The University Writing Center

1
The Writing Process

• The University Writing Center
• At the
• University of Alabama at Birmingham

2
Overview of the Writing Process

• Pre-writing strategies
• General strategies
• Using requirements as a guide
• Solidifying the plan for the paper
• Writing the paper
• Keeping your focus
• Adjusting your plan
• Revision and finishing strategies
• Reading for content
• Editing techniques

3
What is the writing process?

• The writing process covers the generation of the
  entire paper.
• The main parts of the process are
• Pre-writing
• Writing
• Post-writing
• The process is highly customizable, but the
  general logic of the process always applies.

4
Pre-writing

• The planning stage

5
Pre-writing General Strategies

• Purpose
• Understand why you are writing. Are you
  informing, describing, advocating, observing, or
  proposing? Some other purpose?
• Audience
• For whom are you writing? Understand the
  expectations of your audience and any format or
  research requirements necessary.
• Organization
• Prepare a flexible writing/researching schedule
  and decide upon the organizational method that
  will work best for the project.

6
Pre-writing Purpose and Audience

• Your reason
• Why are you writing? Why is this topic
  important?
• What are you trying to accomplish? What
  requirements do you need to meet?
• Find a starting point for your research.
• Your audience
• Understand your audiences expectations.
• Consider what your audience already knows, and
  what your it will need to know in order to
  understand your papers content.

7
Pre-writing Brainstorming

• Idea and topic generation
• Generate ideas and start to think about
  addressing the requirements, purpose, and
  audience.
• Topic can often be dictated by an assignment, but
  many times the writer has freedom to pick a
  specific angle or subtopic to expand upon.

8
Pre-writing Brainstorming

• Brainstorming outside of pre-writing
• Sometimes, an unfamiliarity with the subject
  means that picking the topic takes place during
  the research process.
• During the actual writing stage or when reviewing
  the paper, the writer may find a logical hole or
  misstep, or might find that a subtopic or point
  requires more support.

9
Pre-writing Brainstorming

• Many methods for many minds
• Jotting down ideas
• An outline
• Diagrams of order
• Topics and things of interest within the subject
• Talking about the subject or topic

10
Pre-writing Organization

• Planning
• Create a tentative schedule. Include time for
  stages of generation, research, organization of
  materials, actual writing, and revision.
• Research Stages
• If specific topic is undecided or unknown, survey
  the general subject.
• Try to formulate a plan when researching, and
  understand that information desired is not
  necessarily information available. Be able to
  adjust.
• Pick sources that fit the topicor modify the
  topic to fit chosen research. Be cohesive.

11
Pre-writing Organization

• Keep research organized.
• Note and/or bibliography cards
• Sticky notes
• Traditional notes
• Annotated outline
• Coding
• Using section headers as organizational aids
• Tracking sources early assists in later stages of
  writing, when creating accurate in-text citations
  and the bibliography.

12
Pre-writing Thesis

• Thesis The main idea of the written work stated
  in a declarative sentence.
• When is the thesis written?
• Traditionally, writers are taught to generate a
  thesis in the pre-writing stage.
• Some writers find it helpful to start with a
  tentative thesis. They then modify that thesis
  to match what they have written. As long as the
  paper has a single cohesive point, this method is
  perfectly acceptable.

13
Using Requirements as a Guide

• In pre-writing, make sure your plan and topic
  match and fulfill the given requirements.
• Make a check list, and keep it handy throughout
  the formulation of the paper.
• If organizing by research, notate what
  information fulfills requirements.
• Consider section headers that specifically cover
  requirements (i.e. Rational, Research Design,
  Literature Review) for organizational purposes.
  Headers may be omitted or left in the final
  paper, depending on formatting guidelines or
  requirements.

14
Pre-writing Solidify the Plan

• Before leaving the pre-writing stage, the writer
  should have
• A focus thesis or tentative thesis
• A logical flow of information
• Research foreseeably complete
• Sources organized
• Time spent planning and organizing often
  dramatically reduces the time spent actually
  writing, minimizes structural revision, and
  avoids mid-paper research crises.

