The Writers' Newsletter by J.H.

May 14, 2011

⁰6 European Literature —Newsletter

The Writers’ Newsletter This issue will go over the following:  Parts of an Essay  Vocabulary & Definitions

 Helpful tips on writing and gather information for your paper

Volume 1, Issue 1

Welcome to The Writers’ Newsletter! Whether it be the night before the due date of a mid-term paper or a simple writing assignment for a class, at some point in your life, you may find yourself faced with the issues of writing a decent paper to turn in. Have no fear — This issue of The Writers’ Newslet-

ter was created with that scenario in mind. We hope that these articles you are about to read in this newsletter will help you achieve the confidence it takes to improve your writing skills with the tips and resources we provide. Our goal as a newslet-

ter is to address topics that our audience, you as the reader, find of interest. With that much said, we hope that you enjoy our newsletter! Exc lu mat sive T ips io an to w n on wha d Info rite rt it ade cen t a k t pa e per! s

Parts of an Essay Ever wonder what made up an essay? There are 4 main components that go into an essay. They are the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Introduction Body Conclusion Bibliography

The introduction is an essential part of your essay in that it’s the opening paragraph(s) that grabs your reader’s attention and lets them know what you will be covering in the following paragraphs. Generally, a thesis statement follows the introduction ,

paragraph. A quick tip about the introduction is, as the writer, try mentioning 3 brief topics that you want to discuss. This helps set up for the next few paragraphs you are about to write on the topic, which will be included in your body paragraphs. (continue on page 2)

The Writers’ Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 2 Continuing from ‘Parts of an Essay; Next is the body portion of your essay. It contains at least 3 additional paragraphs that give evidence to support your thesis statement from your introduction. As I had a tip mentioned earlier, it is helpful to mention at least 3 main topics in your introduction. With those 3 main topics, each idea can be further elaborated on in your body paragraphs. As an example, lets look at this outline of an essay. Lets say our topic is Apples. In the introduction, we can tell our readers that we will be discussing the many variations of apples there are. From there, we can choose 3 main types of apples to compare and describe their unique features. Continuing the introduction, we may include more information and facts about apples and why knowing the different types of apples there are, are helpful. From there we may begin our first paragraph talking

about Fuji Apples. Include at least 3 important facts about Fuji apples and for each fact also include 1-2 details afterwards. The same structure goes to the second and third body paragraph, only your topics will be about different apples. (ie. Green apples/Granny Smith) Again, the body of your essay can be compared to the main dish or meat of the meal. (unless, of course, you’re a vegetarian, then the analogy does not apply to you). This is just one method of tackling down how to write an essay. If you are still not sure about the process, consider examining the following chart on page 3 that illustrates what was mentioned earlier. After the last body paragraph is the conclusion paragraph. Similar to the introduction, the conclusion is a 1-2 paragraph portion that reiterates what was mentioned in the intro

and body paragraphs. The conclusion ties your essay together, like a ribbon does on a present. It restates your main idea (thesis) and tells your final thoughts on the topic in a concluding tone. Something to note about the conclusion, is never to bring up any new topics or statements. Your goal is to tie a tight ending to your essay, rather than leave loose ends and unfinished thoughts to your readers. The last component of an essay is the bibliography. That is a list of all the sources you used to write your paper. It is composed alphabetically and in a specific way. A helpful tool and short cut that has been used are online bibliographies. They can be very efficient, once you get the hang of it. Though, becareful that you select the correct type of bibliography for your essay. Check with your teacher or instructor, whether it is MLA,

APA or some other format. Sites such as NoodleTools.com have been very helpful with compiling bibliographies online.

Topic: Apples I. Intro & Thesis. (1-2 paragraphs) -mention 3 main ideas that you will discuss in your body paragraphs. -example: ¶1. nutrition of apples, ¶2. the types of apples, ¶3. alternative ways of eating apples. II. Apple Nutrition (Body Paragraph talks about your 1st topic) A. Nutrition of an Apple i. facts or research that supports i. facts or research that supports B. Importance of Eating Apples i. facts or research that supports i. facts or research that supports III. The types of apples Body Paragraph talks about your 2nd topic) A. Different types of Apples i. facts or research that supports i. facts or research that supports B. Similarities of certain Apples i. facts or research that supports i. facts or research that supports C. Differences of the Apples i. facts or research that supports i. facts or research that supports IIII. Different ways to eat Apples Body Paragraph talks about your 3rd topic) A. Cut into slices w/ peanutbutter. i. facts or research that supports B. Carmel dripped apples i. facts or research that supports C. In Salads i. facts or research that supports IV. Conclusion Paragraph V. Bibliography

Page 3

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Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 4

Page 5

Here is a simple and easy writing process to help you get started writing a draft for your essay. From this outline, you may go on to a more complex form. This is just to help you get started and get use to writing in this fashion.

Title Topic Sentence: The main topic of the composition is stated. Reason/Detail/Fact: Give the reader a main reason, detail or fact that relates to and supports the topic sentence. Use transitions (First,... First of all,... In addition,... Also,...) to start these sentences. Explain/Example: Give an example for the statement made in the reason/detail/fact sentence. Concluding Sentence: The topic is restated to remind the reader what the composition was about. (Begin this sentence with Clearly,... In conclusion,... All in all,...

ÂŠ http://www2.pylusd.k12.ca.us/glk/jlaurich/StepUpToWriting.htm

The Writers’ Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 6 Introduction to Brainstorming Welcome to the first step in the writing process. Brainstorming is a helpful step to organizing all your thoughts and ideas. A good way to go about brainstorming is think of the topic you wish to write about and from there branch off onto other ideas that

some to mind when you think of your topic. This is useful for when you are at a writers’ block and need to come up with ideas. On the other hand, there are those that are just oozing with ideas! In that case, take the time to let it all out on a sheet of paper.

