REVIEW FOR MIDTERM B50
I. Planning Your Essay
A. think about your purpose (the writer’s goal, i.e. to entertain, inform, persuade)
B. think about your audience (who is the piece written for, e.g. your peers, elementary-aged children, professional musicians, etc.)
1. consider audience’s prior knowledge of the subject
2. consider demographics (age group, level of education, occupation, etc.)
C. manage time (due dates)
D. research needed
II. Subject vs. Topic
A. subjects are very broad
B. topics are specific and fall under the umbrellas of the subject
1. subject = homelessness in America; topic = how as the federal government helped decrease the number of homeless individuals in the US?
2. subject = underage drinking; topic = what are the factors that lead a minor to consume alcohol despite it being illegal to do so?
C. when given specific topics/prompts
1. read the entire question/prompt
2. focus on everything you are being asked to writing about
3. look for key terms like describe, analyze, compare & contrast, evaluate, etc.
4. specific topics/prompts usually instruct that more than one question be
answered
III. Generating Ideas
A. free write
B. make a list
C. brainstorm
D. use the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) and how
E. journaling
F. annotating while reading
G. research
1. is necessary when doing most academic writing
2. entering a “conversation” about your topic
3. taking notes
4. synthesizing experts’ findings and opinions
5. quoting, paraphrasing, and referring to experts (don’t forget to document)
6. use new ideas to come up with ideas/conclusions of your own
IV. Organizing and Drafting
A. thesis statement—what your essay is going to prove
1. details the topic(s)
2. should be an assertion—a confident claim you must prove
3. is the foundation, cornerstone, for the rest of the essay
4. directs your writing and research
5. use templates (pages 33-34) to help write a working thesis statement
B. informal outlines aid in the development and organization of your draft
C. be aware of the mode of writing (description, classification, argument, etc.)
D. parts of a draft
1. introductory paragraph
a. include on introductory information
b. thesis statement usually placed at the end of the intro paragraph
2. body paragraphs
a. can be a few paragraphs to several pages
b. every body paragraph MUST support the thesis statement
c. evidence in each body paragraph should unite the entire essay
3. concluding paragraph—
a. sums up information
b. restates the thesis
c. often leaves the reader with one last thought or call-to-action
V. Revising
A. taking a second, third, and, sometimes, fourth look at content & organization
B. revise after having let the piece “sit” for a day or two
C. having a peer read over the first draft is beneficial
D. always carefully look at
1. thesis statement
2. audience considerations
3. support/evidence
4. organization
5. mode of writing
6. sources
7. paragraphs
8. sentence structure and length
VI. Editing and Proofreading
A. mechanical—punctuation (commas, periods, etc.)
B. grammatical—subject/verb agreement, fragments or run-ons, etc.
C. usage—their, there, or they’re; to, too, or two; etc.
VII. Final Formatting
A. double check all formatting according the style you have been instructed to use (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)
B. use MLA in B50 on every essay
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I. Paragraph Writing
A. first sentence/topic sentence serves to guide the rest of the paragraph
B. when revising--check each sentence in each paragraph against the topic sentence
1. justify their connection to the topic sentence
2. if a sentence digresses, delete or rewrite it
3. example paragraph: which sentences should be eliminated?
C. Developing the Main Idea in Paragraphs
1. cause & effect—analyze a cause and its effect; actions and consequences
2. classification—combine things with similar characteristics
3. division—take the whole and divide into sections or parts
4. compart & contrast—similarities & differences
a. point by point—describe each similarity & difference
b. block methods—take one paragraph to discuss similarities and
another to point out differences
5. defining—categorize something very generally and give specific characteristics
6. description—specific details that appeal the five senses (smell, sight, sound, touch, taste)
7. use explanations—How does that work? What is the process?
