph with you. This sharing will happen through your Google Drive, so you will need to follow my directions to set up sharing.

First, click here to see sharing addresses.

You should see your name on the list. You should share your document with one other person on the list. To do so, open your paragraph document and click the blue "share" button in the upper right corner. When the window opens, you will be able to paste a Gmail address into the "Invite People" box. Copy and paste the email address of the classmate sitting across from you into that box. Then, out to the side, click on the box that says "Can edit" and choose "Can comment." Then "save" and "done."

You can see the paragraph shared with you by clicking on the "shared with me" link in the left column. Open the paragraph shared with you and read it from beginning to end. Talk to each other and make sure that the paragraphs were shared successfully.

Today, we are concerned about the parts of a paragraph. So before you look at the specifics, you need to comment on the overall structure your classmate's paragraph. To comment, highlight some text by clicking and dragging and then right-click on the highlighted part and select "Comment"--you can type your suggestion in the box that appears. Follow my lead--I will ask you to comment on whether all the parts of the paragraph are present or missing:

1. Topic sentence
2. Supporting details and examples
3. Closing statement

Next, I want you to look at each part individually. First, the topic sentence of your classmate's paragraph should have three qualities:

• Specific: It should be about ONE idea
• Focused: It should mention a single task
• Logical: It should mention HOW that single task can help ease the burden of your stressful situation

On your classmate's paragraph, comment on which qualities his or her topic sentence HAS from the list above.

Next, scan the supporting details and examples for OFF-TOPIC statements and comment on them, one at a time. If you are not sure whether a particular detail is off-topic, you can raise your hand. In your comments, you should also suggest some details that are missing that might help your classmate improve his or her paragraph.

Last, make sure the closing statement does not repeat the topic sentence. If it does, comment with a warning on your classmate's closing statement.

If there is time at the end, look at your own paragraph again and begin revising it.

Paragraph Evaluation

For this workshop, I want you to work in pairs or in groups of 3. Gather around one computer and let a good note taker type your group's ideas. That student will go to this document in our English 0099 Course Documents. Once you are in the document, go to "File" and make a copy. Then, as a group, follow the steps in the new copy.

Editing Guide

Fixing the Text

1. Circle all instances of “you,” “your,” “yours,” “yourself,” etc. Delete them.
2. Circle all subjects; put a box around all verbs; check for agreement and tense errors.
3. Check that all of your pronouns agree in number with the nouns they represent.
   And be sure the pronoun cannot possibly represent two different nouns.
4. and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so: use commas with coordinating conjunctions (SV, and SV.)
   • The oak tree in the front yard fell on the roof, so we will have to move.
   • Gulliver set his alarm for 6:00 AM, yet he still managed to get stuck in traffic.
5. however, therefore, instead (vs.) although, because, whereas
   • The oak tree in the front yard fell on the roof; therefore, we will have to move.
   • Because the oak tree in the front yard fell on the roof, we will have to move.
   • Gulliver set his alarm for 6:00 AM; nevertheless, he managed to get stuck in traffic.
   • Although Gulliver set his alarm for 6:00 AM, he still managed to get stuck in traffic.
6. introductory clauses and phrases (comma before the subject) (intro, SV.)
   • With no roof to keep the rain out, our house needs serious repair.
   • Whereas GSC offers a personal environment, UGA is more socially challenging.

Errors to avoid

1. Any form of the lazy cliche “As I said before” or “In summary” or “In conclusion”
2. “This” and “that” used by itself as a pronoun (especially as a subject)
   • This shows that I needed to sleep more often.
   • That was the worst day of my high school career.
   • Mr. Clark proved this to me in sixth grade.
   • I believed that for a long time.
3. “it” used as a subject
   • Confusing: It is scary to walk in the dark.
   • Clear: Walking in the dark frightens me.
4. “By doing this . . . it will improve”
   • Confusing: By Mr. Horton reviewing my outline, it will help me improve my paper.
   • Clear: By reviewing my outline, Mr. Horton will help me improve my paper.
5. dangling modifiers
   • Confusing: As a GSC college student, textbooks are expensive.
   • Clear: As a GSC college student, I spend a lot of money on textbooks.

