Module Two Narration and Description

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Module TwoNarration and Description
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Narration

• Used to tell about ideas and experiences to
  bring them to life
• Organizes according to time or logic (usually
  time)
• Answers question for reader of what happens next
• Includes some events summarized and some in detail

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Ideas for Narrative Writing Discovery Writing

• Informal discovery writing (one type of narrative
  writing)
• Method of recording thoughts and experiences for
  own enjoyment and use
• Example of diary a place to think regularly
  about life and world around you an unstructured
  process to explore past or present experiences
• What are some famous dairies?
• Other forms of discovery writing include
  freewriting and brainstorming

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Ideas for Narrative Writing Formal Narration

• Take personal experience and turn it into an
  essay that others will find entertaining and
  meaningful
• Writing becomes more directed and helps a writer
• By progressing to better understanding of topic
  (by addressing what)
• By being focused on why and how the topic might
  be interesting to others

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Review for Narrative Essays

• Is purpose clear?
• Does the reader have enough information?
• Is language lively to appeal to reader and bring
  scenes to life?
• Are any concrete details needed to add clarity to
  a scene or idea?

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Descriptive Writing

• Add life and interest to any writing
• Can also be very relevant for narrative writing
• Use descriptions all the time in daily life
• Describe where weve been, what we saw, who we
  were with, why we were there
• Good for answering journalist questions discussed
  last week

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Descriptive Writing

• Descriptive writing tells how something looks,
  acts, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes
• Thus related to one of the senses
• Writers use descriptions to present information
  and express feelings
• Objective (accurate and complete) or expressive
  (feelings conveyed)?
• Effective descriptions use specific details,
  images, and comparisons
• Extended descriptions give a dominant impression
  of the subject

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Descriptions

• Rely on images (vivid images, precise details,
  figurative comparisons)
• Can be similes, which use like or as (cars as
  fast as spaceships)
• Can be metaphors, which
• Are comparisons that declare one thing to be
  another
• Dont use like or as but imply comparison by
  talking about one item as if it were another
• Can use personification, which gives human
  characteristics to an object

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Descriptions

• Help to make what is been written better, clearer
  and more effective
• Enliven narratives, clarify explanations, give
  examples
• Seldom are basis for entire essay, but typically
  all writing includes descriptive details

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Review for Descriptive Writing

• What is the purpose of the description? Is
  purpose clear? Does reader have enough detail to
  form inferences?
• Is description objective (accurate and complete)
  or expressive (feelings conveyed)?
• Is material arranged appropriately and do parts
  of description work together?
• Is language concrete and vivid? Does it appeal to
  readers senses?

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Introduction

• Narrowing discussion
• Clear thesis
• Predictability
• Meaningful
• Narration
• Descriptive
• Point of view
• Attitude
• Feeling
• Personal

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Paragraphs

• General body section
• Development
• Effective topic sentence
• Supporting details
• Descriptive language
• Unity main idea
• Coherence Ideas linked
• Expression
• Sentences
• Variety of structure
• Variety of function
• Variety of beginnings
• Variety of length
• Word selection
• Emphatic
• Descriptive
• Organization
• Logical flow
• Transitions

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I Have a Dream Speech

• Thesis
• Tone
• Purpose
• Point of view
• Descriptive details
• Audience

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Common Sentence Structure Errors

• Comma splice
• Fused sentence

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Common Sentence Structure Errors

• Comma splice
• Two main clauses joined only with a comma
• Fused sentence

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Dean is a great drummer, his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by using different punctuation
• a semicolon or
• a period (and making a separate sentence)

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Dean is a great drummer, his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by using a period or semicolon
• Dean is a great drummer. His band plays great
  music.
• Dean is a great drummer his band plays great
  music.

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Mark is a lousy drummer, however, his band plays
  great music.
• Correct by using a period or semicolon
• Mark is a lousy drummer. However, his band plays
  great music.
• Mark is a lousy drummer however, his band plays
  great music.

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Dean is a great drummer, his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by adding a coordinating conjunction
  after the comma (that joins the main clauses and
  specifies the relation between them)

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Dean is a great drummer, his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by adding a coordinating conjunction
  after the comma (that joins the main clauses and
  specifies the relation between them)
• Dean is a great drummer, and his band plays great
  music.

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Dean is a great drummer, his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by subordinating one clause (making one
  clause more important than the other)

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Comma Splice

• Example of comma splice
• Dean is a great drummer, his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by subordinating one clause (making one
  clause more important than the other)
• Because Dean is a great drummer, his band plays
  great music.

