Friday, March 14, 2008
Writing Process
To start writing a paper I generally begin by researching the topic that I am going to write about. To research I google the topic or use the library research tools. After this I usually write a quick outline of what I plan on writing without any details just broad topics. After this I generally free write as much as I can to get down as much information as possible. I try to make it the length or close to the length of what I am writing. This makes writing the paper much easier because I do not worry about what my writing sounds like I just get it all down and then reorganize it. This seems to work well for me. After I get done free writing I generally take a break if I have time and new ideas usually come to me. Then I go back to the paper, sit down and re-read what I wrote. Now I go back through and reorganize my thoughts, make grammatical changes and generally add information and re-write a majority of my paper. Once I go through and get my paper to sound like what I want it to I go back through and make grammatical changes. After this I print it out double-spaced and get out my colored pens and make lots of corrections. Printing it out helps because I see more errors and make more corrections. Then I go back through and fix the errors that I have found. After that I usually print it out one more time and let someone else read through it and give me tips on grammar and the way it sounds. If I have time I will go to the writing center if not then I will just fix the things that my friends have found and print it out one last time and turn it in. I generally get stuck and have a hard time writing papers if I do not know much about the topic or am not interested in what I am writing. I also have a hard time writing papers when the topic is really broad and I cannot find a narrow enough topic or viewpoint to write on. I generally write the first draft at home in a relaxed environment but do my second and third drafts at the library or coffee shop. I need it to be quiet after I get done with the first draft or I can’t concentrate. I also get stressed and frustrated if there is a lot of clutter around my writing space.
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4 comments:
Wow...you do a lot of work when writing a paper. Usually, I just write it the first time and then I reread it again and again and again. (My limit is five times.) I may let my siblings or a parent read my paper to see how it is, but I've never been to a writing center. I guess I never found the time, and I haven't written that many papers so far at UT. I think I've only written two, including the one we did recently.
Anyway, I think your method of writing is a really good way of making sure your papers come out great! For me, though, I think I still like free writing. I've been free writing since I was old enough to write, and I don't think that will ever change.
I like that you print out your paper before proofreading. It definitely makes it easier to find errors. For me it's really annoying to try and proofread on the computer. I also don't like when teachers give broad topics because i feel that i can't really focus in on anything and that when i finally do finish writing, im not sure if it will meet the expectations of the paper.
i'm kind of impressed that you can free write nearly the whole length your paper needs to be. i can usually do this thing you call free write for like only half of it maybe more
Even in today's computer world, hard paper copies of reports (and of news via newspapers) can be much easier on the eyes, so I understand why you like to print things out. I agree that clutter on the desk can be distracting, so I'll often go to the library or another public study area to do my best writing (I've also found it helps sometimes if I go where there's no internet access- one less distraction).
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