15
Writing the Paper

• Getting started, staying on track, and knowing
  when to adjust

16
Starting to Write

• Establish that the paper is worth reading.
• Why does the topic matter?
• What is the paper about? What is the thesis and
  how will it be supported?
• Why is the thesis/focus of the paper relevant and
  important enough to spend time discussing?
• What is the context of the papers focus?
• Literary review
• Field situation
• Some writers outline these points and revise
  after the body of the paper is complete.
• It is better to start writing and revise a subpar
  introduction than to procrastinate.

17
Keep Focused

• Follow the plan. But . . .
• Do not be afraid to delete, reword, or adjust.
• Keep a scratch file if necessary so that
  writing is not lost during rewriting or deleting
  work
• If something does not add to the papers point,
  then it distracts from the point.
• Never have the reader wonder why a topic is being
  covered. Clarify logical connections and
  demonstrate importance to the topic.

18
Changing Focus?

• Some writers think through their topic as they
  write. In these cases, sometimes a writer finds
  a consistent deviation from the initial writing
  plan.
• This requires the writer to go back and revise
  throughout the paper to make sure that the new or
  developed focus is consistent.
• Often, the introduction and transition elements
  of the paper will require the most revision.
• These revisions can take place during the writing
  process, during the finishing process, or both.

19
Writing

• When writing, try to complete a set amount of
  work per writing session.
• Periodically refer back to the papers
  requirements.
• Consider using headers for organization, even if
  the headers will be deleted in the final product.
• Make sure all sources are given due credit. It
  should be clear what thought or material does not
  originate from the writer.

20
Between Writing and Revising

• The line between revising and writing can be
  blurred for some writers.
• Some writers prefer to finish all writing before
  beginning the revision process.
• Others prefer to revise and edit as they write.
• At some point, however, the writing is done.
  This does not mean that the paper is actually
  complete.

21
Post-writing

• Revision, Editing, and polishing

22
Revision Logic

• Have a reason for everything.
• Of the whole papers logical flow
• Of each paragraphs topic and cohesion
• Of every sentences necessity
• Of every word choice and inclusion

23
Revision Content

• Try to be objective and look at the paper as a
  first-time reader.
• The writer must examine the paper and constantly
  ask, Why is this here?
• If the answer is not obvious or not demonstrated,
  then make the connection clear.
• If the reason is tenuous, delete.
• Eliminate redundancies.

24
Editing

• Clarity and proper grammar allow the reader to
  focus on the content of what is said instead of
  how it is stated.
• Be concise in word choice.

25
Editing

• Know your weaknesses. Search for them within the
  paper.
• Grammatical issues such as Comma usage, word
  choice, word repetition, redundancy, subject/verb
  agreement, pronoun/antecedent usage, etc.
• Take breaks. Tired writers may find themselves
  skimming instead of closely examining the paper.
• Even when you consider yourself done, edit once
  more.

26
Editing Tips

• Read the paper aloud, exactly as it is written.
• Mimics the first look aspect that a reader will
  experience.
• Separates what the writer thinks the paper says
  from what is actually written.
• Allows for many writers to listen for word order,
  awkwardness, and comma errors.
• Read the paper backwards, sentence by sentence,
  to isolate grammar from its contextual meaning.
• Print the paper, and edit the printout.
• Edit in stages to avoid fatigue.

27
Customization of the Writing Process

• The process is intended to provide planning and
  divide the whole writing task into manageable
  sections.
• Every person thinks differently. Similarly, every
  person will find the writing process different.

28
Review

• Pre-writing
• Have a focus.
• Have support for the focus.
• Prepare research necessary for that support.
• Be sure the focus, supporting points, and
  research fits any and all requirements
• Be ready so that when actual writing begins, all
  information is prepared to minimize time spent
  writing

29
Review

• Writing
• Use the plan developed in pre-writing.
• If modifying the plan, be sure to continue to
  fulfill necessary requirements.
• Make or note all sources when they are used to
  avoid later confusion.
• Post-writing
• Check the logic of the paper.
• Be sure everything stated is necessary, and
  everything necessary is stated.
• Edit closely.