“I learned to pour my thoughts out on paper” to make it my own
Department of English and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, University of British Columbia
I learned embroidery one summer. Placing cross-stitches on a piece of fabric was akin to graphing delicate art work. As a beginner, I was handed a directions page that included information on the placement of the first stitch, how to count every stitch thereafter, the importance of a coherent color palette, and a well-organized visual description of each component. My mentor had suggested to begin easy and then go for more complex patterns. So, I began with a small purple flower and its success prompted me to move to a shaded rose with each petal angled differently. The confidence of mastering a small flower made me ambitious and a risk-taker. I thought all flowers look different in nature and some misplaced stitches will not hamper a design. The eagerness to finish a complex flower pattern quickly resulted in a final piece that was uneven. The incorrect count of the stitches showed as lop-sided petals and the shaded regions did not flow. I became more careful with counting stitches and aimed for textbook-level perfection. The final bouquet of flowers on one-half of the cloth followed the template, but it did not feel like it was mine – it was borrowed.
We learn academic writing in a similar way and begin with a recommended textual framework to place sentences that fit into pre-designed categories (thesis, evidence, warrant, to name a few). Much like the missed cross-stitches, a missing topic sentence or thesis statement will make the text uneven or incomplete. When we become more careful of the template and address all its parts, then the written piece is considered a complete draft. It is a draft because there is a next step which is equally, if not more, important – make it your own work. Below is an example of a template commonly found in writing textbooks for an introduction to argumentative essays and how students can begin the drafting process.
Strategy 1. Structure, outline, and first draft of an argumentative introduction
|
Sample structure |
Outline |
First draft |
| (1) Set the scene: General topic introduction | (1) Fake news media and the spread of misinformation | (1) Fake news media and the spread of misinformation is a common topic of discussion of late. |
| (2) Determine specific interest and purpose of writing | (2) One receives information from news media and makes choices. All consumers decide to switch brands or buy new products based on media-generated information, but that is not enough. | (2) When trying to purchase a new product, one may make a choice based on information received from news media. In fact, all consumers decide to switch brands or buy new products based on ad campaigns on the internet and other programs on TV channels. |
| (3) Establish thesis statement | (3) All consumers should explore a new product, in particular, information on the manufacturer and ingredients used, before buying it. | (3) Given the increased focus on fake or misrepresented information, all consumers should research a new product, in particular, information on the manufacturer and ingredients used, before buying it. |
Learning Tip 1
Planning an outline for a written text is an effective way to identify main topic ideas and organize or sequence information for coherence and cohesion. It can also help you set the amount of research and writing time a project will require.
The stitching together of a paragraph based on a recommended structure is a useful strategy to generate a first draft. Although a suggested structure is a good start, templates do not automatically create opportunities to experiment with new writing patterns and styles. Writing structures, therefore, should lead you to ponder about questions such as:
- Why did I choose this topic?
- What motivates me to write on this issue?
- What personal or observed experience do I have on this topic?
- Is this topic current?
- What can I add to this conversation?
Answering these questions will help recognize individual or personal connections and develop critical understanding on a topic. This step towards ownership is essential to the development of a writer’s voice and identity.
