Writing. It seems like an open and closed thing to just write something down, but it is not.
Writing is like baking -
It is a multi-step process that
takes skills each step of the way.
Students often do not understand. They think there's something wrong with them - that they "can't write". Really, they just need to know that putting the words on the page is only the first step (actually... it isn't even the first step!... )
BEFORE YOU EVER START to do what we call "Writing" there is a pre-writing process with many steps (and sub-steps!)
Pre-Writing Process
Topic Generation
Brainstorming
Research
Careful documentation of research notes and sources
Argument Building
Thesis Statement Development
Outline - Planning
Then you can write - it is time for the first draft!
Then the editing process takes over:
Revision
Editing for the basics - complete sentences, spelling, and ideas
Editing for commas (this will take many read-throughs)
Sentence Improvement
Editing - again!
Then the post-writing phase
Formatting the paper
Creating a works cited page
Adding or tweaking In-text citations
Back to Editing!
Check it over again
Edit to the marking rubric
Get someone else to read it and give feedback
Fix mistakes
Edit again
Print your finished Essay!
Sometimes I wonder why we call it the writing process
it seems to be mostly editing! The editing is a huge process- one that most students do not budget time for at all! Editing is the part that makes a good paper a great paper!
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