8. anecdotes—a short amusing/interesting story about that supports your topic
9. use examples
D. The Flow of the Paragraph
1. maintain coherence in your paragraphs—unified, logical, and consistent
2. repetition—repeat key words/phrases or use synonyms
3. parallel structure—keep the grammatical structure the same
4. effective transition words/phrases like as a result, likewise, for instance,
etc. (See pages 26 & 27 of The Little Seagull for lists of transition words/phrases.)
E. Starting a New Paragraph
1. when you’re ready to introduce a new topic
2. when you need to emphasize an idea
3. when you feel the reader needs to pause
F. Introductory Paragraphs
1. begin with some context or general background about your subject matter
2. intros may include
a. an anecdote
b. quotation from an expert
c. a rhetorical question to get your reader thinking about the subject
d. a shocking fact or opinion
3. thesis statement will usually be placed at the end of the intro
G. Concluding Paragraphs
1. summarize your argument/main points
2. synthesize your main points into the “larger implications”
3. circle back to the intro and answer your rhetorical question
4. give your reader a call-to-action
II. Sentence Fragments
A. key element(s) is(are) missing
B. in your own writing look for:
1. missing subjects (the who/what)
2. missing verbs (the “do”/action)
3. subordinate clauses used as complete sentences
C. examples:
1. missing subject = Loves to play ball.
2. missing verb = Their new life together.
3. subordinate clause = Because I love my mother.
III. Elements of a Sentence
A. subject and verb (All sentences must have a “who” and what they “do”)
B. clauses—a group of words that has a subject and verb
C. independent clauses = complete sentence
D. dependent clauses = DEPEND on an independent clause to become part of a
complete sentence
1. subordinate clauses – begin with a subordinating conjunction
2. subordinating conjunctions are words like although, because, whoever, etc.
3. see
for more fabulous information on subordinating conjunctions
4. example sentence: Whenever it rains, I have to shut the windows.
Subordinate clause^ Independent clause^
E. phrases – a group of words that make up a part of speech and is dependent on a subject and verb to make a complete sentence
1. prepositional phrases
2. appositive phrases
3. verbals (gerund, infinitive, & participial phrases)
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I. Descriptive Writing
A. appeals to the five senses (sound, smell, sight, taste, & touch)
B. good description SHOWS (doesn’t tell)
C. especially useful when making something abstract or vague more concrete and
definite
D. descriptions can be objective or subjective
1. objective description – the description shows what a detached observer would see & hear
2. subjective description – presents the author’s thoughts and feelings along with the physical details
E. focus should be on some dominant impression
F. figures of speech (metaphors, similes, personification) can make descriptions more
vivid and concrete
II. How to Write a Descriptive Essay
A. Coming up with a Subject
1. Our own experiences are the best source for subject matter
2. Need to be able to identify everything about who/what you’re describing
B. Purpose & Audience
1. Will your description be objective or subjective?
a. objective = cold, impartial, precise
i. found in scientific & technical writings
ii. accurate, unbiased, & easily understandable
b. subjective = personal feelings conveyed
i. intentionally created to produce a particular response
ii. intentionally focuses on as many senses as possible
iii. intentionally wants to leave the reader in a specific state of
mind
2. Who will read this? What is their level of knowledge?
C. Generating Ideas
1. descriptive writing is built around CONCRETE qualities
2. observe your subject, ask questions, & take notes
D. Thesis statements for descriptive writing should center around the dominant impression you wish to make.
1. “It is spring break, in the middle of March, my sophomore year. The salty, floating breeze of Miami’s coast is enough to make my knees go weak. I look into the cloudless, cerulean blue sky and see the perfection of life; in the distance, rolling clear-blue waves crash into each other with such force as that of football players. I squint in the distance of the progressing whitecaps and come upon a floating yacht.” (“Miami Beach” Jessica Turner)
2. “Over the years that I knew her, I gained an uncommon respect for the librarian at our high school. In one word she could be described as "eccentric", but only because she refused to accept the stereotypical notion of what the term "librarian" had come to mean. The students thought she was just plain weird, but those who took the time to know her realized she was a person searching for a comfortable identity.” (“Shhh! Here Comes the Librarian” Bailey West)
F. Creating a Dominant Impression
1. the main impression of a subject that the writer creates through carefully
selected details
2. create the “feeling” of the person/place
G. Use Figurative Language
1. simile -- “Suspicion climbed all over her face like a kitten, but not so playfully” (Raymond Chandler).
