Project One: The Writing Process

In this project, you will be analyzing and reflecting on your writing process, supported by three
texts by writing experts. This project will help to create mindfulness about your process as you
develop specific academic writing skills.

Learning Outcomes
While all of the Core Values of FYW apply to all ICC1 assignments, this assignment in particular
is designed to create a greater self-awareness of your writing process (Core Value I) and how it
relates (or not) to published accounts (Core Value II) of the writing process by two composition
theorists and a popular, prolific writer.
Throughout the duration of Project #1

Students will increase their understanding of their own writing process.

Students will develop awareness of how learning to write is a life-long process.
Students will experience writing as a multi-step, interactive process.
Students will reflect on and critique their own and others writing.
Students will engage with important ideas from composition theory.
Students will draw on their own experiences and perceptions to interpret composition
theory.

Skills Developed in Project #1

Reading comprehension
Using identification sentences/lead in sentences
Using signal phrase for quotes
Quote sandwich
Practice using templates for agreeing/disagreeing from They Say, I Say
Summary writing
Synthesis writing

Readings
Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamott (PDF in Blackboard)
All Writers Have More To Learn by Shirley Rose (PDF in Blackboard)
Learning to Write Effectively Requires Different Kinds of Practice, Time, and Effort by
Kathleen Black Yancey (PDF in Blackboard)

Project Components
1. Summary + Critical Engagement Assignment (guidelines below)
a. Each reading summary (for later inclusion in your annotated bibliography) should
be one paragraph of approximately 200 words for each reading; use MLA or APA
for bibliographic information.
2. Writing Process Analysis Essay drafts + feedback + revisions (guidelines below)
3. Reflection (separate guidelines in Blackboard)

Summary+ Critical Engagement Assignment for Project #1

The Summary + Critical Engagement Assignment is a form of practicea process that writers go
through as they prepare to write for an audience. While the assignment is rather structured, the
goal is for you to develop/modify the writerly practice to use in the future. The critical
engagement assignment is not an essay, but will help you to write your essay.

The Summary + Critical Engagement Assignment helps you achieve multiple goals in service of
the Core Values, including

Engaging in close, critical reading that encourages reflection, analysis, and evaluation of
texts and their ideas;

Synthesizing ideas to understand them and place them in conversation with each other;

Developing a practice of writing that fuels invention and idea development;

Discovering your own ideas about a topic and connecting your ideas to those of published
writers.

The ultimate goal of the critical engagement assignments is to allow develop your ideas on a
topic and participate in a written conversation (in the form of your essay) on that topic. To do so,
though, you need to identify the other speakers and conversations that will inform (but not drive)
your own essay.

Critical Engagement Assignment Instructions

1. Contextual Introductions
For each reading, list the following:
Article/chapter/essay title

Author name and background

Publication title, date, and type

The authors relationship to or experience with the issue

The purpose and audience for the article

The major points the author makes (use bullet points).

2. Summaries
In paragraph form, explain each texts main purpose, key points, and most important
evidence for the key points. Summaries must be accurate, thorough, and concise. About
200 words each. Include bibliographic information at the top of each summary using
MLA or APA format. Rely on your textbooks for summary writing advice.
Remember to write these on separate sheets for later inclusion in your portfolio.
3. Critical synthesis/dialogic
For this part of the assignment you are putting the articles/authors in a conversation with
each other on these issues/points. Using signal phrases to identify who says what is very
important in this section.
One approach here is to imagine that these authors are sitting at a table, say at Starbucks
and drinking cappuccinos. They are discussing and questioning each other about what
they have written. You are sitting at the next table listening and recording their
conversation.
Consider where they agree, disagree, and/or have differing basic assumptions,
have completely different interpretations, and/or offer different evidence for their
assumptions/conclusions.

Write so that someone who is not necessarily familiar with these articles or
authors can understand and follow it.

Identify which author is saying what with signal phrases.

Quote and paraphrase correctly (so you can reuse part of this for your essay).

Option: you can use the worksheet on the last page as a way to identify key passages and
ideas; you can then transform those into paragraph form for use in your essay.
4. Your take on the key issues/points
Finally, you stop eavesdropping and offer your own opinion! In this section your voice
takes control and you offer your own ideas on the key points or respond to what your
authors have said. Here you will work to form and express your own ideas that you will
later include in your essay.

