Reading analysis
Jamiahtaylor10
EN111Wk1LectureNotes.docxPatterns of Development
Patterns of development are models that writers use to develop and organize ideas for the purpose of their essay. Each pattern or model has its own distinct logic to help a writer think about a subject in different ways.
Subject: School uniforms in public education.
Pattern Purpose Material
Description To detail what a person, place Detail the sights of students
or object is like in school uniforms.
Narration To relate an event Recount shopping for school
clothes.
Illustration To provide specific instances Offer examples of violence
or examples. in schools.
Process To explain how something Explain step by step how
happens or how something education can improve by
is done. instituting school uniforms.
Compare/Contrast To point out similarities and/or Contrast schools that have a
differences. uniform policy with those that do not have uniform policy.
Cause – Effect To analyze reasons/consequences Explain the consequences of
obsession with fashion in schools.
Persuasion To win people over to a point Convince readers that
of view. uniforms reduces violence.
Patterns of Development (Cont’d)
For example an essay about the benefits of instituting a school uniform policy is a persuasive essay, where the author’s purpose is to influence the reader to accept and support the author’s position that school uniforms are a good idea.
When readers realize that the author’s purpose is to sway their opinion, they can read with heightened awareness – scrutinizing the author’s statements and separate fact from opinion.
While writers may have one purpose for his or her essay they may use a combination of patterns of development to achieve their purpose.
Example: In an essay to persuade readers to adopt a uniform policy an author may use illustration and narration, in addition to persuasion, to support his purpose to sway the reader to accept the author’s position.
Pre-Writing (Mapping & Clustering)
Mind mapping is an effective way to take notes and brainstorm essay topics. A mind map involves writing down a general topic and thinking of related ideas which radiate out from the center. By focusing on key ideas written in your own words and looking for connections between them, you can map knowledge in a visual way that will help you to understand information.
What is mind mapping?
The way it can be used for assignments and essay writing relates to the initial stages of writing. It is an ideal strategy to use for your ‘thinking’. Mind mapping can be used for generating, visualizing, organizing, note-taking, problem-solving, decision-making, revising and clarifying your topic, so that you can get started with your essay. Essentially, a mind map is used to ‘brainstorm’ a topic and is a great strategy for students.
How do I use mind mapping?
You can use mind mapping for the following:
· Taking notes in a lecture and listening for the most important points or keywords
· Showing links and relationships between the main ideas in your subject
· Brainstorming all the things you already know about an essay question
· Planning the early stages of an essay by visualizing all the aspects of the question
· Organizing your ideas and information by making it accessible on a single page
· Stimulating creative thinking and creative solutions to problems
· Reviewing learning in preparation for a test or examination
How do I get started with mind mapping?
1) Place the central theme/main idea or controlling point in the center of your page. You may find it easier to place your page on the side, in landscape orientation, which is easier for drawing purposes.
2) Use lines, arrows, speech bubbles, branches and different colors as ways of showing the connection between the central theme/main idea and your ideas stemming from that focus. The relationships are important, as they may form your essay paragraphs.
3) Avoid creating an artistic masterpiece. You should draw quickly without major pauses or editing. Chances are, your first idea was fine and you placed that idea in the direction or on the branch you thought made the most sense. It is important in the initial stages of mind mapping to consider every possibility, even those you may not use.
4) Choose different colors to symbolize different things e.g. you may choose blue for something you must incorporate in your paper, black for other good ideas, and red for the things you need to research or check with your tutor/professor. Your method is entirely up to you, but try to remain consistent so that you can better reflect on your mind map at a later stage.
5) Leave some space on your page. The reason for this is that you can continue to add to your diagram over a period of time.
What does a mind map look like?
A standard mind map begins with the following shape:
You may prefer to turn your paper to landscape.
Place your central theme/main idea in the center of the page.
Main Idea
Draw lines, arrows, speech bubbles, branches, callouts, or any other visuals to show the connection to the central theme/main idea.
Cluster similar information together and form sub-branches.
How do I turn my mind map into an academic essay?
Before you can begin to write your essay, you must first understand and determine what the ‘main’ idea of your writing will be. What is the central theme/main idea or controlling point that you are trying to convey to your reader? Whatever the topic, it is always a good idea to think about the issues that surround that topic and mind mapping is an excellent form of brainstorming.
The information that comprises your paragraphs must have a relationship to that controlling point. The decision about what to include in your paragraphs ultimately begins with your ideas. Ideally, each paragraph in an essay should contain one idea or cover one aspect relevant to the central theme on your mind map.
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 3
Main
Idea
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 4
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is one or two sentences in your essay that tells your reader the main idea of your essay; essentially what the essay is going to be about. If you don’t have a thesis statement your reader will not know your intention (purpose) or worse, will have to read your entire essay to figure out your intention. As a writer you should think of your thesis statement as the foundation of a building/house: a solid foundation supports the walls and roof of the building, therefore your main idea supports your whole essay. The remainder of your building materials, the body paragraphs of your essay, is built upon and supports your foundation (thesis statement). If your foundation (thesis statement) is weak or has cracks then your walls/roof (supporting paragraphs) will come crashing down.
The thesis statement usually appears near the beginning of an essay in the introduction. It can be the first sentence of an essay, but that often feels like a simplistic, unexciting beginning. It more frequently appears at or near the end of the first paragraph. Regardless of placement the thesis statement clearly signals what the rest of this essay is going to do.
Avoid announcing your thesis statement; don’t use phrases such as "the purpose of this paper is . . . . " or "In this paper, I will attempt to . . . ." These phrases betray are boring. Instead simply state your point, for example: cats require less care than dogs (supporting paragraphs will explain how), mass transit is more cost efficient than owning a car (supporting paragraphs will explain how), marijuana should be legalized to reduce crime (again, supporting paragraphs will explain how).
