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THE PROMPT
A prompt is a set of directions that gives you a writing topic or assignment that
"prompts" or guides you to write.
Here's an example of a writing prompt:
Writing Situation:
After years of trying to convince your parents to get you a pet of your very own, your
parents have finally agreed. However, they want to make sure that you will behave
responsibly with your new pet. Your parents feel that it is important that you make a
good choice.
Writing Directions:
In a five-paragraph essay, write about the pet you want. Discuss three reasons why
this animal would make a good pet for you. Convince your parents that you are
making the right choice.
Notice that the prompt starts with a writing situation. This is background
information to get you in the right frame of mind for writing.
Next are the writing directions. This is the part you really want to pay attention
to. It tells you exactly what you are expected to write. Here you learn that the
format of the assignment is a five-paragraph essay. You also find out the
general topic. You will be writing about the pet you'd want. You have to include
three reasons why you want that pet, and you have to be convincing. Who's
the audience? Your imaginary parents.
MARKING UP THE PROMPT
Marking up the prompt means putting marks on the important parts of the
writing directions so that you are clear about what you have to do for the
assignment.
Circle, underline, make squiggly marks and/or notes in the margin to
help your brain focus on what is required in the writing assignment.
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It's a good idea to reread the prompt several times. Be sure to talk to your
teacher if you are unclear about the requirements of an assignment. You don't
want to spend time writing on a topic and then receive a poor grade simply
because you didn't understand what was expected.
Once you understand the writing assignment, you need to figure out what to
write about. A good way to do that is to prewrite for ideas.
Four useful prewriting techniques are brainstorming, clustering, free
writing and image mapping. Each method can help you get all your ideas
about a topic out of your brain and onto paper. Then you can check your
ideas and decide which ones to keep and which to throw out.
It's important not to judge your ideas as you write them. Let the ideas flow out
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of your head as fast as you can. Even if an idea seems crazy or weird, write it
down.
Imagine you've been given the writing prompt about pets. You spent a few
minutes marking up the prompt. Now you have to think about what to write.
Let's look at how you can use the different prewriting methods to come up with
a topic.
*Brainstorming: Looking for a Topic
Subject: Education
Education
College
Grades
Topic
at-home
professors
preschool
administrators
primary
buildings
competition
secondary
classes
incentive
college
grades
pressure
postgraduate
friends
memorized
continuing
fraternities
regurgitate
sororities
Subject: Animals
Animals
Dogs
Spaniel
lions
husky
physical
characteristics
tigers
golden
retriever
temperament
whales
Samoyed
breeding
raccoons
sheepdog
buying
Topic
What factors should
be considered when
purchasing a spaniel
for the family?
zebras
poodle
feeding
dogs
spaniel
grooming
cats
terrier
apes
boxer
horses
sheep
Places
Yosemite
Disneyland
small crowds
Marine World
inexpensive lodging
Disney World
beautiful scenery
Yosemite
lots of recreational
activities
Grand Canyon
cruise to
Bahamas
Washington, D.C
leisurely pace
*Freewriting
Subject: A Memorable Moment
The day I got my driver's license. Cloudy. Raining. Crummy taste in my mouth.
Nervous stomach. Sweaty hands. DMV exam room. Crowded. People
pushing. Smoking. Stale air. Loud laughter and kids crying. Waiting in line for
eternity. Dirty floor, carved up desk tops. Waiting and waiting. Still in line.
Candy wrappers on floor. People next to me looked poor. Dirty T-shirts.
Foreigners having trouble understanding written test. Lots of luck. Everyone
seems older than me. Cop graded written test. Passed. Knew I would.
Studied hard for weeks. Only missed two questions. Don't know why, knew
the answers. Here, said the cop. Thanks I said. He ignored me, just looked
straight ahead. Next, he mumbled. Big beer gut. Gray face. Smoking. More
lines. Wait again, again. again. Wait in line for vision test. People loud, rude,
nervous in line. Getting angry at waiting. Been here three hous said a scruffy
looking kid. Tough. Faceless eye examiner. Passed. Go to the next line.
Thank you. No response. Thanks a lot. Still no response. Important moment
for me. Must of been for him when he was my ages. Guess he doesn't
remember.
For example, I made the following brainstorm list for the writing prompt about
pets:
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Now I have to look over my list and pick a topic to write about. Here are some
questions you might ask yourself as you try to choose your topic:
About which topic do you feel most strongly?
Which topic would be the easiest for you to write?
For which topic do you have the most strong ideas or background
knowledge?
*Try using several different prewriting techniques. Find the one that feels the
most comfortable to you, and use it whenever you need to generate ideas
about an assignment.
*Look over your prewrite and circle the topic you want to write about. For my
essay, I've chosen the topic "dogs."
Next, I look over my list and decide on the three major points, or reasons, that
I want to discuss in my essay. I decide that a dog would be the best pet for me
because they're . . .
1. loyal
2. easy to train
3. fun to take places
Each of these ideas will turn into a separate body paragraph for my essay.
Now I go back to those three major points and brainstorm once again to
develop more ideas. Why would being loyal, easy to train, and fun to take
places make a dog the ideal pet? How can I convince my parents?
