<p>PREWRITING</p>
<p>Prewriting is the critical first step in creating a successful essay. Whether you are handed a topic, must come up with one on your own, or writing under a time constraint, taking the time to focus and shape your thoughts will result in a better final product. The six prewriting strategies explained below may be used both to generate new ideas and to clarify those you already have. Some strategies are better suited to a longer writing process such as the college admissions essay, while others may be adapted for when you have just a short period of time to complete an essay, as with the SAT. Prewriting strategies can also be used effectively when you are faced with a number of possible essay topics and must determine which is the best vehicle to express your unique thoughts and experiences.</p>
<p>1. FREEWRITING</p>
<p>Free writing is probably the best-known prewriting technique. It works well when you have some thoughts on a topic, but can’t envision them as an essay. Free writing also functions as a developmental tool, nurturing isolated ideas into an essay-worthy one. People who use technique often surprise themselves with what comes out on paper. It is common to discover a thought or point you didn’t realize you had. Specifically, free writing means spending a predetermined period of time writing nonstop, focusing on a specific topic. In fact, free writing might better be called “flow writing,” because the most important aspect to this prewriting technique is the flow, or momentum, that comes when you stay with it. It works best when you write in full sentences, but phrases are also effective. The key is to keep writing without regard for grammar, spelling, or worthiness of ideas. Your speed will help keep you from being able to edit or throw out any ideas.</p>
<p>KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL FREEWRITING</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] Resist the temptation to look back at what you have written during the process.
[</em>] If you can’t stay on topic, keep writing anything to maintain the flow.
[<em>] Do not censor yourself; your free writing is not going to be seen by others, so commit every thought to paper.
[</em>] Follow your ideas wherever they lead you.
[<em>] When finished, read your free writing with a highlighter, noting the most interesting and strongest ideas.
[</em>] Try the process again after you have focused your topic; more ideas may be generated.
[/ul]
2. BRAINSTORMING OR LISTING</p>
<p>Brainstorming is similar to free writing in that it is a timed, flowing exercise meant to elicit many thoughts and ideas on a given topic. However, instead of putting whole sentences or phrases to paper, this prewriting technique involves creating a list. It might contain various individual thoughts or ideas that make sense in a particular order, and/or ideas that are linked together by association with previous ideas. Unlike free writing, brainstorming works well in a limited amount of time. Even with the twenty-five minutes allotted for the SAT essay, it is worthwhile to spend a few moments jotting down your ideas before beginning to write. Putting your ideas on paper will be especially helpful on the SAT, where your goal is to establish a point of view on a topic and support your position.</p>
<p>HOW TO BRAINSTORM</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] If you are not already being timed, set a timer for at least five minutes (the more time you spend, the more and better ideas you will probably come up with).
[</em>] List every word or phrase that comes to mind about your topic. If you have not selected a topic, write in answers to the questions, “What do I have to say to my audience?” or “What do I want my audience to know about me?”
[<em>] As with free writing, do not edit or censor any ideas, and ignore the rules of spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
[</em>] When you are finished, look over the list carefully. Cross out useless information and organize what is left. Categorize similar items.
[/ul]
3. CONCEPT MAPPING/ WEBBING</p>
<p>Mapping and webbing are graphic (visual) organizers that allow you to investigate the relationships between a number of diverse ideas. Concept mapping is a simple process best used for exploring topics that are not complex. To make one, draw a circle, and add spokes radiating from it. Put your central idea or subject in the middle, and add subtopics or related ideas around it in any order. Or, draw a box with your subject written in it, and continue adding boxes, connected to each other by arrows, showing the development of your idea. As with other prewriting techniques, do not judge yourself during this process. Write down any and every thought you have on your subject.</p>
<p>4. TAKING STOCK WITH THE 5 WS</p>
<p>Asking “who, what, where, when, and why” is a formula used by journalists, detectives, and researchers for getting a complete story. This technique is particularly useful for choosing an essay topic, and for focusing a topic once you have made a selection. There are two sets of questions for taking stock; one suited for an impersonal or research-type essay, and the other geared toward a personal essay. Unlike some of the other prewriting techniques, taking stock should be done deliberately, with great thought given to each question. Do not rush or include every idea that comes to mind. Even if you are being timed, take a moment to give the best answer you can for each question. The better focused your answers are, the more information you will have to use in your essay. If you are writing a research paper or other type of non-personal writing, and your topic is already selected or assigned, concentrate on the standard W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. These questions will help you to quickly develop a great deal of information about your subject. Every question won’t apply to every essay, and the prompts that follow each W are meant to be taken as suggestions. Be flexible and use the format as it best fits your topic.
[ul]
[<em>] Who: Who is involved? At what level? Who is affected?
[</em>] What: What is your topic? What is its significance? What is at stake? What are the issues?
[<em>] Where: Where does your subject occur? Where is its source?
[</em>] When: When does your topic occur? When did it begin/end? When must action be taken to deal with it?
[<em>] Why: Why is it our subject of interest? Why did it develop as it did? Why should others be interested in your topic?
[/ul]
Admissions essays and some exit essays are intended to be personal, so you must focus on yourself. Take time answering the personal, taking-stock questions below. This process involves a different set of W’s, meant to elicit key information about yourself and about the topic if it has been chosen.
