Writing a composition

WRITING A COMPOSITION

Span 101 Beatriz Rubio Garcia

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What is writing a composition?

You don't have to be a good writer to write well.

Writing is a process: a series of small steps instead of a big all-at-once magic trick you

have to pull off will make writing a composition much easier and much more fun.

You can learn to brainstorm main ideas before you start writing, organize a draft of

those main ideas, and revise your composition into a polished essay.

STEP 1: Pre-Writing

Read the assignment closely:

It's important to get a clear understanding of what your teacher expects from your composition.

Each teacher will have a different set of things they'll be looking for: topic and the style.

Ask your teacher about anything you feel unsure about.

Make sure you have a good sense of the following:

What is the purpose of the composition?

What is the topic of the composition?

What are the length requirements?

What is the vocabulary and grammar points I should include?

Is research required?

Free-write techniques

Do a free-write or a journaling exercise to get some ideas on paper.

When?: When you're first getting started in trying to figure out the best way to approach a topicNo one has to see this pre-writing, so feel free to explore your thoughts and opinions about a given topic and see where it

leads.

Most common techniqu

e:

MAPPING

Main point Thesis sentence (it tells the reader what to expect from the pharagraph)

http://gettingsmart.com/2013/09/teching-novice-writers/

  Used when… PURPOSE OF THE TECHNIQUE PROCEDURE

FREEWRITING

Type 1. If you need to work on

an assignment but cannot concentrate

To clear your mind

Take a sheet of paper and begin to write about the thoughts on your mind at that moment.

Keep on writing for five minutes

Type 2If you have chosen a general topic to write about but have not yet decided what

aspect of that subject you wish to

explore 

To get down as much as you can about the subject, no matter how

disorganized.

Write your general topic at the top of the sheet Begin to write down everything that comes to your

mind on this topico Do it continuously for 10 minutes: time yourself o If you cannot think of anything to say, write ‘I can’t

think of anything to say’ until something comes to your

o Do not let your pen stop movingo Don’t stop to think about a particular word (you

can write it in your own language)

After the ten minutes: o Reread what you have writteno Underline or circle the ideas and expressions

you likeo Include extra information that comes to your

mind by arrows.

  Used when… PURPOSE OF THE TECHNIQUE PROCEDURE

LISTING

Students have decided on an

aspect of a topic to write about

To find out what they know about a topic or anything

related to it

Jot down everything that comes to your mind about your topic but you do not write sentences but words or quick phrases

WH-QUESTIONS

Students have to generate ideas

for their compositions.

To clarify exactly what subject you are going to discuss in your composition and find details about your subject

For restarting your writing if you get blocked: you ask and answer the questions.

Students have to answer the following 5 questions:

WHAT or WHO?WHEN?WHY? WHERE? HOW?

 If the student finds more questions, s/he can include them in the list of questions.

 Used when… PURPOSE OF THE

TECHNIQUE PROCEDURE

LOOPING Students have

many ideas in their mind all at the

same time

To help students to focus their thoughts on

subject, find the core or center of their though and pinpoint a main idea on which to

elaborate

TWO MAIN PARTS:PART 1: Write down the subject you want to consider Write down continuously for five minutes (same procedure that in

freewriting) At the end, write down one complete sentence that summarize

the essence of what you just wrote (an actual sentence in your writing that seems to be the most important idea of the writing)

PART 2: Begin a second loop by focusing on your summary sentence done in

PART 1 Write 5 minutes At the end, look at the main idea or core toward which all the other

ideas are turned Summarize that core idea in one sentence and write it down.

PART 3: Do a third loop At the end, the last sentence usually captures the gist of what students

have to say on their subject.

 Used when…

PURPOSE OF THE

TECHNIQUEPROCEDURE

CUBING Students have

to write about a physical object in depth.

To look at any topic from 6

different points of view in order to

have several perspectives on

the subject

Students should spend 3-5 minutes examining their topic from each of the following angles:1. Describe it: what does it look like? What do you see?2. Compare it: what is it similar to? What is it different from?3. Analyze it: what is it made of? What are its parts?4. Associate it: what does it remind you of? What are its parts?5. Apply it: what can you do with it? What can you use it for?6. Argue for or against it: take either position. Give any reasons,

even crazy ones.

Once students have finished, they have to reread what they have written to find ideas that they like.

Perhaps one of them is particularly interesting and may be a good perspective for an essay on the subject.

Formal outline: to organize your thoughts.

Once you've got your main concepts, ideas, and arguments about the topic starting to form.

a formal outline helps you to get started writing an actual draft of the paper.

Use complete sentences to start getting your main points together for your actual composition.[

Once you have finished: 1. Go from general to specific.

One of the best ways you can improve a draft in revision is by picking on your points that are too general and making them much more specific.

This might involve adding more supporting evidence in the form of quotations or logic, it might involve rethinking the point entirely and shifting the focus,

It might also involve looking for entirely new points and new evidence that supports your thesis.

Once you have finished: 1. Review the grammar and vocabulary

Check you have included most of the vocabulary needed for the development of the topic

Check the grammar: pronouns, verb tenses, verbs conjugations, articles

Finally, check the agreement among nouns, verbs, articles, etc.

Good luck!