Name ________________________ Date ______________________Section______________________English 10 Mr. RamosINGL 121-1310

Prewriting Techniques

No matter what kind of writing assignment you are given, you can use prewriting techniques to find and develop a topic. Some techniques will work better than others for certain assignments. Feel free to combine or adapt techniques. The following techniques can be used in a variety of ways.

Take a personal Interest Inventory

Begin your list with questions like the following:

1. What do I want to be good at?2. What surprised me the most during the last six months?3. Where and when am I the happiest?4. What are my favorite books, magazines, movies and T.V. shows?

Make a Life Map

In mapping the important events of your life, recall your thoughts and feelings about significant moments.

Discover sources others overlook

Uses your interpretation of thoughts, when thinking of something.

Keep a Journal

A journal is a written record of thoughts, feelings, experiences and observations. These records can help you find topics for all types of written assignments.

Narrow your topic

Use a specific topic with a broad subject and pursue with time and space.

Develop Ideas

1.Ask Who, What, when, Where, Why and How questions. You can also use a “What if” question.2. Discuss Issues with your classmates.3. Interview a classmate.4. Create a group story.5. Brainstorm

Using Graphic Organizers

1. Draw or paint a subject.2. Fill an Observation Chart with things you see around you.3. Make a list.4. Do a focused free writing

Organizing your Draft

I. Introduction- (is the beginning of a writing assignment, which allows you to identify and review what your work is about).

How do I open my paper?Like a good social introduction, an effective written introduction

draws your readers into your paper and interests them into your subject. The way you introduce your paper will depend on the goal you want to achieve and the type of writing you are doing. Here are some possibilities.

Once you know which type of introduction to use, you can begin drafting. Here are some writing tips and models:

1. Stating the main pointWhen your main idea is original, you may choose to state it directly in your introduction. The writer states his main point at the beginning.

2. Writing a vivid descriptionTo create a strong image in your readers’ minds, use specific adjectives and revealing comparisons.

3. Using startling fact or statisticAlways make your what you write is accurate and helps make your main point. This will provide a detailed conception of what you are referring to.

II. Elaboration- (is the process of adding details to a piece of writing).How can my ideas become a whole composition?

In order to your story to grow and form, you must add the right details. This procedure is called elaboration. Here is a chart showing the many types

of elaboration you can use and what each is used for.

III. Conclusion-(to finalize or end your written assignment)

How do I end my paper?

A really satisfying conclusion gives you a sense of closure, a feeling that the writer has finished the story or explored the subject completely. The following are several ways on how to choose the right conclusion, (these are not the only possibilities, you can come up with many more ways).

1. Summarize your main points- Review the most important ideas you have discussed and what you’ve said about them.

2. Resolve conflicts and problems-Satisfy your readers by giving the answers they want.

3. Offer a final comment or ask a question-Talk directly to your readers. You can do this by sharing your personal feelings, asking questions, or both. This will make your readers feel more involved.

4. Make a prediction- If the information in your paper point to a future event? If so, spell it out for your readers.