At this point, you should have a pretty good idea of what you're going to write
about in your essay. If you get stuck here and have problems coming up with
ideas for your three major points, go back to your original prewrite and try to
find another idea that will work better for you.
The revised thesis statement clearly expresses what the essay is about (the
Toyota Corolla.) It gives us a topic than can be discussed (why people are
buying the Toyota Corolla.) And it establishes the organizational structure of
the essay (three specific reasons for the model's popularity: price, fuel, and
value.)
Original Thesis: San Francisco is an interesting place to visit.
Revised Thesis: San Francisco is a stimulating place to visit because of its
magnificent location, its theaters and art galleries, and its many fine
restaurants.
The revised thesis statement tells what the essay is about (San Francisco). It
gives a topic that an be discussed (why San Francisco is such a great city.)
And it indicates how the essay will be organized (three body paragraphs
discussing the city's location, its art galleries and museums, and its wonderful
restaurants.)
Original Thesis: Chess is a great game.
Revised Thesis: Playing chess is a popular activity among students because
it is inexpensive, engrossing, and can be played almost anywhere.
The revised thesis statement states the main idea of the essay (chess.) It
gives a topic than can be discussed (chess is a popular activity.) And it reveals
how the essay will be organized (three body paragraphs that deal with how
cheap, entertaining, and portable chess is.)
Let's get back to the "favorite pet" prompt. I have decided on my topic: dogs. I
have chosen three reasons why a dog would make a good pet for me. My
three major points will be that dogs are loyal, easy to train, and make good
companions. Here are two ways I could write my thesis statement:
Thesis Statement: A dog would make a great pet for me because they are
very loyal, they are easy to train, and they make good companions.
Thesis Statement: Because of its sense of loyalty, its ability to be trained,
and its good companionship, a dog is the perfect pet for me.
Avoid announcing your intent in the thesis statement. Phrases such as "I
want, " "I plan," "I intend," or "this paper is about" are overused and
unnecessary.
Try writing a thesis statement for your essay that includes the topic of your
essay and your three major points, as illustrated above.
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Supporting Details
Expanded
Details
Major Point 1
Thesis
Major Point 2
Major Point 3
SENTENCE OUTLINE
The sentence outline is a more developed version of a topic web. It can work
as a first draft for your essay, since you will be writing complete sentences.
A sentence outline allows you to see the structure of each body paragraph to
make sure your ideas are developed clearly and logically.
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Expanded Detail:
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Supporting Detail 2c:
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Expanded Detail:
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Expanded Detail:
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Concluding Sentence:
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Third Body Paragraph Major Point 3
Topic Sentence:
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Supporting Detail 3a:
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Expanded Detail:
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Expanded Detail:
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_________________________________________________
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Supporting Detail 3b:
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Expanded Detail:
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Expanded Detail:
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Supporting Detail 3c:
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Expanded Detail:
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Expanded Detail:
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Concluding Sentence:
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Summary statement:
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Supporting Detail 3b: Because they're so loyal, dogs tend to stay close to their
owner's side.
Expanded Detail: My sister Clarisse's dog sits right next to her on the couch or
the bed when she's reading or watching TV.
Expanded Detail: Clarisse talks to her dog, and that dog actually seems to
listen to what she has to say.
Supporting Detail 3c:Notice that I eliminated supporting detail 3c and the
concluding sentence.
Summary statement : It's clear to me that nothing can compare to a dog's
dedication, intelligence, and friendship.
As you work on your outlines, remember that you can always change and
refine the ideas you generated during your prewriting. Consider the best order
for presenting your examples, reasons, and facts. Remain flexible as you look
for support for your major points. You may also find that you need to rework
your major points. Always be looking for ways to improve what you've written
as you work through the writing process.
Again, try to be flexible as you work through this process. If your topic, major
points, or thesis aren't working for you, don't hesitate to rework or revise them
as necessary.
THE CLINCHER
The clincher, also referred to as the closer, is your last opportunity to connect
with the reader. One way to make the most of this moment is to return to the
technique you used for your grabber.
Using an Anecdote as a Clincher - Examples
Concluding Paragraphs
Introductory Paragraphs
In Lake Wobegone Days, humorist Garrison Keillor
tells of a retired dentist in a little Minnesota town.
He sits in a fishing boat much of theday. "Open
wide," Dr. Nute says to the fish. "This may sting a
little bit. Okay. Now bite down." Unfortunately, not
all retired persons are so easily able to continue
their once interesting professions in some form, as
Dr. Nute has. Retirees have a high death rate
within the first six months after retirement,
apparently because of boredom, and psychologists
suggest three ways to prevent it.
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REVISION CHECKLIST
1. Does the essay cover everything the prompt asked for?
2. Does each paragraph do what it's supposed to do?
The opening paragraph should state the central idea.
The paragraphs in the body should support the central idea.
The closing paragraph should reemphasize the main thoughts and the central
idea.
3. Will a reader be able to follow the essay?
Ideas should be laid out in a logical order.
Transitional words and phrases should lead the reader clearly from one
thought to another.
