LING 402 - ACADEMIC LING 402 - ACADEMIC DISCOURSE PRACTICES: DISCOURSE PRACTICES:
A critical approach A critical approach
Week 5 Week 5
Examining the Writing Examining the Writing ProcessProcess
Prevaricating
• Look at the cartoon
• In what ways does it reflect your personal experience of writing?
• What delays getting started?
Starting to write early
• Have you written at least one paragraph?
• If so, what was involved in the process?
• What use has it been?
• What have you learnt for the future?
What’s involved in the writing process?
Work in six groups of 4 – 5 people• In your groups, divide up the cards so you have
roughly an equal number each.• One by one take one of your cards and lead a
discussion in your group on what you think it refers to, sharing your previous experiences of this aspect of the writing process.
• Once all the cards have been discussed, choose one card and lay it on your poster card. One by one add other cards, choosing where to situate each one, to make a visual representation of the writing process, showing how these different aspects of the writing process are related to one another. You can add extra cards of your own and /or add arrows (in pencil at first …)
• When you are happy with your representation, use blu-tak to stick your cards to the poster card and put in any necessary arrows with the pens provided.
What’s involved in the writing process?
contd:• Look at the other posters carefully, noting
any similarities and differences.
What’s involved in the writing process?
contd:• Look at the other posters carefully, noting
any similarities and differences.
• Discuss your poster once more in your original group and make any amendments you think necessary to your poster in light of what you learnt from other posters.
What’s involved in the writing process?
contd:• Look at the other posters carefully, noting
any similarities and differences.
• Discuss your poster once more in your original group and make any amendments you think necessary to your poster in light of what you learnt from other posters.
• Now look at the sample representation of the writing process on the handout and identify any issues of interest to raise with the whole group.
Some key points about the writing process
• Writing is a thinking process• It’s a recursive not linear process• Practical, cognitive, social and affective
factors all play a part• There is no single right way to do it• Writing is not something which is just
added on to the end of a course, but intertwined with the reading, learning and thinking
What kind of writer are you?
The diver
The patch-worker
The grand planner
The architect
Creme, P and Lea, M.R. (2003) Writing at University: A guide for students. (Second Edition). Maidenhead: Open University Press. pp. 76 - 80