MLA Formatting

1. Use 1” margins
2. Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font
3. Double-space the text
4. Put last name and page number in upper right header.
5. Use four-line heading on first page
6. Leave out extra spaces between paragraphs or around title

Revision Guide

Double-Check the Content

(Make sure you have written sentences that correspond to each section of your outline)

1. Beginning
   • Reach out to your audience (engaging detail)
   • Prepare your audience (relevant background)
   • Preview your argument (interrelated stages)
   • Thesis statement (claim and reason)
2. Middle (look at each paragraph)
   • Topic sentence (main idea of paragraph)
   • Supporting details (concrete evidence)
   • Closing statement (demonstrate proof)
3. Ending
   • Explain importance (why thesis matters)
   • New information (extend the discussion)
   • Final comments (satisfy the reader)

Double-Check the Organization

1. Put a * by your thesis, each topic sentence in the middle, and the first sentence of the end.
2. The logical progression of these sentences should be an orderly thought process.
3. Make sure your thesis clearly and directly focuses your topic and states your position.
4. Make sure your stages are not three unrelated ideas but sequential steps in ONE discussion.
5. Make sure the last sentence of each middle paragraph DOES NOT bring up the topic of the next paragraph.
6. From beginning to end, your essay should be persuasive, not a summary of events or facts.
7. Make sure that each of your paragraphs is the same length.

Write a two-part title to catch attention and be informative

• Sitting in the Stands: Disappointment on Graduation Day
• Telling the Boss Off: How I Learned to Stand Up to a Tyrant
• Lower Test Scores: How No Child Left Behind Leaves Every Child Behind
• Turning Our Backs on Spirit: A Defense of Senior Class Disrespect
• Let them Fight to the End: An Alternative to "Humane" Capital Punishment
• Keep Them Off the Roads: How to Improve DUI Law Enforcement

Outline and Write

The Outlining Stage

Make a copy of this outlining template and use it to fill in all the parts of your essay before you begin writing your rough draft. Place this document in your 0099 Writing folder in Google Drive and name it this way: ""LastName.FirstName.WhichEssay.Outline.Semester""

A few points to remember:

• When you bring an outline to class for a revision workshop, it must be typed in your Google Drive document.
• This template is a shortened form of the structure for your paper. But You might have THREE stages; if you so choose, you will need THREE middle paragraphs.
• When you fill in this outline template, abbreviate the CONTENT of what you actually plan to write in your paragraphs; each part of this outline should eventually be in your paper, in the same order. Whatever ideas you include on the outline should eventually be in the sentences of your essay.

The Writing Stage

For some, writing the paper is the easiest stage of all, but for others it is the most intimidating.

Here are some pointers to help you compose your paper with less stress:

• Write in your natural voice instead of forcing yourself into "essay" mode and trying to sound smart. If your natural voice leads to grammatical errors, you can deal with them during the editing stage.
• Use your outline as a guide for writing your paragraphs. Free yourself from holding all of your ideas in your head at once by referring to the ideas you have already laid out in your outline. If you feel more comfortable writing your draft before you compose your outline, you should write your draft first. But then come back and write an outline afterward and make adjustments to your draft if you discover gaps or find that your ideas need to be in a different order.
• Try not to overwhelm yourself with grammatical concerns at this stage. Over-monitoring yourself can lead to a robotic style of writing, which will be more harmful to your paper in the long run than grammar errors, which you can fix later on anyway.
• Focus on writing complete paragraphs and making your paragraphs connect to each other logically.

How to Write an Email to a Teacher

Be mindful of your teacher's inbox

1. Use your GSC email account
2. Start with a new message instead of replying to some old email message
3. Put a clear and proper title in the subject line

MLA Conventions for Essays

Yes, they are arbitrary, but so are all rules, right? In the world of college writing, MLA is not the only standard you'll have to learn, but it is definitely quite common.

Parts of an Essay

In the color-coded sections below, the various parts of an essay are laid out for you. In the essays you write for me, you will need to be sure that all the parts explained below are included in the order I have presented them to you.

For more help, view a condensed, more visual model of this format.

Beginning: (create interest, orient the audience) [1 paragraph]

Reach out to your audience Start with a "real-life" detail of some kind, such as an incident you saw or experienced that is relevant to your topic. Your audience will feel involved if you are involved. So give them something real and familiar with your FIRST sentence. Show them that you are paying attention and that you are capable of describing something real and personal. Avoid saying anything general or opinionated because your audience has no reason to trust you yet (save your opinions for the ending). They do not even know you are going to discuss yet. You must speak to them in a way that lets them in, but do not address them with any form of the word "YOU" in your paper. Prepare your audience This part and the next two will set up your main idea for the essay. Imagine your reader asking, "Why should I listen to you? What do I need to know first?" Give background information that your audience needs to know up front. Make yourself trustworthy, and give the audience a sense that you are leading them to an important insight or choice. You cannot persuade unless you care about your audience and how they might perceive you. This part of the paper should naturally follow the details you used to "reach out" to them. Preview your argument The stages of your discussion should not be stated as a list IN your thesis but should be mentioned BEFORE your thesis. Each stage makes a point that helps your reader believe that your thesis statement is true and reasonable. There should be a logical connection between your stages (what KIND of connection depends on the type of essay you are writing); the stages should work TOGETHER to prove ONE main point: your thesis. Writing your stages here is a way to set up your paper for the audience so that your thesis statement does not sound like it comes out of nowhere. State your thesis, the MAIN point of your paper Make a statement that you think is both true and persuasive. It should direct the audience toward a choice or a way of thinking that they do not already agree with. So your thesis cannot be a statement of fact or a self-evident truth. A great thesis will be a single idea--it brings the topic to focus and tells the reader your position. To get a thesis that works with your stages, you will have to go through some trial and error.