Make a diagram, a web, rearranging them or just quickly write into an effectively down every word and written paper. idea associating with your topic, that comes to mind. Now that you have all your ideas and thoughts out of your system, you are ready to begin organizing and

Well Written Papers “Grabbing the readers attention is just one thing. The next step is to keep your readers hooked and interested in what you are saying.”

So what makes a writing good? Mainly a well written paper includes 5 or more of the following characteristics. Professional Appearance. No one wants to take your writing seriously if you hand in a story on a ghastly torn out sheet from a notebook.  Title page, Name, Date, etc. This goes along with the professional look. It includes all the information for readers to know who the work belongs to. It also shows that the author/writer takes



pride in their work by clearly announc-  ing their work. Reliable Sources. Nothing says ―I know what I’m talking about‖ than a thorough research on the topic and citing reliable sources in your bibliography. Clarification and Style. Focusing more on the content of your writing, it is much more interesting to read genuine writing than a plain  boring report. Not to say reports are not useful. It helps to write about topics that interest you, as

the writer. Organization and sentence structure. Although its nice to use a variety of sentence lengths and types (ie. Compound, simple sentence, etc.) as you write, still, avoid short, choppy and run-on sentences that ramble on. (ie. Incomplete sentences, sentence fragments, unfinished thoughts, etc.) Lastly, creating unity in your paper adds to the feel of an organized and nicely written paper.

Page 7 Time to Hunt & Gather In this day and age, with the help of technology, information can be obtained within seconds of a click. The problem lies with the accuracy and reliability of the information and source of the information be-

ing gathered. The best recommendation is take it a step down from 21st century technology and hit the books at a public library. Although a great way to research a topic is through the internet, besure to site your resources in your

bibliography. As well as researching a topic, its best to vary your sources and resource materials. Not only does this give variety to in your research, but also perspectives from the various publishers.

On the Look Out (Tips for a writing) To touch base on a few tips that were given in previous articles, clarity and organization in writing is an essential component of a well written paper. Consider writing a rough draft to be revised. Revision and editing is a difficult process,

and one that takes the most time. Depending on how well you write, there is also room for improvement as well as revising your original draft for more clarity. Most authors and publishing groups have editors that review final

“Once you know

drafts for mistakes and errors, even typos. Next step after having a solid draft down, is having a trusted friend or person with experience in editing, proof read your draft for further changes or corrections.

the basics of how to write a good paper, there are always little tricks you can do to make them more appealing.”

Types of Writing -Persuasive – Writing corporates imagery that states the opinion and specific details. of the writer and attempts to influence the - Expository/ reader. Explanatory – Writing -Descriptive – A type of in which author’s purpose is to inform or expository writing that explain the subject to uses the five senses to the reader. -Narrative – Writing in which the author tells a paint a picture for the story. The story could reader. This writing inbe fact or fiction. There are 4 main types of writing. They include narrative, persuasive, descriptive and expository. Each can be briefly defined as:

The Writers’ Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 8 Strengthening Your Vocabulary Now that you’ve got the tools and resources to help you on your way to writing an A+ term paper, take a look at the list of vocabulary words and their definitions to help you incorporate them in your new

paper! Having a a rich vocabulary is essential when writing and speaking. Knowing the roots of words, such as their prefixes and suffixes help readers interpret meanings of new words as well.

List of Vocabulary & Definitions “To catch the reader's attention, place an

Abjure —

Verb: to renounce, repudi-

ate, or retract. Solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim)

Abrogate —

Verb: Repeal or do away

sentence or quote

with (a law, right, or formal agreement). To abolish by formal or official means .

from the story

Adjective: Sparing or

interesting

here.”

Abstemious —

moderate. Not self-indulgent, esp. when eating and drinking.

Auspicious —

Adjective: Giving or

being a sign of future success

Bedraggle —

Verb: to make limp

and soiled, as with rain or dirt.

Bellicose —

Adjective: Demonstrat-

ing aggression and willingness to fight.

Boisterous —

Adjective: 1. Noisy,

energetic, and cheerful; rowdy. (of a person, event, or behavior) 2. Wild or stormy. (of wind, weather, or water)

Bowdlerize —

Verb: Remove mate-

rial that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or account), esp. with the result that it becomes weaker or less effective

Chicanery —

Noun: The use of

trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose.

Crude —

Noun: Natural petroleum.

Adjective: In a natural or raw state; not yet processed or refined: "crude oil".

(Recrudescent) —

the revival of

an unfortunate situation after a period of abatement*

*Abatement —

the state of being

suppressed, in reduction or decreasing.

European Literature 6th Period --- Ms. Bleiweiss Have any questions or comments about this issue? Send in your commentaries or stories to our NewsLetter! Our editors will look over your work and hopefully you will see your work published in our next issue!

Contact: Emmeline Wei Productions emwei11@ymail.com

―The most important thing about writing is inspiration. Once you have an idea you want to express, do a little research and follow an organized step-by-step process to help you get your idea down on paper to share.‖ —Emmeline Wei Productions.

A Final Note From the Publisher

Find your inspiration in the unexpected!

It has been a privilege to compile a newsletter to help young writers organize their thoughts onto writing. I wrote these articles with the intention of providing resources for others, as well as help myself understand the writing process better by re-teaching the principles that I have learned. Hopefully, I may continue issuing out Newsletters of How-To’s and other topics of interests for my viewers and potential fans to read.

If there are any topics of interest that you, as viewers, would like to see in the future issues, please send in your suggestions to the Emmeline Wei Productions. Also include whether or not you would like your name and recommendation to be published in a future column of our newsletters. Much thanks & Best Regards!