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Correction for Comma Splice

• Usually make the correction by
• changing the punctuation to a semicolon or a
  period
• adding a coordinating conjunction after the comma
  (that joins main clauses and specifies relation
  between them)
• changing the sentence structure and making one
  clause subordinate

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Common Sentence Structure Errors

• Comma splice
• Fused sentence
• No punctuation or coordination conjunction
  appears between main clauses

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Fused Sentence

• Example of fused sentence
• Dean is a great drummer his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by using a period or semicolon

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Fused Sentence

• Example of fused sentence
• Dean is a great drummer his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by using a period or semicolon
• Dean is a great drummer. His band plays great
  music.
• Dean is a great drummer his band plays great
  music.

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Fused Sentence

• Example of fused sentence
• Dean is a great drummer his band plays great
  music.
• Correct by using a comma with coordinating
  conjunction or using a subordinating conjunction
• Dean is a great drummer, and his band plays great
  music.
• Because Dean is a great drummer, his band plays
  great music.

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Common Sentence Structure Errors

• Comma splice
• Fused sentence
• Sentence fragments

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Sentence Fragments

• Part of a sentence set off as if it were a whole
  sentence
• Lacks a subject or verb, or
• Is a subordinate clause
• A sentence
• Has a subject and a verb
• Is not a subordinate clause (beginning with a
  word such as because)

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Sentence Fragments

• Part of a sentence set off as if it were a whole
  sentence
• Lacks a subject or verb, or
• Students who are well prepared for class.
• In the last hour of class began studying for next
  week.
• Is a subordinate clause
• Because we take a test next week.
• When the class reviewed Essay Basics.

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Sentence Fragments

• Be aware of acceptable uses
• Commands
• Transitional phrase
• Special effect
• Informal writing

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Sentence Fragments

• Be aware of acceptable uses
• Commands
• Read the book.
• Transitional phrase
• One final point.
• Special effect
• What next?
• Informal writing

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Agreement

• Make subjects and verbs agree in number
• Make pronouns and their antecedents agree in
  person, number and gender

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Terms

• Pronoun
• Usually substitutes for a noun and functions as a
  noun
• Examples I, you, he, she, it, we, they, myself,
  this, that, who, everyone (see TLBH chapter 13)
• Antecedent
• The word to which a pronoun refers

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Sample Agreement

• Basic pronoun-antecedent agreement
• Mario, who is not yet ten, has already chosen the
  college he will attend.
• Antecedents joined by and
• Omar and Tiffani enjoy their history class.
• Antecedents joined by or or nor(pronoun
  agrees with nearer antecedent structure awkward
  unless plural is second)
• Katy or her sisters will plan their next vacation
  soon.

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Indefinite Antecedents

• Indefinite words do not refer to specific person
  or thing (anyone, everybody, a person)
• Use singular or plural pronoun as appropriate
• Be accurate with gender
• Examples
• Not everyone on the womens team has her own
  locker.
• Each of the men still has his own locker.

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Ways to Correct

• Now everyone has their private space.
• Every athlete deserves their privacy.
• Everyone is entitled to their own locker.

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Ways to Correct

• Now everyone has their private space.
• Revision Now everyone has his or her private
  space.
• Solution Use he or she to refer to
  indefinite word (that is singular).
• Every athlete deserves their privacy.
• Everyone is entitled to their own locker.

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Ways to Correct

• Now everyone has their private space.
• Revision Now everyone has his or her private
  space.
• Solution Use he or she to refer to
  indefinite word (that is singular).
• Every athlete deserves their privacy.
• Revised Athletes deserve their privacy.
• Solution Change indefinite word to plural.
• Everyone is entitled to their own locker.

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Ways to Correct

• Now everyone has their private space.
• Revision Now everyone has his or her private
  space.
• Solution Use he or she to refer to
  indefinite word (that is singular).
• Every athlete deserves their privacy.
• Revised Athletes deserve their privacy.
• Solution Change indefinite word to plural.
• Everyone is entitled to their own locker.
• Revised Everyone is entitled to a locker.
• Solution Omit pronoun.

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Definition Approach

• What term or concept is being defined? Does the
  essay focus clearly on it?
• What is purpose of definition to clarify,
  evaluate, or increase awareness?
• How is definition developed? Are details,
  characteristics, examples, analogies, and
  contrasts sufficient?
• Who is intended audience? How would essay be
  different if written for different audience?
• Is organization clear?
• Does essay begin and end effectively?
• Do examples support thesis?