Instructions for Essay #1

Your pre-writing and work in class have prepared you to write about your own writing process.
As weve discussed in class and seen in the readings, the writing process is both physical and
cognitive. In this essay, you will be both describing and analyzing your current writing process
as a way to better understand and possibly improve it.
The first part of your essay should describe your typical writing process when assigned an essay
in high school (since you probably havent written an essay in college yet). Begin with what you
think, plan, or do when the teacher assigns the essay and then follow through with as many
details as possible until handing in the final draft. Be sure to include all the detailsdo not
worry about someone judging your poor writing habits. As you know from the readings, all
writers have different processes and all writers can improve. This is about self-awareness and
recognizing the productive and unproductive parts of your process.
Once you have articulated your physical and cognitive habits of while writing, it is time to
analyze your process by layering in the voices of our experts: Lamott, Rose, and Yancey.
Analyze your process using the terms and concepts discussed in the readings. How do recognize
yourself in these published accounts? Alternatively, how do you differ from the accounts? How
do the readings help you to understand your processor your feelings about writingin new
ways? Be sure to use the templates from They Say/I Say when discussing the readings.

Nuts and Bolts:

Essay Title: The title is important and provides an indication of the meaning of your essay
Length: 900-1200 words; the essay may be structured in different ways, though plan for
approximately 400-500 words to describe your process and 500-700 words for the analysis of it.
Presentation: header and page numbers are requiredno cover.

Your Name
Professors name
Course name/number
Date

Sources: Three (3) sources are requiredLamott, Rose, and Yancey.

Citations: use informal citation to reference sources in your essay and include a works cited page
in MLA or APA style.
Visual Element: While this is not required, it is welcomeif you find yourself drawing a map
of your process or some visual representation of it, please include this in your essay.
Due dates:
Peer Review draft: Friday, September 16
First Instructor draft: Monday, September 19 (return on Wednesday, 9/21)
Second Instructor draft (also known as Conference draft): Friday, September 23
Conferences: September 26-30

Dialogic Worksheet Tool (optional)

Anne Lamott

Shirley Rose

Kathleen Yancey

You

Overall purpose(s) (to

argue, to entertain, to
inspire, to inform)

Overall purpose(s)

Overall purpose(s)

Your overall purpose

Essay #1

Major Point #1

Major Point #1

Major Point #1

Your Response to
Each Authors Major
Point #1
Lamott:
Rose:
Yancey:

Major Point #2

Major Point #2

Major Point #2

Your Response to
Each Authors Major
Point #2
Lamott:
Rose:
Yancey:

Select one point or idea of

Lamotts and link it to an
idea of Rose and/or
Yancey.

Select one point or idea

of Roses and link it to an
idea of Lamott and/or
Yancey.

Select one point or

idea of Yanceys and
link it to an idea of
Rose and/or Lamott.

What connections
between the authors
are most interesting
to you?

Image Credits
http://www.syllabuy.co/critical-thinking-stems-promotes-reflection-and-dialogue
http://www.today.com
https://webapp4.asu.edu/directory/person/1411622
http://www.english.fsu.edu/faculty/kyancey.htm
http://cliparts.co/mirror-clipart

Project One Evaluation Sheet

Student:
______________________________________
Essay Introduction

Introduces a concrete and clear context for the paper.

Strong ________________________________________________________________
Weak

Introduces the main idea and direction of the essay.

Strong ________________________________________________________________
Weak

Authors purpose in writing is clear.

Strong
_________________________________________________________________Weak
Presentation and Organization

Developmentthe essay adequately addresses the issue/topic, develops complex ideas, and
provides concrete examples and/or explanations.
Strong__________________________________________________________________
Weak

Structure the essay moves smoothly from paragraph to paragraph and stays focused.
Strong__________________________________________________________________
Weak

Paragraphs are well organized and focused.

Strong__________________________________________________________________
Weak

Conclusion wraps up the essay and answers the so-what question.

Strong__________________________________________________________________
Weak

Use of Sources
Meets source requirements.

Yes

No

Sources

Are appropriately introduced and integrated.

Strong ________________________________________________________
Weak

Develop and enhance the essay

Strong
Weak

______________________________________________________

Are appropriately quoted or paraphrased

Strong ________________________________________________________
Weak

Grammar and Mechanics

Weak

Strong _________________________________________________________________

Revision Status

Portfolio Ready
________________________________________________________________
Significant
Revision
Needed