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Types of Cell Phones Stores Pictures
Razors. text message
Blackberries. e-mails
iPhones why people use e-mail
plays music. to coordinate life
view YouTube. to get things done
takes pictures to keep in touch
EXERCISE
Return to the five subjects you selected for the exercise. Freewrite or brainstorm for five minutes on each one and then choose a topic suitable for a two- or three-page essay. State your topic, intended audience, and purpose.
Narrowing a familiar subject may yield not only a topic but also the main
divisions for a paper on it. Drew’s freewriting session uncovered several possible
cell phone topics as well as a way of approaching each: classifying types of cell
phones and writing about the strengths and weaknesses of each or identifying
the different features of an iPhone and describing each feature and how it works
or explaining each of the reasons college students use cell phones so frequently.
Ordinarily, though, the main divisions will emerge only after you have gathered material to develop your topic. Drew, on considering his options, decides
he doesn’t know enough about types of cell phones and might get carried away
when writing about the iPhone. He decides to write about the reasons college
students are so attached to their cell phones.
Activity 3.
Writing the First Draft
Now on to the first draft of your essay. The writing should go rather quickly.
After all, you have a topic you’re qualified to write about, a thesis statement that
indicates your purpose, enough information to develop it, and a written plan to follow. But sometimes when you sit down to write, the words won’t come, and all
you can do is doodle or stare at the blank page. Perhaps the introduction is the
problem. Many writers are terrified by the thought of the opening paragraph.
They want to get off to a good start but can’t figure out how to begin. If this happens to you, additional brainstorming or freewriting can make you more comfortable and may suggest an opening. Keep in mind that any lead-in you write now can be changed later. If these suggestions don’t solve your problem, skip the introduction for the time being. Once you have drafted the body of the paper, an effective opening should come more easily. Always remember how easy it is to revise on a computer, adding material, cutting things that don’t work, and moving material around.
Following are some suggestions for writing a first draft:
1. Reread your thesis statement, notes, brainstorming, and written plan. They will start you thinking.
2. Rewrite your thesis statement at the top of your first page to break the ice and build momentum.
3. If it helps, just start writing without worrying about anything but getting ideas down; you can reshape everything later.
4. Write quickly; capture the drift of your thoughts. Concentrate on content and organization, but recognize that you can easily move the organization around later. Don’t spend time correcting grammatical or punctuation errors, improving your language or making the writing flow smoothly. You might lose your train of thought and end up doodling or staring again.
5. If you have ideas that may not fit the flow, you can open another page to jot down those ideas so they are not lost and save the page under a different file name. If you don’t know what to say about a section, you can mark that place “xxxxx” and fill it in later.
6. If you have ideas while writing for earlier sections, you can either go back and write them or keep a separate page you can open to jot down the additional ideas that come to you.
7. Take breaks at logical dividing points, such as when you finish discussing a key point. Before you start to write again, scan what you’ve written.
Now for some specific suggestions that will help you with the actual writing:
1. Write your first paragraph, introducing your essay and stating your thesis. If you get stuck here, move on to the rest of the paper.
2. Follow your plan as you write. Begin with your first main point and work on each section in turn.
3. Look over the supporting details listed under the first heading in your flexible notes. Write a topic sentence stating the central idea of the paragraph.
4. Turn the details into sentences; use one or more sentences to explain each one. Add other related details, facts, or examples if they occur to you.
5. When you move from one paragraph to the next, try to provide a transitional word or sentence that connects each paragraph.
6. Write your last paragraph, ending your essay in an appropriate fashion.
If you get stuck, set your conclusion aside and return to it later. Writing a draft isn’t always so systematic. If you are inspired, you may want to abandon your plans and simply use your first draft to explore ideas. You can always revise, so don’t be overly concerned if you get off track. You might uncover some of your best material during this type of search.
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