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The Writing Process: The University Writing Center at The University of Alabama at Birmingham

The document discusses the writing process and provides guidance on each stage: pre-writing, writing, and post-writing. In pre-writing, strategies are outlined for determining purpose, audience, organization, brainstorming, and developing a thesis. When writing, writers are advised to follow their plan while allowing for adjustments, and to periodically check that requirements are being met. Post-writing involves revision of logic, content, and editing for clarity and proper grammar. The process is customizable but generally involves planning, writing, and polishing stages.

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Kornelia Nita
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
110 views

The Writing Process: The University Writing Center at The University of Alabama at Birmingham

The document discusses the writing process and provides guidance on each stage: pre-writing, writing, and post-writing. In pre-writing, strategies are outlined for determining purpose, audience, organization, brainstorming, and developing a thesis. When writing, writers are advised to follow their plan while allowing for adjustments, and to periodically check that requirements are being met. Post-writing involves revision of logic, content, and editing for clarity and proper grammar. The process is customizable but generally involves planning, writing, and polishing stages.

Uploaded by

Kornelia Nita
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Writing Process

THE UNIVERSITY WRITING CENTER


AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM

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

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.

Pre-writing
THE PLANNING STAGE

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Writing the Paper


GETTING STARTED, STAYING ON TRACK, AND KNOWING WHEN
TO ADJUST

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Post-writing
REVISION, EDITING, AND POLISHING

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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