978-1259989582 Chapter 1 Part 1

Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

Table of Contents

Brief Chapter Outline…………………..………………….……………………..……………….….. 2

Chapter Outline and Lecture Notes………………………..……………………………………..4

Vocabulary Review……………………..……………….…………………………………….…..….. 8

Class Activities and Sample Assignments…………………………..……………………..…..9

Connect Resources………………………..………………..……………………..………………… 12

Discussion Questions for Online/Hybrid Classes………………….…………………….…..13

Graphic Organizers…………………….………………..……………………..……………………. 14

The Rhetorical Star……………….……………………..……………….………………………….. 14

Rhetorical Star Analysis………………….……………………..……………….………………….15

Ideal Writing Environment…………………….……………………..……………….…….…….. 16

Teaching Tools…………..…………………..………………….…………………………………….. 17

Essay Guidelines………………..…………………………………………….……..……………….17

Grading Rubric…………………………………………………………………..…………………….18

Writing Topics…………………………………………………………………………………………………….….…..19

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

Brief Chapter Outline

I. Learning Outcomes

In this chapter you will learn techniques for achieving these learning outcomes:

Create an ideal writing environment.

Analyze the rhetorical situation: the star approach.

II. Create an Ideal Writing Environment

Learning Outcome 1-1: Create an ideal writing environment.

a. Find a good place to write.

b. Plan your time to write.

c. Select your materials.

d. Establish a method for saving your work.

e. Create an inviting atmosphere.

f. Minimize distractions.

III. Analyze the Rhetorical Situation: The Star Approach

Learning Outcome 1-2: Analyze the rhetorical situation using the star

approach.

a. Subject

b. Audience

c. Purpose

i. Writing to inform

ii. Writing to interpret

iii. Writing to persuade

iv. Writing to entertain

v. Writing to express feelings

vi. Combined purposes

d. Strategy

i. Narrating

ii. Describing

iii. Explaining a process

iv. Comparing or contrasting

v. Explaining causes or effects

vi. Persuading

vii. Evaluating

viii. Solving a problem

e. Design

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

i. Genre

ii. Format

iii. Length

iv. Appearance

v. Visual aids

f. Applying the rhetorical star analysis

g. Activity analyzing writing situations using the rhetorical star

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Writing in the Chapter

Article:

“Be Our Guest. Please” J. Weber and C. Palmieri, Business Week, May 25,

2009 (pages 12-13)

Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

Chapter Outline and Lecture Notes

1. Learning Outcomes

Students will learn techniques for achieving these learning outcomes:

Create an ideal writing environment.

Analyze the rhetorical (writing) situation: the star approach.

2. Create an ideal writing environment (pages 3-5).

Learning Outcome 1-1: Create an ideal writing environment.

a. Find a good place to write.

i. Try several different spots before determining your favorite one.

ii. Be creative with your space if you are limited to one location.

b. Plan your time to write.

i. Determine your most productive time of day.

ii. Select your time and write it down in a planner.

c. Select your materials.

i. Select the notebook or journal that suits you.

ii. Use a favorite pen or pencil.

iii. Consider typing on a computer.

iv. Pick your favorite colors and fonts.

d. Establish a method for saving your work.

i. Make extra copies of paper drafts.

ii. Save document files in more than one location.

e. Create an inviting atmosphere.

i. Select your ideal lighting.

ii. Determine if music or conversation enhances or hinders your

writing.

iii. Try different seating options.

f. Minimize distractions.

i. Let the members of your household know you are writing and may

need quiet.

ii. Consider hiring a babysitter for small children.

iii. Turn off your cell phone and television.

iv. Remain focused on the task of writing.

v. If in a classroom, move to the least distracting spot if possible.

3. Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation: The Star Approach (pages 5-14)

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

Learning Outcome 1-2: Analyze the rhetorical situation using the star

approach.

a. Subject

i. Consider the message you want to convey.

ii. Select a subject that matches the guidelines of the assignment.

iii. Narrow your subject if necessary.

iv. Always consider your audience and purpose.

v. Determine if you need to conduct research.

b. Audience

i. Consider your audience and what they may or may not already

know.

ii. Be aware of relevant discourse communities.

iii. Consider both your primary and secondary audience.

iv. Always consider your audience and purpose.

v. Determine relevant audience characteristics.

vi. If your audience is online, use netiquette when addressing both

instructor and classmates.

vii. Choose a tone that is appropriate for your audience and purpose.

viii. Determine if you need to use a formal or an informal writing style.

c. Purpose

i. Writing to inform

1. One goal is to provide useful information about a subject.

2. Another goal may be to teach your audience how to do

something.

ii. Writing to interpret

1. The goal is to help your audience better understand

something.