Middle: (Present stages, one paragraph per stage) [2-3 paragraphs]

For EACH middle paragraph: Transition and topic sentence The topic sentence starts the paragraph and represents one of your stages. If you need a transitional hook, ask yourself, "what is the relationship of THIS stage to the PREVIOUS one?" The answer is your transition. Of course, if your transitions are solid and true, you often won't need to write a hook. Details to support topic sentence Illustrate using concrete examples from real life, personal stories, logical deduction, etc. Closing statement to explain your support No writer should simply give evidence. Every paragraph should have a closing sentence or two to explain what the evidence is showing. No claim is self-evident, so proof must be demonstrated AFTER evidence is given. Ask yourself, "how is this stage related to my thesis?"

Ending: (Answer the crucial question "so what?") [1 paragraph]

Explain importance of proving your thesis Clarify why the point of your essay is important. In other words, discuss the significance of your thesis. Why is it relevant? Why does it matter? The WORTH of your thesis is not self-evident. DO NOT repeat your thesis; instead, imagine your audience asking, "Why should I care? How is this topic important to me and others I care about?" New information to help apply the thesis Save some recent developments or information to add body to your conclusion. Keep the attention of your reader. Do not use a bunch of general conclusion cliches to finish your essay; instead, apply the relevance of your thesis by extending your attention to the topic. Satisfy reader with a closing statement Discuss the benefits of taking your position; give a warning or call for action; suggest a solution or another problem. Or you can raise issues that leave your audience thinking and wondering. You have lots of choices, but you may not repeat.

The Writing Process

Most importantly, find a method that works best for your learning style. Here are some suggests for different stages of writing:

1. Pre-Writing: Discover valuable ideas by opening your mind to ALL ideas. Ask thought-provoking questions about your topic. You can write your ideas down in clusters, like an idea network. Or you can free-write in sentence form; then highlight the valuable ideas and brainstorm again, this time more focused.
2. Thesis Statement: As the main idea of your entire essay, this statement should be truthful and persuasive. In a paper, this thesis brings the topic to focus and tells the reader your position. The thesis should not be self-evident or factual, but something you have to explain.
3. Organization / Outline: Arrange your stages and details into the beginning, middle, and end of the paper. It is tricky sometimes to find 2 or 3 middle stages that fit with your thesis, so you have to use trial and error until you have a logical combination. Use my outlining template to arrange your main points and details. The outline will serve as a map or a list of instructions you can use to write your essay.
4. Rough Draft: Focus on content, organization, and style. Do NOT get sidetracked by grammar, but do take time to find the right words and an appropriate style. As you write, ask yourself, "who is my audience, and how should I write for them?"
5. Revising: Fix Logical mistakes, missing steps, clumsy transitions, confusing organization before fixing grammar and formatting. Use this guide.
6. Proofreading: Using a list of your common mistakes, read the paper BACKWARDS one sentence at a time and LOOK FOR ONE ERROR AT A TIME. Then have someone read the paper OUT LOUD to your while following the text with your pen. Use this guide.
7. MLA Formatting: Now make your essay PERFECT. Make sure the essay is formatted correctly. For the research paper, make sure it meets the MLA style requirements.

All of the steps are important, but you do not HAVE to do them in this order. In fact, you might go back to certain steps several times. You can write your rough draft and then reverse outline, for instance. Or what if you have writer's block? Most important is making sure that you include all the parts of an essay in your final draft.

A note on timed writing: You will follow an abbreviated version of this process for in-class essays, but you should not re-copy a rough draft when writing under time restraints. Instead, you should (a) skip lines as you go and (b) start each new paragraph at the top of a new sheet of paper. Both methods leave room for corrections. If you make a mistake, cross it out with a single line and write the correction above it. If you want to add sentences, use labels like a star or triangle to indicate where an insertion should go. THERE IS NO NEED to recopy an in-class composition simply to make it look neat. Recopying steals time away from planning, composing, revising, and editing.