ENG 12 COLLEGE ENGLISH 2

HANDOUT #1
January 27, 2018

MODULE 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. DEFINITIONS OF WRITING

“A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to
communicate. Behind the need to communicate is the need to share. Behind the need to share
is the need to be understood.” (Leo Rosten)

1.1.1. Writing is the process of using symbols (letter of alphabet, punctuation and
spaces) to communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable form
(https://www.englishclub.com/what-is-writing).

1.1.2. Writing generally gives people a chance to show their emotions and feelings.
Writing comes in many forms like writing fiction, essays, diaries, journal, reports, letters
and the like (Masorong, 2014).

1.2. ELEMENTS OF WRITING

1.2.1. PURPOSE

When we talk about the purpose of a paragraph, we are talking about the reasons that a
writer is writing a particular paragraph. For writers to stay focused on their topic, they must
understand the purpose that they are trying to accomplish. The purpose is the goal the writer
is trying to achieve. The three most common goals of academic writing are: a. to inform

1.2.2. AUDIENCE

The second element of good writing is to keep your audience in mind as you write. The
term audience refers to the readers. Good writers know who their audience is before they
start writing. Good writers keep their audience in mind as they write every sentence in their
paragraph.

viewpoint or person
(first, second, or third) and formal or informal writing.

Person Writers can choose one of three different persons, or points of view, when
writing. The first person refers to the person who is speaking. Paragraphs written in the first
person use first person pronouns (I, we, me, us, mine, ours) or first-person possessive
adjectives (my, our). Paragraphs that explain personal experiences often use the first person.

For example: Yesterday I went to the beach with my cousins.

 The second person refers to the person who is being spoken to. Paragraphs written in the second person use
second-person pronouns (you, yours) and the second-person possessive adjective (your). It is generally used to give
directions or instructions. The second person is often used for informal writing.

For example: After filling the sink, you must then add detergent.

The third person refers to the person or thing that is being spoken about. Paragraphs written in the third person
use third-person pronouns (he, she, it, they, him, her, them, his, hers, theirs) and third person possessive adjectives
(his, her, its, their). Think of the third person as someone telling a story about another person or thing. Most academic
paragraphs use third person.

For example: He turned quickly and saw them leaving the theater.

1.2.3. CLARITY

Clarity refers to how easy it is for the reader to understand your writing. Good writers explain their points clearly.
Clear sentences are not vague or indirect; they get the point across to the reader by using specific, concise language.
Here are

1.2.4. UNITY

Unity in a paragraph means that all the sentences are related to the topic sentence and its controlling idea. Good
writers stay on topic by making sure that each supporting sentence relates to the topic sentence.

1.2.5. COHERENCE

A piece of writing has coherence when all of the ideas are organized and flow smoothly and logically from one to
the next. When a paragraph or essay has coherence, the reader can follow the main ideas more easily.

Three important features of coherence are: a.) logical order, b.) repetition of key words, and c.) use of transitional
words and phrases.

1.3. THE WRITING PROCESS

No student (and no teacher) can sit down and write a good composition in a single step. If you want to be sure of
getting a good grade for an extended piece of writing, you should follow the steps of the writing process. The first
step of the writing process is called pre-writing. In this step you plan your work. Often you start by brainstorming,
letting ideas come into your head at random and writing them down quickly. You think about what you want to
include in your writing and then find out more information about it, for example, by researching in the library or on
the internet, or by asking questions. A very important final part of pre-writing is the outline. The second step is
drafting. (Some teachers call this composing.) This is when you write your first or rough draft. You use your outline
to do a first, quite quick piece of writing without worrying too much at this stage about grammar or spelling. When
you have finished your first draft, it is time for revising. In this third stage you read through your work to make sure
that it makes sense and is what the teacher wants. This is where you make larger changes if necessary; for example
moving paragraphs, rewriting the conclusion, etc. The fourth step is called editing. In this step you check things like
spelling, grammar and punctuation. If writing on a computer, you should always run the spell check (again) at the end
of this stage. Finally comes the stage known as presenting. This is when you put your writing into a form, usually on
paper, that looks attractive to read.

