Emphasizing Process versus Product in Writing Classes

Brecca Hoffman (brecca-hoffman@uiowa.edu) Craig Dresser (craig-dresser@uiowa.edu) University of Iowa Intensive English Program Emphasizing Process versus Product in Writing Classes

Process-oriented writing

Extending the process • PROBLEM: • Working with only full drafts (versions of the paper that include all of the parts) can make the process difficult and confusing for students and teachers

The scope of the assignment • Gives students too many things to consider all at once • Creates large amounts of revision • Becomes difficult for students to monitor and control all weaknesses simultaneously

Dealing with feedback Teacher’s perspective Student’s perspective Can be confusing and disheartening to the student • Creates a large task for the teacher to read and comment on full drafts

Solution • Break the process of writing into discrete parts • “Builds” the essay from the ground up • Focuses on particular skills in small manageable assignments • Further emphasizes the “process” aspect of writing within the essay

Effects

Strategies: Essay basics

Essay basics • Creating an outline (or similar plan) is critical • We ask our students to write parts of their essays without having written other parts, so it is necessary that they develop a plan first

Divide and conquer • Have students choose one part of the body to write (topic sentence, paragraph, section, etc.) • Focus on an important writing skill as the students create that part • Provide specific instruction about how to achieve that skill before writing

Divide and conquer • Have students workshop each other’s writing using a guiding worksheet • Handout (A): Body Paragraph Workshop • Have students revise their writing and offer teacher feedback

Divide and conquer

Divide and conquer • Have students workshop a full draft, looking for any of the skills that you have covered

Possible additional steps • Reflection writing • Handout (B): Peer-Review Reflection • Reduced teacher feedback • Specialized rubrics for the parts

Skills we focus on • Paragraph structure • Cohesion • Connecting paragraphs • Logical development • Unity/focus • Thesis statements • Precise vocabulary • Grammar Handout (C): Peer Review Workshop

Skills we focus on Handout (C): Peer Review Workshop

Strategies: Argumentative writing

Argumentative writing

Argumentative writing • Strategies using drafting

Argumentative writing • Strategies without drafting • Use debate activities in class • Understanding the development of ideas, anticipating and responding to opposing arguments • Evaluate debate as a class • Apply skills and evaluation to personal writing

Strategies: Research writing

Research writing

Research writing • Start with ideas • Have students write a short essay using only reason and logic • Find sources to support the ideas • Have students draft and workshop summaries, paraphrases, or quotes for their sources • Integrate sources into already existing ideas

Research writing • Draft and workshop citations and works cited entries • Handout (D): Citations “Cheat Sheet”

Wrap-up Benefits

Benefits • The overall process for writing an essay is longer, but the work for both teacher and student on each draft is comparatively smaller • Students are not trying to produce a complete paper all at once • Students do not need to edit their own writing for all skills all at once until the end • Teachers are commenting on specific skills and leaving others for later drafts

Benefits • The process emphasizes to students that they are responsible for applying the process to further parts of their writing instead of relying on the instructor to point out their mistakes • This focuses them on honing their writing skills rather than simply “fixing” errors and trying to do better next time

Benefits • This process emphasizes the idea that the students must think about their writing as they are writing it, not just afterwards

Benefits • This process helps the instructor and student to identify and focus on particular strengths and weaknesses for the student

Benefits • This process helps to bolster the students’ confidence in their own writing • Students can more clearly see what their own strengths and weaknesses are • Students are given support throughout the writing process

Thank you! • If you would like a copy of this PowerPoint presentation, please email us • brecca-hoffman@uiowa.edu • craig-dresser@uiowa.edu • A big thank you to Jane Gressang for helping us put together the PowerPoint

Emphasizing Process versus Product in Writing Classes