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Definitions

• Have a place in almost every mode of writing
  (much like descriptions)
• Concern meaning
• Explain meanings of word, concepts, objects or
  phenomena
• Used to clarify, evaluate, and increase awareness
• Include specific characteristics, examples,
  analogies, and contrasts (to be effective)
• Explore nature of complex subjects and
  controversial terms (when extended in an essay)

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Using Definition

• When
• Terms or words that readers are not likely to
  know
• Technical terms for special purposes
• New subject (introduced in textbooks)
• Word used in special way or in one of its special
  meanings
• Detailed explanation of meaning of complex,
  abstract or emotional term

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Definitions First Step

• Decide on kind of definition you will use
• Depends on purpose and how much readers need to
  know
• May be short to introduce key term or clarify
  technical language not understood by readers
• Sometimes only a word or two added in parentheses
• Can be a sentence, using traditional three-part
  definition
• Term to be defined
• Class to which it belongs
• Specific differences to distinguish it from other
  members in the class
• Example A knife is a cutting instrument with a
  sharp blade set in a handle.

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Definitions First Step

• Decide on kind of definition you will use
• Can be an extended definition, which is useful
  for abstract or complex ideas and explores nature
  and significance of term
• To explain concept or abstraction
• To increase awareness of concept or term, usually
  new or poorly understood
• Such as freedom in Freedoms Not Just Another
  Word
• To provide an interpretation of a term
  (particularly if controversial) and how it is
  being used in essay
• Examples conservative, religious right,
  terrorist

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Formula for Definition

• No set formula
• Can use number of strategies (like essay writing
  narration, description, comparison and
  contrast, classification) to develop definition
• Most common methods
• Attributing characteristics very descriptive
  and vivid language
• Providing examples giving details
• Using analogies (like a metaphor)
• Explaining through contrasts (like a simile)

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Metaphors and Clichés

• Avoid colorless, vague, general words
• Examples from class thing, this, real, pretty,
  unique
• Use your expression of an idea avoid pat phrases
  or clichés (stale or trite expressions)
• Light as a feather
• Ladder of success
• Hit the nail on the head
• For more see page 544 of TLBH

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Figurative Language (Figures of Speech)

• Simile explicit comparison, using like or as,
  between two unlike items
• Common speech sounds like a band saw cutting
  galvanized tin.
• Metaphor implied comparison between two unlike
  items
• We were constant prey.
• Personification attribution of human qualities
  to item or object
• I saw James Baldwins face staring up at me.
• Hyperbole deliberate exaggeration
• The bag weighed a ton.

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Essay Format

• Header with name and page number
• Identification
• Title
• Margin
• Spacing
• Paragraph indention
• Page 715 of TLBH has example
• Similar to computer competency assignment at
  start of semester

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Title

• Dont capitalize (unless first or last word in
  title or follow a colon or semicolon)
• Articles (a, an, the)
• To in infinitives
• Connecting words (prepositions and conjunctions)
• Capitalize most words
• Capitalize word after colon or semicolon
• In hyphenated word
• Always capitalize the prefix or first word
• Capitalize second word only if it is a noun or an
  adjective or is as important as the first word

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Title Examples

• Dean and the band
• Dean and the Band
• The truth about English teachers
• The Truth about English Teachers
• My favorite summer vacation
• My Favorite Summer Vacation
• Money how to earn it quickly
• Money How to Earn It Quickly

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Title Examples

• Hunting For A Million Dollars
• Hunting for a Million Dollars
• All I Want To Know About Writing
• All I Want to Know About Writing
• Youre Not Ready To Live Until Youre Ready To
  Die
• Youre Not Ready to Live Until Youre Ready to
  Die
• College Credits How To Earn Them Overnight
• College Credits How to Earn Them Overnight

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Writing Process
Analyzing and Planning
Revising and Editing
Drafting
Proofing
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Revising

• The Makers Eye Revising Your Own Manuscripts
  by Donald Murray
• After first draft writing process starts
• Idea of zero draft
• Writing put away for a year and then reread

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Writing Process
Analyzing and Planning
Revising and Editing
Zero Draft
Drafting
Proofing
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What Look for in Draft

• Information
• Meaning (pattern of significance)
• Form, structure, order
• Dimension (effective proportion)
• Awareness of audience
• Your own voice (consistent, individual)
• Read aloud

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Discover

• Words
• Double meanings
• Relationship for others
• Need for variety and balance
• Paragraphs
• Coherence
• Unity
• Emphasis

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Revising

• Most time spent on development
• Amount of rewriting underestimated
• Importance of revising
• Words on page never finished
• Discover what you have to say and how to say

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When Does Process End?

• The makers eye is never satisfied
• Piece of writing never finished only delivered
  to a deadline