The 5 stages of the writing process are:

1. _________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________

4. _________________ 5. _________________
1.4. FORMULATING A THESIS STATEMENT

What is a thesis statement?:

1. It is a statement (in a complete sentence) that summarizes the central idea of the paper.
2. By convenience and custom, it is usually the FIRST SENTENCE of the opening
paragraph.
3. It is the CENTRAL IDEA for which the writer INTENDS to ARGUE.
4. It is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the
rest of the paper.
5. It is usually a SINGLE sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your
argument to the reader.
6. A thesis is a direct statement that explains the topic of your essay, what you believe
about that topic, and why you believe it.

A thesis statement is made up of THREE DIFFERENT PARTS. Every thesis needs these
three things:
1. Identification (What is the topic you are talking about?)
2. Claim (What do you believe about the topic?)
3. Direction (What are the 3 main reasons you can support your claim? This will
basically outline the body paragraphs of your essay.)

THESIS STATEMENT = Identification of Topic + Claim + Direction

For example:

ID-Identify topic: Claim-What you Direction-3 general reasons you believe

believe your claim is true
Sports offered in
high school They have a positive -Teach social skills
influence. -Teach time-management
-Provide exercise and teach benefits of hard
work
Thesis Statement: High school sports unquestionably have a positive influence on high
school students because they teach social skills, reinforce time-management skills, provide
exercise and show the benefits of hard work.
1.5. PARAGRAPH COHERENCE

Coherence is just another name for continuity. In writing, it means that the
idea should move steadily in a straight smooth line from the starting point to the
end of the paragraph. Specifically, coherence means 1) that the arrangement of
the ideas in the composition must be orderly and 2) that the various parts must be
properly connected to one another.

Topic Sentences are sentences that writers use to focus their ideas and express
the main point of their paragraphs. A strong set of topic sentences will work
together to support a thesis.
A good topic sentence of a paragraph contains two elements: the topic and the

The Controlling Idea = limits the topic, shows the reader how the writer will
limit the topic

TOPIC SENTENCE= TOPIC + CONTROLLING IDEA

Example of Topic Sentence: Adjusting to Canadian winters has been a real

challenge for me.
Topic: Adjusting to Canadian Winters
Controlling Idea: has been a real challenge for me

PLACEMENT OF TOPIC SENTENCES

1. Explicit Topic Sentence (The topic sentence can be found within the
paragraph.)

a. Topic sentence at the beginning.

A language is indeed like a machine. When a machine is put together

wrong, or when important parts of the machine are left out, it doesn’t
work very well. Sometimes, it will not work at all. Language is something
like this. If parts of the language are put together wrong, or if parts are
different, the language doesn’t work.
b. Topic sentence in the middle.

A volcano is active when it erupts occasionally. Of the 46 known in

the Philippines, 12 are considered active. Volcanoes can be classified
according to activity. A volcano which erupts and then enters a period of
inactivity is considered dormant. And if the volcano has shown inactivity for
a very long period of time, it is considered extinct.

c. Topic sentence at the end.

Poetry is not just subject matter. Subject matter does not make poetry. It is
poetry that makes subject matter. A poem does not explicitly state its meaning.
The reader is supposed to sense it, feel it. The language does not tell. The real
meaning lies behind the language. The understanding of poetry involves a
deeper analysis of subject matter and language.

2. Implicit Topic Sentence (The topic sentence cannot be found within the
paragraph. The reader should create his/her own topic sentence based on the
universal idea of the paragraph.)

There was this young waitress again. With either her boyfriend or
someone close, because they were involved in conversation. And there was
this familiar sign again, but we paid no attention to it. She looked up at us
and she sort of --- it wasn‟t what she said, it was just a gesture. A sort of
gesture of total rejection. Her hand, you know, and the way she turned her
face away from us. She said, “Whattaya want?” So we told her we‟d like to
buy two hamburgers. She sort of laughed, a sarcastic sort of laugh. And she
said, “Oh, we don‟t sell to Mexicans. Why don‟t you go across to a
Mexican town, you can buy „em over there.” And then she turned around
and continued her conversation.

IMPLICIT: Discrimination is still existing today.