DRAPES – A Writing MethodDRAPES – A Writing Method

Developed by Geri BergerDeveloped by Geri Berger

Presented by Steve BarrishPresented by Steve Barrish

DRAPESDRAPES is is

a writing system which helps students develop effective and creative writing.

DRAPESDRAPES means:

• DD = DialogueDialogue

• RR = Rhetorical QuestionRhetorical Question

• AA = AnalogyAnalogy

• PP = Personal ExperiencePersonal Experience

• EE = ExampleExample

• SS = StatisticsStatistics

How do I use

DRAPES?

When writing a paragraph, try to use 3 or 4 elements (parts) of DRAPES.

Let’s take a closer look:

Let’s look at excerpts from a paper about, “Teens Deserving a Summer Break.”

An Excerpt is a sentence from the entire essay.

Dialogue Is the active

use of quoting what someone said.

Example:

My child psychologist, Dr. Ida Knoe, explained, “Children work extremely hard in school all year; they deserve a summer break.”

Rhetorical Question

Asks a question

(of the reader) about the topic.

Example:

Do you know Do you know how many how many weeks of weeks of vacation we vacation we have on the have on the calendar?calendar?

Analogy The active use

of simile. It is an attempt to liken one thing to another thing.

Example: Don’t you think that going to Don’t you think that going to

school all year without a long school all year without a long break would be like mom or break would be like mom or dad working all year and not dad working all year and not having a vacation?having a vacation?

Personal Experience

Insert 2 or 3 sentences with Insert 2 or 3 sentences with dialogue or a short little story dialogue or a short little story about a real (can be made about a real (can be made up) experience.up) experience.

Example: For instance, my friend

Mary went to a school last year where they did not have any breaks what-so-ever. As a result, she cracked up and needed to be put into a mental institution because she buckled under the stress!

(Give an) Example

Write an Write an example that example that seems to seems to reflect or echo reflect or echo real research real research and and investigation.investigation.

Example:

Doctors all agree, the need for a summer break for youngsters is essential for quality time with family and friends.

Statistics

Inserting numbers or percentages (however

made up they may

be)

Example:

75% of all Florida teens voted on a recent survey, “Yes!” for summer fun.