SUU English 101: Writing Helps

Writing processes

Expressive essays

Expository/analytical essays

Editing concerns

Lots of helpful links to writing sites

Writing processes:

Choosing a subject

Brainstorming & other idea-generating strategies

Finding a purpose

Considering audience and tone

Discovering genre

Organizing through mapping/outlining

Drafting

Editing

Helps for creating expressive essays:

Abstract and concrete language

Denotation and connotation

Descriptive writing

Figurative language: similes and metaphors vs. cliches

Formal and informal language

Levels of formality at another site

Point of view (first, second, third)

Stories: chronological organization

Stories: dialogue

Stories: plot

Stories: Narrative backgrounder (under "informal essays")

Helps for creating expository & analytical essays:

Essay organization:
1. Cues/transitions More cues/transitions Tutorial on cues and transitions
2. Development of thesis/example essays
3. Inductive and deductive organization
4. Logic in argument
5. Methods of organization
6. Thesis statements

Evidence:
1. Anecdotes to clarify points
2. Documentation
3. MLA parenthetical documentation
4. Quotation and summaries
5. Another summary site
6. Paraphrases
7. Plagiarism

Paragraphs:
1. Coherence/unity
2. Development/support
3. Topic sentences

Comma splices/fused sentences

Fragments

Often-confused words (especially it's-its, their-there-they're, your-you're, who's-whose)

Pronoun reference/sexist language

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Repetition/wordiness (Look under "revising" and then "tightening.")

Sentence variety

Verbs: strong vs. passive

Verbs" agreement with subject

Lots of helpful links to writing sites:

• DeVry's On-line Writing Support Center
• Great collection of links on writing and publishing
• Paradigm Writing Assistant is a copyrighted site that offers practical help in an easy-to-navigate format.
• Purdue On-line Writing Lab with especially useful answers on to your writing questions
• Rensselaer Writing Center
• Salt Lake Community College Resources
• Look around Utah State University's interesting on-line writing class and compare it with SUU's!
• UVic Writer's Guide

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