Writing is an important communication skill that is a necessary ability to be successful in today’s competitive job market. It can make the difference between getting a career and just getting a job. Even when applying for jobs that people consider ‘no brainers’, employers often ask applicants to write a paragraph or two explaining why they would make good employees for the company to which they are applying. On the application he was asked to state, in a paragraph, why he’d make a good team member for their store. He quickly realized that learning to write effectively should be the goal of every college student, and so he registered for an English Composition I course where he was attending college. The textbook he used was Writing to the Point by authors William Kerrigan and Allan Metcalf where they describe six steps to essay writing. They call this approach essay writing “writing to the point”, which identifies the strategy for structured paragraph composition. Within the course of instruction, the authors identify and explain these six steps necessary for coherent writing. The labels X, 1, 2, and 3 are used as identifiers to signify the thesis statement (X), sometimes referred to the main idea or theme and three topic sentences (1,2,3) for body paragraphs. The emphasis is that students must ‘write to the point’. In order to become good writers, students must follow six specific steps to accomplish the desired results.
The first step in the process is to write a short, simple, declarative sentence that makes one point. Keep is simple and direct to begin with and then, after making it clear and concise, develop it by rewriting the sentence several more times; each time adding more information to paint a word pic...
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...itional words and phrases, which build bridges between paragraphs, between sentences, and between ideas that, are presented in the essay. And just as the introduction is important to bring the reader to the thesis, so is the conclusion important to summarize and bring closure to it. Although practice makes perfect, most students experience success in writing a basic five paragraph essay when they simply follow the six steps of essay writing. It literally becomes as simple as X, 1, 2, 3.
Works Cited
Kerrigan, William J., and Allan A. Metcalf. Writing to the Point. 4th ed. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987. Print.
Sharer, Wendy, and Williams, Sharon. "Sentence Revision." Hamilton College: A Liberal Arts College Focused on Writing, Research and Speaking. Hamilton College, 1992. Web. 08 July 2010. .
However, though John Warner’s argument is strong, Kerri smith’s argument is stronger. In Kerri Smith’s article “In Defense of the Five-Paragraph Essay,” She claims that the five-paragraph essay should stay taught in schools as a guideline for a well-structured essay. She explains the five-paragraph essay as an “introduce-develop-conclude structure” that even great expository writing follows this structure (Smith 16). She purposefully communicates to her audience this idea to show that this structure gives students the knowledge and capability to write a professional essay. The five-paragraph essay includes the three key points to have a well-structured and organized essay. By mentioning that other great writers use this form of structure, she creates a stronger argument as to why the five-paragraph essay is important to education. She continues her article by explaining her early stages of writing and how she was taught; over time, her teachers would show her new ways to improve her writing which, in the end, she was told to think “of those five paragraphs simply as a mode of organization” (Smith
With theses, I never knew how to properly tie together my entire idea of the essay into a sentence or two. In my first essay titled
I am more knowledgeable about invention, arrangement, style, and delivery, all in which create a masterful piece of text. A few examples, I have learned to organize and construct my thoughts and ideas clearer. I have been taught to use stronger transitions and focus more on the delivery and content of the body element of essays. Further, the instructions and advice I have received throughout this term have influenced my understanding of the purpose of writing. My outlook on writing has been modified by shifting my perception of writing from, writing to prove I am a good writer by perceiving it as using “fluffy” or BIG words to impress my audience. I grew to understanding that good writing’s purpose is to engage the writer by mind-striking ideas and arguments, which therefore will prove and title me as a “good writer”.
“Style” strives to explain how writers can improve clarity, cohesion, usage, and elegance to become a more effective writer. This book is not meant to be read once, for the full potential can not be achieved unless it is absorbed several times. Packed from cover to cover with real life examples ranging from the worst imaginable to greatly improved, Williams provides a detailed explanation of how to transform any writers work. Charts, graphs, and diagrams may add some confusion but can be helpful for individuals who depend upon visual aids.
Student's Book of College English: Rhetoric, Reader, Research Guide and Handbook. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2012. 402-405.
Wallace, David Foster. "Kenyon Commencement Speech". "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. 2nd ed. Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 198-209. Print.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel K. Durst. "They Say/I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. Vol. 2e. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. Print.
Harris, Robert A. Writing with Clarity and Style: A Guide to Rhetorical Devices for Contemporary Writers. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Pub., 2003. Print.
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