Techniques in Selecting and Organizing Information

REVIEWER IN READING AND WRITING ● Brainstorming, Graphic Organizers, Outlining

TEXT AS CONNECTED DISCOURSE Brainstorming

- First coined by (Alex Faickey Osborn, Father of brainstorming,
Approaching texts is like courting, you have to understand them first
1953)
so you know how to approach them properly.
- "the brain to storm a problem"
● Reading and writing always go hand-in-hand
- process of writing specific topics from different sources
- group or individual creative technique to find a solution to a
Reading (Lapp & Flood, 1978)
problem through generating a list of ideas spontaneously
- a decoding process (breaking down of written codes)
- comprehension process
Different Techniques in Brainstorming
Different Properties of Reading
Word recognition | Comprehension | Fluency → Motivation Idea Listing listing down ideas about a particular topic.

Why do we read? Idea Mapping visual representation of ideas and how they are
develop a broad background | to anticipate and predict | create connected to one another (web clustering).
motivation and interest | build good vocabulary
Cubing idea examined from 6 distinct viewpoints.
Benefits of reading Describe it | Compare it | Associate it. | Analyze it.
- exposure to accurate spelling and correct forms of writing | Apply it | Argue for and against it.
- invites readers to be more experimental of their own writing
- allows the readers to hear the thoughts of others Free Writing writing what comes into mind without
inhibitions -
Writing not minding any mistakes YET
- a method of representing language in visual or tactile form.
- symbols/letters, words, sentences, paragraph Researching discovering facts by investigation.
- system of graphic symbols used to convey meaning.
- Example: ! - Exclamation point
Advantages Disadvantages
Why do we write?
encourages creative thinking not all ideas might be heard
express, inform, entertain, describe, explore and learn, persuade, solve
problems
makes everyone part of the team can't work in large groups
Benefits of writing
exciting and easy emotions/ego could get in the
allows writers to voice their thoughts | writing as a channel for
way
imagination | allows engagement with other writers | aids writers in
reading critically of others' works | motivates writers to engage with the all ideas are accepted can lead to arguments, tedious
text
 Graphic Organizers
clauses sentences
- Organizers are the skeleton of your writing
- visual representation of concepts
- graphic - categorization of certain shapes makes sense logical
- connects pieces of information into a coherent framework Properties of a Well-written Text
- your organizers are the skeleton of your writing 1. Organization - arrangement of ideas in a text, should be logically
arranged
● Outline - overview of the division of major and minor ideas |
Different Types of Graphic Organizers
skeleton or framework of your text
- Main idea > General > Specific
Venn Diagram compare ideas to show similar
2. Coherence & Cohesion - connection of ideas and connection between
attributes using overlapping
sentences and between paragraphs. transitional and cohesive devices
circles
● Traditional Devices - To add, to compare, to prove, and to show
- arranges information from exception
Hierarchical Topic/Graphic general to specific. ● Coherence - quality of being logical, consistent and able to be
Organizer - may be used to organize understood.
(Network Tree) causal, hierarchical, or ● Cohesion - the act of forming a whole unit. It is effectively a
branching procedural subset of coherence | use of transitive devices.
information.
3. Appropriate Language Use - acceptable style of language for a
Plot Diagram used to map events in the story particular form of text
and analyze major parts of a plot. ● specific, concise, familiar, correct, and appropriate

Timeline Graphic Organizer visually shows a series of events

(Timeline) that occur or are expected to
occur.

Outlining
- a tool used to organize written ideas about a topic into a logical
order.
- arranges major topics, subtopics, and supporting details.

Topic Outline Sentence Outline

words / phrases/ clauses sentences

4. Proper Mechanics - conventions of writing which include
no periods at the end of entries period marks end of an entry capitalization, punctuation, spelling, numerals, abbreviations, acronyms,
and contractions.
for long or short compositions for short compositions

parallelism of words, phrase, or parallelism of coordinate

General Principles
reactions to it. language than objective
● Always use standard English
description.
● Avoid Contraction (shouldn't, gonna)
● Avoid exclamation marks unless part of a quotation
● Mention full name in firstmention. Thereafter, use abbreviations. Cause and Effect
● Numbers zero to ten vs 11 and so on - cause is something that makes an event or condition happen, an
● Citations are used in academic and formal texts but sparingly effect is what happens as a result.
used in business texts - primary objective: figure out how different things are related in
terms of their causes and effects.
Patterns of Development in Writing - there are topics that need emphasis on the questions of "how"
Sentences and paragraphs must demonstrate relationships when and "why," and this is where the cause and effect pattern may be
conveying the writer's thoughts and ideas about a topic, and this can be helpful.
accomplished effectively by employing patterns of development.
Exemplification
What is the pattern of development? - the writer explains the main idea by giving a long example or a
● how an academic paper is put together from paragraph to series of examples that are each very specific.
paragraph - way to show or explain what the rest or whole of something is like.
● Without a pattern of development, a paper may be hard to - writers use examples a lot in all kinds of writing to explain and
comprehend. make things clear, add interest, and persuade.
● common patterns of human thought - writers use examples to help prove or clarify a point.

