Expository Writing (Real World Writing)

1. Expository Writing(Real World Writing) A Writing Workshop

2. Expository Writing Workshop Why?

3. Writing Next Executive Summary: A Writing Proficiency Crisis Writing well is not just an option for young people – it is a necessity. Along with reading comprehension, writing skill is a predictor of academic success and a basic requirement for participation in civic life and in the global economy. Yet every year in the United States large numbers of adolescents graduate from high school unable to write at the basic levels required by colleges or employers.

4. In addition, every school day 7,000 young people drop out of high school (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2006), many of them because they lack the basic literacy skills to meet the growing demands of the high school curriculum (Kamil, 2003; Snow & Biancarosa, 2003). Because the definition of literacy includes both reading and writing skills, poor writing proficiency should be recognized as an intrinsic part of this national literacy crisis.

5. Definitions of Expository Writing “Expository writing is a genre characterized by information, ideas, opinions, directions, explanations, and arguments all supported by substantive details.” -Marcia Freeman in Building a Community of Writers

6. Definitions of Expository Writing A type of informational text that clarifies or explains something. -TEA Glossary

7. Definitions of Expository Writing A pedagogical term for any form of writing that conveys information and explains ideas. May include elements of narration, description, and argumentation. Unlike creative or persuasive writing, however, its primary goal is to deliver information about an issue, subject, method or idea. -Richard Nordquist

8. Definitions of Expository Writing Expository writing informs, explains why or tells how. It is a genre characterized by information, ideas, opinions, directions, explanations, and argument all supported by substantive details. -NCTE

9. Expository Writing does… Express information or ideas Inform, Explain why or tell how Supported details

10. Definitions of Expository Writing An effective expository essay has these characteristics: • Specific topic • Effective introduction and conclusion • Clearly stated thesis or controlling idea • Clear, logical organization • A variety of transitions • A variety of sentence structures and rhetorical devices • Facts, quotations, and other details • No extraneous or inconsistent information • Accurately synthesized ideas.

11. Expository Writing Organizational Formats *Explanation *Cause and Effect *Problem/Solution *Classification *Pros and Cons * Compare and Contrast

12. Outline for Success pg 156 I. Introduction Attention-grabbing opening Controlling idea or thesis II. Body Causes and/or effects that support thesis Logical organization of facts and details III. Conclusion Restatement of controlling idea or thesis Memorable ending

13. Writing Strategies ABCD for on demand writing A=Attack the prompt -Circle or highlight important verbs in the prompt. Draw a line from the verb to what it refers to. -Rewrite the prompt in your own words B=Brainstorm ideas -Create a graphic organizer to generate ideas. -Use one for each part of the prompt if necessary.

14. ABCD’s continued… C=Choose an organizational format -Think about the best way to organize your ideas. -Number your ideas in the order you will write them. Cross out ideas you will not be using. D=Detect errors -Carefully reread your writing. -Make sure that your response makes sense and is complete -Look for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.

16. Thesis A thesis concisely states the central point of the essay. It is often called the controlling or main idea because every subsequent part should support it. The thesis usually appears in an essay’s opening paragraphs so that the reader will know exactly what point the essay will discuss. Often professional writers state their topic and direction in the introduction but reveal the full thesis as the essay progresses.

17. Creating an effective Thesis vignette(scaffolding approach taken from Foundation lesson in Laying the Foundation) • Alyssa – mom can you help me with my thesis statement for my research paper? • Me – what is it about? • Alyssa – airport security scans • Me – what about them? • Alyssa – how they are bad for your health and violate people’s privacy • Me – so you arguing in agreement that they’re bad? • Alyssa – Yes, and all the articles I have so far are about how they’re bad • Me – so let’s go thru a thinking process. Answer this question in a complete sentence: “What do the American citizens or authors of the articles think about airport security scans?” • Alyssa – The authors think that the new airport security scans are bad for people’s health and are a violation of their privacy. • Me – tell me Why? and How? • Alyssa – because they stress people out and might be harmful to their bodies and they show very graphic details about their bodies. • Me – so rewrite your sentence and included those details – after you write that, then drop the “authors think” part • Alyssa – “Airport security as a governmental protection service is a violation of privacy to all citizens due to the body-exposing scans, harmful technology, and emotional and mental distress.”

18. Revising vs Editing • Revising – it is literally re-vision. Looking at your ideas in a new way: changing your focus or approach, rearranging, adding, deleting, changing… • Editing – dealing with the minor details of your writing. Correcting grammatical and stylistic problems: word choice, spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation.

19. RADARReview On-line Video • Replace: words that are not specific or overused, unclear sentences • Add: new information, descriptive adjectives and adverbs, rhetorical devices • Delete: unrelated ideas, unclear sentences, repeated words/phrases, extraneous details and • Reorder: most important points last, better flow, details support main ideas

20. Clutter Removal Work • Stop thinking that more is always better. • Delete unneeded repetition • Cut meaningless qualifiers • Sever sentences that don’t belong • Combine sentences to clean up clutter

21. Writing Prompt Format Read the following quote/statement: “……………………” Think carefully about the quote/statement. (Truism) Write an essay explaining___________________. Be Sure to: • clearly state your thesis • organize and develop ideas effectively • choose your words carefully • edit for grammar, mechanics, and spelling