[ul]
[li] Where have you been (chronological history)?[/li][</em>] What have you accomplished or achieved?
[<em>] What do you do with your time when not in school?
[</em>] What are you good at? What are you passionate about?
[li] Who are/were your major influences?[/li][/ul]</p>
<p>6. READING GOOD WRITING</p>
<p>Consider your print diet: what are you reading in your spare time? This is an important question because what you read can influence what you write. The computer science term “garbage in, garbage out” applies. If you are reading mediocre writing, it won’t help your essay, but if you consistently read great writing, it can make a difference with your own. Syntax, structure, and style can improve under the influence of writers who are masters at their craft. The following list is based on suggestions made by English professors and teachers, college counselors, and admissions officers. It includes books and periodicals that cover current events, book reviews, science, history, race relations, sports, and other topics. Choose essays that appeal to you; there is no need to force yourself to read about something you are not interested in.</p>
<p>PERIODICALS</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] Harper’s (weekly magazine): essays, fiction, and reporting on political, literary, cultural, and scientific affairs.
[</em>] The Economist (daily newspaper): London publication covering world news, finance and economics, science and technology, books and arts, and business news.
[li] The New Yorker (weekly magazine): political and business reporting, social commentary, fiction, humor, art, poetry, and criticism.[/li][/ul]
BOOKS</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology for the Classical Era to the Present, Philip Lopate, editor (Anchor, 1997): over 75 essays written in the past 400 years by writers around the globe.
[</em>] The Best American Essays 2003, Robert Atwan and Anne Fadiman, editors (Mariner Books, 2003): annual publication since 1986—any year is fine; all volumes include a wide range of subjects.
[li] The Best American Magazine Writing of 2003, American Society of Magazine Editors, editors (Perennial, 2003): includes pieces on science, sports, current events, personalities, and fiction. The Best American Science Writing, Oliver Sacks, editor (Ecco, 2003): 25 essays on subjects representing most of the sciences, originally published in wide- and small-circulation periodicals.[/li][/ul]
ORGANIZATION METHODS</p>
<p>With the exception of concept mapping and webbing, prewriting notes need organization before the writing of a first draft. There are many effective ways to organize your material before you start your first draft, so don’t get hung up trying to find the one right way. Some people like outlines, both creating them and working from them. Others find them ineffective and should look at different techniques for imposing a scheme onto their prewriting notes.</p>
<p>OUTLINE</p>
<p>Creating an outline begins with a reading of your prewriting notes. First, group related ideas together, looking for major topics (which can be headings) and minor ones (which can be subheadings, examples, or details). Define your major points, and rearrange them until they make sense and follow a logical progression. You will be able to see the relationships between your ideas as you outline them, and determine their importance (major point, minor point, example, and detail). If you need more supporting details or facts—subcategories—you can add them now. As you outline your information, use one-word topics, short phrases, or write out full sentences for each point on your outline. If your prewriting notes are somewhat organized, you can use the outlining feature included in most word-processing programs to create an outline. Otherwise, arrange them yourself in a standard outline form using Roman and Arabic numerals and upper and lower case letters:</p>
<p>I.
A.
B.
[indent]1.[/indent]
[indent]2.[/indent]
[indent][indent]a.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][indent]b.[/indent][/indent]</p>
<p>Once you have completed an outline, revise and refine it by following these steps:
[ul]
[<em>] Write down your overall goal for your essay. What are you trying to say to your readers?
[</em>] Go over your outline and circle, underline, or highlight your major points or images. Do they all support your goal?
[<em>] Brainstorm words and phrases that will accurately and concisely express those points (jot them down in the margin of your outline, or use a separate sheet of paper).
[</em>] Use this list and your outline to guide your writing. Do not allow yourself to stray from your goal or your major points.
[/ul]
PYRAMID CHARTS</p>
<p>As you reread your prewriting notes, answer the following:
[ul]
[<em>] What is the purpose of my essay as a whole?
[</em>] What are the major parts of the whole, and how can they be categorized?
[<em>] What are the minor parts of the whole, and how do they relate to the major parts?
[</em>] What details can I use to illuminate both major and minor parts?
[/ul]
The answer to the first question is your thesis. Place it at the top of the pyramid. Below it, write the major parts and join them to the thesis with lines. Next, write the minor parts beneath the major ones, connecting them with lines. Finally, your details should be added under the parts to which they correspond.</p>
<p>LIST</p>
<p>If you are having trouble with the highly structured outline or pyramid, try listing. Picture someone reading your completed essay. They will not see the framework behind your words, but instead will encounter each word, and thus each idea, one at a time. In other words, reading happens sequentially. With that in mind, organize your notes into a list based on one of the following strategies:
[ul]
[<em>] Order of Importance: rank supporting ideas from most important to least important, or vice versa.
[</em>] Chronological: organize your ideas in the order in which they did happen or will happen.
[<em>] List: create a roster of items of equal importance.
[</em>] General to Specific: state supporting details, then the main point, or vice versa.
[/ul]
FOR YOUR REVIEW</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] Remember to use a variety of prewriting techniques, including free writing, brainstorming, webbing, and concept mapping.
[</em>] Try different organizational methods such as outlines, pyramid charts, and lists.
[li] Don’t forget that what you read affects your writing, so make sure you read the very best![/li][/ul]</p>