2. Your opinion is an important aspect of the essay.

iii. Writing to persuade

1. Your main purpose may be to argue a point.

2. Another purpose may be to persuade your audience to do

something.

iv. Writing to entertain

1. The primary focus is to entertain the audience.

2. Many times you entertain while addressing another purpose.

v. Writing to express feelings

1. You may use this to communicate positive feelings.

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

2. You may also use this to express displeasure.

vi. Combined purposes

1. You may use multiple purposes in writing.

2. Overlapping purposes often occur.

d. Strategy

i. Narrating

1. Tell a story about an event.

2. Answer the questions who, what, where, when, why, and

how.

ii. Describing

1. Use words to create a picture in the reader’s mind.

2. Utilize the senses.

3. Include colorful adjectives to provide a clear impression.

iii. Explaining a process

1. Explain how something works.

2. You may use step-by-step instructions.

3. You may write an explanation.

iv. Comparing or contrasting

1. Show the similarities or differences between two or more

people, places, or objects.

2. Make a worthwhile point.

v. Explaining causes or effects

1. You might show how one event caused another to occur.

2. You may determine the effects of an event or situation.

3. Apply sound logic when using cause and effect.

vi. Persuading

1. You should take a stand and prove your point.

2. You may use personal experiences.

vii. Evaluating

1. You make a judgment about the subject.

2. You determine the important criteria to evaluate.

viii. Solving a problem

1. You explain a problem and possible solutions to it.

2. You may determine which solution is the best.

ix. Tone

1. You express the feeling you want to create.

2. You should consider your purpose and audience carefully.

x. Level of formality

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

1. You may use formal writing if addressing professional groups

or completing a school paper.

2. You may use informal writing for more casual

correspondence.

e. Design

i. Genre

1. The writing style (e.g., essay, story, paper, memo, letter, etc.)

2. Consider your task.

ii. Format

1. The structure of your writing (e.g., typed, hand-written,

documentation style, etc.)

2. Follow the instructor’s guidelines closely.

iii. Length

1. Know the instructor’s requirements.

2. Make sure all points are clearly supported.

iv. Appearance

1. Determine if single or double spacing is required.

2. Select fonts and colors that match your writing situation.

3. Check with your instructor for guidelines for bullets,

headings, and columns.

v. Visual aids

1. The pictures, charts, or graphs used to enhance your paper

2. Determine if a point would be more effective with a visual

image.

f. Applying the rhetorical star analysis

i. Apply the rhetorical star to all types of writing.

ii. Consider the five points of the star: subject, audience, purpose,

strategy, and design.

g. Activity Analyzing Writing Situations Using the Rhetorical Star

i. Create three hypothetical writing situations for school, work, and

your personal life.

ii. Determine your rhetorical star for each of these situations.

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

Vocabulary Review

Audience: the readers or listeners of an intended message (LO 1.2)

Design: the visual appearance of a document, including genre, format, length,

appearance, and visual aids (LO 1.2)

Discourse community: a group of people who share common interests, knowledge,

and values related to a particular subject (LO 1.2)

Jargon: the unique vocabulary and conventions of communication of a discourse

community (LO 1.2)

Level of formality: the degree of seriousness of the writing style (LO 1.2)

Netiquette: Internet etiquette (LO 1.2)

Primary audience: the main audience a writer considers when writing (LO 1.2)

Purpose: the reason for writing (LO 1.2)

Rhetoric: the art of communicating effectively through writing or speech (LO 1.2)

Rhetorical situation: the purpose the writer wants to convey to the reader (LO 1.2)

Rhetorical star: the five components used to determine the writing situation, including

subject, audience, purpose, strategy, and design (LO 1.2)

Secondary audience: other individuals who may also read a writer’s work (LO 1.2)

Strategy: the approach to writing, such as narrating or describing (LO 1.2)

Subject: a general concept, such as health, technology, or crime (LO 1.2)

Tone: the mood or feeling the writer tries to create through the writing (LO 1.2)

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

Class Activities and Sample Assignments

1. Ask students to share their ideal writing environments. What could be done in the

classroom to create a more ideal writing environment? What other parts of the

school are conducive to writing? Write student responses on a flip chart or dry erase

board. Select writing days throughout the term to utilize the ideas provided in class.

Allow students to bring headphones to class. They may also prefer to sit on the floor.

(LO 1.1)

2. Place students in groups. Give each group the same topic (i.e., getting ready for the

start of school), but provide each with a different audience (e.g., student, teacher,

parent, administrator, etc). Ask each group to identify the five points of the Rhetorical

Star for the topic. Each group should share the results with the class. What

differences occur when the audiences vary? What similarities do all groups share?

(LO 1.2)

3. Play a famous song such as “The Star Spangled Banner” for the class. Ask students

to consider the five purposes for writing in relation to the lyrics. If it were written

today, how might the song be different? (LO 1.2)

4. Ask the class to name audience characteristics. Write their answers on the board.

Having students work in pairs. Give each group sample topics: calorie labels on fast

food menus, Instagram, vaccines, texting while driving, the legal drinking age, and

home schooling. Pick three audience characteristics from the board and determine

how they may impact how an essay on each topic would be written. You may wish to

use the chart below. (LO 1.2)

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Chapter One: Getting Started with Writing

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Topic:

1st Characteristic: 2nd Characteristic: 3rd Characteristic: