Student Page - The Writing Process

Step 1

Pre-Writing or brainstorming, is a strategy to help you come up with ideas for writing.

1. Where will I get an idea for my writing?

Where will you search for ideas?

Example: search in magazines

2. How do I decide upon a topic? After you get ideas for you writing, narrow your ideas to a single topic.

What will be the topic of your writing?

Example: advertisements in magazines

3. What will be the purpose for writing?

Why are you writing?

Example: to persuade readers to ignore advertisements in magazines

4. Who will be the audience or who will read your writing?

Who will read your writing? Why will the reader be interested?

Example: Peers will be interested because they read magazines and purchase many of the items they see in advertisements.

5. Use a graphic organizer to organize thoughts or generate ideas.

Which is the best graphic organizer to use for the type of writing chosen?

Examples: pictures, outline, story web, or venn diagram

DRAFT

Step 2 Writing a rough draft is your next step.

1. Using the ideas from the graphic organizer, plan the order and content of your writing. 

How can you organize your writing?

2. Write the introduction, body and conclusion that follows your plan or outline. Write in complete sentences but do not worry about spelling, punctuation or neatness. You will edit your writing in Step 4 Edit. Include details or supporting ideas as you write. Details explain your main ideas.

How will you grab the attention of your audience in the introduction?

Which details will keep the audience interested in your writing?

How will you conclude your writing?

3. Write everything that comes to mind! Do not leave anything out.

REVISE

Step 3 Revising will guide you to improve what you have already written.

1. Re-read your writing to make sure all necessary information is included.  If you have left out information, ideas or background information, include them; you may also find there are things you don't want to include anymore in your writing, cross those out.

Does your writing relate to your purpose?

Will the audience have all of the information needed to enjoy reading your piece?

Are all ideas and details provided in your writing?

Did you forget any?

Did you add any?

2. Rearrange your writing in a order that makes sense.

Should you order things first, second, third and so on?

Should things be in order from most important to least important? (or even the opposite)

Should things be in another order?

3. Use transitional words and phrases.

Examples:  first, however, also, last, in addition, on the other hand

4. Ask someone to revise your paper.

Pick a friend or classmate wisely.  Make sure it is someone you know would be able

to read and understand what you wrote as well as give advice.

Maybe you should consider having one person read what you wrote and give you ideas while you

have a second classmate read what you wrote and edit for mistakes! 

EDIT

Now go through your paper to check for the following: (If your typed your paper in Microsoft Word, use the Spelling and Grammar Tool.)

Use Editing Marks!

1. All words must be spelled correctly. This includes words that are capitalized.  

Did you check the spelling of all unfamiliar and familiar words?

One way to check spelling is to read your paper backwards, word by word.  This helps you focus on just spelling!

2. Check sentences for proper punctuation, subject/verb agreement, and grammar. 

 Read your paper out loud to check.  If you don't see a comma or period but it sounds like you need one, PUT IT IN!

Are periods, quotation marks, commas etc. used properly?

Do subjects agree with verb in gender and number?

3. Ask someone to check edit your paper. Your editor should use a different color pen to make corrections.