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• Writing


  A medium of human communication that involves the representation of a language with written symbols
• Paragraph


  • A group of interrelated sentences organized around a topic sentence
  • Contains an introductory sentence
  • Uses sentences to explain major points
  • May use a concluding sentence
• Essay


  • A group of paragraphs organized around a thesis
  • Contains an introductory paragraph
  • Uses paragraphs to explain major points
  • Always uses a concluding paragraph
• Parts of a Paragraph

  • Topic Sentence
  • Supporting Sentences
  • Cohesive Devices
  • Closing Sentence
• Parts of an Essay

  • Introduction (Lead/Attention-getter, Transitional Statement, Thesis Statement)
  • Body (Major Point 1, Major Point 2, Major Point 3, Minor Details)
  • Conclusion (Reiteration of Thesis, Transitional Statement, Closing Statement)
• Lead/Attention-getter


  • Provocative rhetorical question, statistics, a startling statement, an anecdote, a quotation, humor, or analogy
• Unity


  • Achieved when a composition contains one focused idea and all the supporting ideas are relevant to the main thought
• Coherence and Cohesion


  • Achieved when ideas are logically, clearly, and smoothly linked to one another
  • Occurs when ideas are connected at the conceptual or idea level and seen through well-defended arguments and organized points
  • Connection of ideas at the sentence level seen through a smooth flow of the sentences and the connection of the ideas
• Writing


  A medium of human communication that involves the representation of a language with written symbols
• Organization


  • Achieved when ideas are logically and accurately arranged
• Paragraph


  • A group of interrelated sentences organized around a topic sentence
  • Contains an introductory sentence
  • Uses sentences to explain major points
  • May use a concluding sentence
• Language Use


  • Enables the writer to effectively communicate ideas without confusing the reader
  • Use clear and concise sentences (on average 18 words long)
• Image is a very important factor in politics. Once the reputation of a person is smeared by accusations, the people's perception of the person is forever tainted. The person may lose his or her credibility, even when the allegations are not yet verified.
• Essay


  • A group of paragraphs organized around a thesis
  • Contains an introductory paragraph
  • Uses paragraphs to explain major points
  • Always uses a concluding paragraph
• Parts of a composition

  A great help in adhering to the correct organization of ideas
• Parts of a Paragraph

  • Topic Sentence
  • Supporting Sentences
  • Cohesive Devices
  • Closing Sentence
• Organization


  • Enables the writer to effectively communicate ideas without confusing the reader
  • Achieved by observing time-tested principles in writing
• Parts of an Essay

  • Introduction (Lead/Attention-getter, Transitional Statement, Thesis Statement)
  • Body (Major Point 1, Major Point 2, Major Point 3, Minor Details)
  • Conclusion (Reiteration of Thesis, Transitional Statement, Closing Statement)
• Language Use


  1. Use clear and concise sentences

  2. Avoid redundancies, wordiness, clichés, and hifalutin language

  3. Avoid excessive use of "there" and "it" structures

  4. Use precise vocabulary

  5. Be consistent with your pronoun's point of view

  6. Avoid sexist language

  7. Use an appropriate level of formality
• On average, a sentence is 18 words long. Note that this does not require every sentence to be composed of exactly 18 words.
• Lead/Attention-getter


  • Provocative rhetorical question, statistics, a startling statement, an anecdote, a quotation, humor, or analogy
• Unity


  • Achieved when a composition contains one focused idea and all the supporting ideas are relevant to the main thought
• Coherence and Cohesion


  • Achieved when ideas are logically, clearly, and smoothly linked to one another
  • Occurs when ideas are connected at the conceptual or idea level and seen through well-defended arguments and organized points
  • Connection of ideas at the sentence level seen through a smooth flow of the sentences and the connection of the ideas
• Cliché


  • opposites attract
  • don't judge a book by its cover
  • happily ever after
• Organization


  • Achieved when ideas are logically and accurately arranged
• Hifalutin


  • discombobulate (confuse or upset)
  • skedaddle (depart quickly or hurriedly)
  • preposterous (utterly absurd or ridiculous)
• Language Use


  • Enables the writer to effectively communicate ideas without confusing the reader
  • Use clear and concise sentences (on average 18 words long)
• Mechanics are the technical aspect of writing, characterized as a set of conventions on how to spell, abbreviate, punctuate, and capitalize a composition
• Mechanics conventions in academic and formal texts

  • Always use standard English
  • Avoid contractions
  • Avoid exclamation marks unless they are part of a direct quotation
  • Mention the full name of an institution or organization with the abbreviation in parenthesis during the first mention. Thereafter, use the abbreviation
  • Spell out numbers from zero to ten and write in figures those that are higher than ten
  • Use proper citations when writing texts. Typically, more citations are used in academic texts than in business texts
• Image is a very important factor in politics. Once the reputation of a person is smeared by accusations, the people's perception of the person is forever tainted. The person may lose his or her credibility, even when the allegations are not yet verified.
• The Writing Process


  • A complex process which involves preparation, planning, researching, writing, revising, and editing
• Parts of a composition

  • A great help in adhering to the correct organization of ideas
• Preparation


  1. Establish your purpose first

  2. Specify your persona as a writer

  3. Set the tone, language, and level of formality in your paper

  4. Be informed of the character, interest, background, and preferences of your target readers

  5. Think of the topic you are writing and the type of output you will produce
• Organization


  Enables the writer to effectively communicate ideas without confusing the reader
• Modeling


  The process by which you, the writer, look at different works which are similar in nature with the paper you are about to write
• Time-tested principles in writing

  1. Use clear and concise sentences

  2. Avoid redundancies, wordiness, clichés, and hifalutin language

  3. Avoid excessive use of "there" and "it" structures

  4. Use precise vocabulary

  5. Be consistent with your pronoun's point of view

  6. Avoid sexist language

  7. Use an appropriate level of formality
• Generating Ideas


  1. Brainstorming

  2. Freewriting

  3. Clustering
• On average, a sentence is 18 words long. Note that this does not require every sentence to be composed of exactly 18 words.
• Focusing on a Topic


  1. Narrow down the general topic

  2. Focus on a topic by thinking of a question related to your specific purpose

  3. Answer the question with at least two details
• Organizing Ideas


  1. Organize your idea in an outline

  2. Begin by answering the question that leads to your thesis statement

  3. Two or three main ideas can be generated using this technique

  4. Use the main ideas as your main heading (level 1)

  5. Write the subtopics for each main idea (level 2)

  6. Write the supporting details for each of the subtopics (level 3)

  7. You can use a topic outline, a sentence outline, or a paragraph outline