Paragraphs should be in an effective order.
4. Do all the facts, examples, and reasons support the central idea?
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If you've followed the steps up to this point, you've done the following:
created a topic web, which you used to make a sentence outline for the
body paragraphs of your essay
written an introductory paragraph that includes a grabber and a thesis
statement
put together a concluding paragraph with a summary statement and a
clincher
revised your writing for unity, clarity and coherence
proofread for correctness in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and
grammar
Now it's time to put everything together. If you're rushed for time, you may go
straight from your working drafts to your final copy. If you've spent sufficient
time planning, revising, and proofreading the various pieces of your essay,
that may be enough.
The best next step is to write the entire essay out at least once before writing
the final draft. Most authors do several revisions before they feel satisfied. You
may not have this option. You have to make this decision based on when your
essay is due, how much time you have allowed yourself to complete the
process, and how satisfied you feel with what you've written. If you've done
your composing on the computer, polishing a first draft becomes a bit easier.
Place your introductory paragraph first, then the three body paragraphs, and
finally the concluding paragraph. read the entire essay over to make sure the
paragraphs flow smoothly from one to the other and that the ideas connect in
a logical way.
Every time you read your essay, ask yourself if you've expressed your ideas
as clearly as possible based on your subject, audience, and purpose.
THE FINAL DRAFT
It's important to be clear about your teacher's requirements for a final draft.
Here are some general guidelines that will help:
Handwritten
heading in the upper right hand corner
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If you only find a few errors, that's okay; your teacher will appreciate the
time you took to search and correct your mistakes before turning your
paper in. However, if you find a lot of errors and your paper starts to
look messy from corrections, you should consider rewriting or reprinting
the essay. You want the physical appearance of your paper to make a
positive first impression to the reader.
Remember to include an intriguing title for your essay; then, turn in your
paper with a feeling of pride and accomplishment for a job well-done!
Essay Sentence Outline
Subject: Favorite Pet
Focused topic: a dog
Thesis statement: A dog would make a great pet for me because dogs are
very loyal, they are easy to train, and they are good company.
First Body Paragraph - Major Point 1
Topic Sentence: One of the great things about a dog is that they are extremely
loyal.
Supporting Detail 1a: Dogs are always happy to see you when you come
home from school or work.
Expanded Detail: My friend Elise's dog goes crazy whenever she comes
home.
Expanded Detail: She runs to the door while wagging her tail, jumping up, and
turning around in circles.
Supporting Detail 1b: Dogs also seem to be in a good mood, which can really
cheer a person up.
Expanded Detail: Unlike some people, dogs don't get mad or yell and
complain.
Expanded Detail: It doesn't seem to matter to them if your room's not clean or
you've gotten a bad grade on a test.
Supporting Detail 1c: Dogs just seem to love you no matter what, and they will
also usually play with you when you're feeling bored.
Expanded Detail: You can play fetch and wrestle with a dog.
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Expanded Detail: And when you're done, a dog will come and sit beside you to
make you feel loved.
Concluding Sentence: A dog will be there for you when you need him,
something a guinea pig or snake can never be expected to do.
Second Body Paragraph - Major Point 2
Topic Sentence: Another wonderful characteristic of a dog is that they can be
trained to do things.
Supporting Detail 2a: A dog can learn basic commands.
Expanded Detail: He can be taught to sit, stay and roll over.
Expanded Detail: He can also be taught to come or heel.
Supporting Detail 2b: You can also teach a dog to do funny tricks.
Expanded Detail: My aunt Julia had a dog that could stand on a barrel and roll
it across the room.
Expanded Detail: I would probably just teach my dog to do simple tricks, such
as shake, roll over, or play dead.
Supporting Detail 2c: Of course, one of the best things you can teach a dog is
to go to the bathroom outside the house.
Expanded Detail:It takes some work and practice to housebreak a dog, but it's
well worth the trouble.
Expanded Detail: Notice I took out an expanded detail here.
Concluding Sentence: Not only is it fun to train a dog to do follow certain
commands, it also helps to keep them healthy and safe if a dog learns to do
as it's told.
Third Body Paragraph - Major Point 3
Topic Sentence:But the very best reason for me to get a dog is because of the
companionship that a dog can offer.
Supporting Detail 3a: A dog is an animal that can easily go places with me.
Expanded Detail: I can take her to the park and when I go on hikes.
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Expanded Detail: And she can come with me when I go camping or spend the
weekend at Grandma's house.
Expanded Detail: Having a dog along helps a person feel a little bit safer when
she's alone, too.Notice that I added a third expanded detail here.
Supporting Detail 3b: Because they're so loyal, dogs tend to stay close to their
owner's side.
Expanded Detail: My sister Clarisse's dog sits right next to her on the couch or
the bed when she's reading or watching TV.
Expanded Detail: Clarisse talks to her dog, and that dog actually seems to
listen to what she has to say.
Supporting Detail 3c:Notice that I eliminated supporting detail 3c and the
concluding sentence.
Summary statement : It's clear to me that nothing can compare to a dog's
dedication, intelligence, and friendship.
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