2. metaphor -- “All the world’s a stage” (William Shakespeare).
3. personification -- Lightning danced across the sky.
H. Arrange Details form a Consistent Vantage Point
1. the physical perspective from which a subject is described
2. examples:
a. Are you observing your subject from the inside a closet?
b. Are in a tree looking down?
c. Are you across the room from your subject?
3. perspective MUST stay the same
4. don’t describe something you wouldn’t know from your perspective
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EDITING SENTENCES
I. Sentence Fragments
A. key element(s) is(are) missing
B. in your own writing look for:
1. missing subjects (the who/what)
2. missing verbs (the “do”/action)
3. subordinate clauses used as complete sentences
C. examples:
1. missing subject = Loves to play ball.
2. missing verb = Their new life together.
3. subordinate clause = Because I love my mother.
II. Elements of a Sentence
A. subject and verb (All sentences must have a “who” and what they “do”)
B. clauses—a group of words that has a subject and verb
C. independent clauses = complete sentence
D. dependent clauses = DEPEND on an independent clause to become part of a
complete sentence
1. subordinate clauses – begin with a subordinating conjunction
2. subordinating conjunctions are words like although, because, whoever, etc.
3. see
for more fabulous information on subordinating conjunctions
4. example sentence: Whenever it rains, I have to shut the windows.
Subordinate clause^ Independent clause^
E. phrases – a group of words that make up a part of speech and is dependent on a subject and verb to make a complete sentence
1. prepositional phrases around the corner, (beneath the tree)
2. appositive phrases
3. verbals (gerund, infinitive, & participial phrases)
III. Comma Splice
A. Comma splice—two or more complete sentences (AKA independent clauses) are joined together by a comma.
B. commas are not strong enough to hold two independent clauses together
C. example: Bella barked and barked her little head off, she was determined to get the birds just outside the window.
D. how to correct comma splices
1. replace the comma with a period & create two independent clauses
Bella barked and barked her little head off. She was determined to get the birds just outside the window.
2. replace the comma with a semicolon (semicolons are used to hold two independent clauses together that go well together)
Bella barked and barked her little head off; she was determined to get the birds just outside the window.
3. add a coordinating conjunction after the comma
(FANBOYS = For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
Bella barked and barked her little head off, for she was determined to get the birds just outside the window.
IV. Fused Sentences
A. sentences that run on and on with no punctuation or wrong punctuation
B. sentences that contain two or more independent clauses all jammed together
C. example: The Black Death traveled from Asia to the area around the Mediterranean Sea it spread to the rest of Europe.
D. how to correct fused sentences:
1. add a period where the second sentence begins
The Black Death traveled from Asia to the area around the Mediterranean Sea.
It spread to the rest of Europe.
2. add a semicolon where the second sentence begins
The Black Death traveled from Asia to the area around the Mediterranean Sea;
it spread to the rest of Europe.
3. add a comma and a coordinating conjunction where the second sentence begins (FANBOYS)
The Black Death traveled from Asia to the area around the Mediterranean Sea,
and it spread to the rest of Europe.
V. Subordinating Conjunctions & Transition Words
A. additional tools to correct comma splices and fused sentences
B. subordinating conjunctions—a word that connects an independent clause to a
subordinate clause
C. subordinate conjunctions are words like because, after, when, if, etc. (see page 318 in the Little Seagull book for a few more)
D. example sentence: Although the Cubs won the World Series last year, they
Subordinate conjunction^ subordinate clause
remained a team of humble baseball players. independent clause
E. transition words—words the help with the flow of sentences & paragraph; show relation between sentence & paragraphs; organize ideas and maintain coherence
F. transition words list on page 26 & 27 of Little Seagull
G. example sentence: Bella barked and barked her little head off, because she was
determined to get the birds just outside the window.
