Things You'll Need:
- Pencil
- paper or computer
- spellcheck
- dictionary and thesaurus
- clear mind
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Step 1
First, Prewrite.
This is where you write down your ideas. Here are some prewriting ideas.
1. Brainstorm your ideas. What are you writing about? What is the purpose of your paper? Throw ideas down on paper in any fashion.
2. Create a web of ideas branching off each of the ideas supporting details that give evidence or support for those ideas.
3. Create a compare and contrast chart. If you are comparing to things, put the like things on one side of the chart and the unlike things on another.
4. An outline. You can outline the subtopics of your paper by creating a visual outline. Each subtopic will have supporting topics under them.
Example:
I. Trees help the environment
a. they give off oxygen
b. they provide food -
Step 2
Second, Drafting.
This is where you put your ideas together in an essay format. An essay is generally composed of five paragraphs, but that is not the law. It is a good idea to have an introduction, which should contain a thesis statement, plus body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph in your essay. In this stage, you need to compose all these paragraphs.
--Create a welcoming introduction. This is where the writer "hooks" the reader. You want the essay to be engaging. You may start the introduction with a statement, question, fact, opinion, or something comical related to your topic. It is up to you, the writer, to decide; however when writing you should make sure that your writing includes a voice. That voice can be yours or one of your imagination.
At the end of the introduction, which is the last sentence of the introduction, there is normally the thesis statement. The thesis statement outlines the main subtopics of the essay. Example thesis: Trees are valued by a lot of people for two main reasons: they are a symbol of life, and they help the environment.
After the introduction and thesis statement is complete, the body paragraphs are then formed. The topics of these paragraphs are the subtopics outlined in the thesis statement. Each of these paragraphs should stay on topic and provide details, evidence, and personal examples (if applicable) as support for their topics. Each paragraph also ends with a closing sentence, which gives a brief summary of the paragraphs main idea. Once the body paragraphs have been well developed, then the conclusion is created. The conclusion of an essay has to be nothing more than a "paraphrasing" of the introduction. You basically tell the reader in a paragraph the main points from the body of the paper. You may add more to make it more interesting, but you don't want to introduce a new topic. Conclude with an "eye opener". You want the reader to have gained something from the paper. -
Step 3
Third, Revising.
This is the step where you go back and add, move, remove or switch things (words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs) around that you might feel needs it. You don't rewrite the paper; just cross out, and/or use circles and draw arrows to show what you are moving, and where you are moving it to. The acronym to remember is ARMS--ADD,REMOVE, MOVE, SWITCH -
Step 4
Now you are ready for step four, editing.
During this step, you simply go back and check for correct grammar, mechanics, punctuation, organization, and spelling. A dictionary is great tool to have on hand, or a thesaurus or the spell check on the computer. Some good acronyms to remember are GUMS--GRAMMAR USAGE, MECHANIC AND SPELLING. Also COPS---CAPITALIZATION, ORGANIZATION, AND SPELLING.
It's always a plus to have someone else in additional to look over, or edit your paper.
Four eyes are always better then two! -
Step 5
Final step--Publishing
During this step, your paper is ready to be placed in public view; you have revised and edited it, and now it is polished!!
Good Luck on writing that Great Paper!!!