Narration Types of Examples

- way to tell a story by putting events in a logical order. ● Examples that illustrate - use concrete examples to illustrate an
- tells what happened or describes a chain of events that led to a idea.
conclusion or end. It tells us what happened, where it happened, ● Examples that explain - give an explanation to illustrate a
and when. concept
- linear, en medias res, flashback ● Examples that tell a story - use a short story to illustrate a point
● Examples that describe - use examples to make help the reader
Description visualize a scene or thing
- convey to the reader the image of a person, an object, a place, or a
scenario through the use of words. Critical Reading
- relies significantly on sensory elements, including sight (visual), What is Critical Reading?
sound (auditory), smell (olfactory), touch (tactile), and taste ● a brief introduction into critical reading as looking for ways of
(gustatory). thinking
- the two types of description are objective and subjective: ● Critical reading is a process of analyzing, interpreting and,
sometimes, evaluating
● Using our critical thinking skills to question both the text and our
own reading of it
Objective Subjective

The thing being described, not How a writer feels about the
on the writer's feelings, subject and uses more
thoughts, or personal descriptive and richer
 Claim -an arguable statement that needs support in a form of reason or
Reading Critical Reading
information | There are three types of claim:
To get a basic grasp of the text. form judgments how a text works.
Claim of Fact
Absorbing/Understanding what a Analyzing/Interpreting/Evaluating ● Asserts that something has existed, exists, or will never exist that
text SAYS what a text DOES and MEANS can be proven using facts or evidence and be verifiable by using
data, statistics, observations, and testimonies.
What is the text saying? What How does the text work? How is it ● Quantifiable assertion about a measurable topic.
information can I get out of it? argued? What are the choices ● Ex: Converting to solar energy can help homeowners save money.
made? The patterns that result
to...? What kinds of reasoning and Claim of Value
evidence are used? What are the ● Personal judgments or preferences based on certain standards | It
underlying assumptions? What is subjective but has a reasonable standard of judgement for the
does the text mean? greater good.
● Reliable information such as: Expert's opinion Real-world example
WITH the text (taking for granted AGAINST the text (questioning its ● Statistics, observation, testimonies
it is right) assumptions and argument, ● Qualifiable assertion about a moral, aesthetic, or philosophical
interpreting meaning in context) topic.
● Ex: Many Filipinos have experienced unrequited love
Restatement, Summary Description, Interpretation,
Evaluation/Analysis Claim of Policy
● Statements that suggest what must be done or must not be
done
● Makes assertions about a course of action.
Preparing for Reading Critically ● Use of: Should, should not, must, must not
Self-Reflect ● Ex: Every student should have their breakfast before going to
● What assumptions and perspectives do you bring to the text? school. Otherwise, they will not absorb the lessons well.
● What biases might you have?
● Are you able to keep an open mind and consider other points of
view? A good claim should be:
1. Arguable and debatable;
Read to Understand 2. Specific
● Examine the text and context 3. Interesting
● Skim the text 4. Logical
● Resolve confusion
● Do not take the words as it is Claims in a Text:
● QUESTION the text
● Analyze, but do not OVERANALYZE/"Blue curtain-ing" Explicit Implicit
● Blue curtaining -
Information is clearly stated and Ideas that are suggested.
leaves no room for uncertainty.

Ex: I want to marry you. Ex: I keep thinking about the

 future with you.
According to Ahmed and Rahab
in 2020, extensive reading is an The brain of a person is located
effective strategy for ESL learners. higher than the heart for a reason.

Parents are the first teachers of

their own children.

COHERENCE AND COHESION

Cohesion
● Fusion of smaller units form a whole
● Cohesion is concerned with the micro-level-the words, the
phrases, and the sentences and how they are connected to form a
whole.
● Stick together and flow smoothly from one idea to another
● Use cohesive devices but has five topic all at once

Coherence:
● Understandability of a text as a whole
● Coherence refers to the quality of forming a unified consistent
whole. We can describe a text as being coherent if it is
semantically meaningful, that is if the ideas flow logically to
produce an understandable entity,
● Related to macro-level features of a text which enable it to have a
sense as a whole
● One central topic
● The text has one central topic but only consists of simple
sentences