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I. Direct & Indirect Quotes
A. direct quotes—represent someone’s exact speech
B. examples:
1. Jane said, “I will meet you at the movies.”
2. “I can hardly wait!” exclaimed Marty.
C. indirect quotes—general meaning of what someone said
D. examples:
1. Jane said that she would meet us at the movies.
2. Marty told me that he could hardly wait.
II. Punctuating Direct Quotations
A. introductory expressions
1. place a comma after the introductory expression
2. write the quote as a full sentence
3. example: Tommy told us, “My car is in the repair shop.”
B. concluding expressions
1. write the quotation as a full sentence ending with a comma, question mark, or
exclamation mark inside the quotation mark
2. then write the concluding expression & end with a period
3. example: “What did you mean?” asked Zoe.
C. guided practice: punctuate the following sentences properly.
1. The police said, “You cannot park there.”
2. “What do you want for lunch?” asked Mom.
3. Mrs. Lambert said that we will not have time to stop.
4. Sandy yelled, “Stop doing that!”
5. “Your dogs got out of their kennel!” screamed Betty.
D. interrupting expressions
1. end the first part of the quotation with a comma & quotation mark
2. place a comma after the interrupting expression
3. use a new set of quotation marks to enclose the rest of the quotation
4. example: “Since we will be going to Lancaster,” explained Mom, “we will do
all our grocery shopping then.”
5. guided practice: properly punctuate the following direct quotes
a. “I think,” said Terry, “we should go to the movies.”
b. “It was late last night,” the reporter said, “when there were a number of robberies in the downtown area.”
c. Hey, Mr. Robertson Sarah called I have a question.
E. two complete sentences w/an interrupting expression
1. end the first quoted sentence with a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark
2. place a period after the interrupter
3. write the second quoted sentence as a full quotation
4. example: “We decided to stay home,” she said. “The weather was too bad to
go outside.”
5. guided practice: properly punctuate the following direct quotes
a. “There were a lot of people at the show,” Missy told us. “We had to sit in the back of the theater.”
b. “I just finished a wonderful book,” Gracie told us. “It is called The Wizard of Oz.”
c. Last night’s homework was difficult complained Billy I didn’t understand any of it.
F. use single quotation marks around quotations within a quotation
1.example: Mrs. Robertson said, “My favorite line from the movie is ‘Houston, we have a problem.’ I use it all of the time.”
2. example: “I was speaking to the students and one of them said, ‘We heard a loud noise and then we ran.’ That information helped the investigation,” commented the police officer.
G. when writing dialogue, begin a new paragraph and a new set of quotation marks every time the speaker changes
H. example:
Harry explained, “I have to go to work very early in the morning. So, I should probably head home.”
“Aw, come on, man! Hang out with us a little while longer,” replied Manny. “We are going over to the pool hall.”
“Nah, I better get going,” Harry said as he gathered up his belongings.
“Okay, but I think you’re going to miss a great time,” chided Manny.
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COMMA RULES
I. Commas & Compound Sentences
A. use a comma between main clauses in a compound sentence
B. example: Bobby will got to the mall, but he will not buy anything.
II. Commas in a Series
A. use a comma to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series
B. use the Oxford comma—always use a comma before the conjunction in a series
C. examples:
1. I need milk, bread,and butter.
2. I live up the hill, around the corner, and down the block from my mom.
3. Reading carefully, taking good notes, and outline the chapters will help you
pass Professor Jones’s class.
OXFORD COMMA -- I need milk, bread,and butter
D. do not use commas to separate nouns that are considered single units
E. examples:
I ate bacon and eggs, toast, oatmeal for breakfast.
III. Commas and Adjectives
A. use a comma between adjectives that precede a noun and are of equal rank
B. example: The good, obedient dog played well.
C. do not use commas that need to remain in a certain order