Title : Writing as a Social Activity

Text types
Techniques for idea generation
In this session we will be looking at writing as a social activity, reviewing the text
types that teachers teach in schools and brainstorming a given topic using different
essay writing techniques such as: Questioning, Making a list, Diagramming, and
Outlining.

ACTIVITY 1: Writers among us

a. Play a familiar game called Find Someone Who . The aim is to look at the
writing practices of people you know. Refer to Tasksheet 2 below.

TASKSHEET 2 : Find Someone Who

Find among the members of your group someone who.
No

Description

1.

Wrote a letter in the past month

2.

Knows someone who writes for a living

Name

Nurul Amirah Binti Abdul

Rahman

Has never written an e-mail

Nur Ain Binti Ahmad

Thaozuddin

4.

Writes cheques at least once a month

Bibi Nor Fazlina Binti

Gurahman

Has written a letter of complaint before

Has never written a short story before

3.

Selvyn Ezekiel

Farlin Veroney Frederick

Has written a short story before

Has written to an editor of a newspaper

Has written a letter of invitation in the last three

years

10

Has written an article for a magazine/newspaper

11

Knows someone who writes speeches

Nordiyanah Bte Nordin

Nes Sandra Recca Binti

Asmin

Farah Ezzatie Marzuki

Chin Borg Shiung

12

b. Fill in the name of one person from the group who matches the description
given. As an additional variation, you can provide your own interesting
description (No. 12) and find someone who matches it.
c. Complete a short reflection of the purpose of the activity in the space provided
below.
Via this activity, obviously, I learn to know my friends better. something
that I did not know before, I got to know it in this activity.

ACTIVITY 2: Text types that teachers teach in schools

a) Name some common text types that teachers usually teach in schools.
b) List the key features of these text types
Example:
Descriptive essays: Features include the use of descriptive words (clever use of
adjectives), words that appeal to the five senses, clear
pattern of organization (Introduction moves from general to
specific)
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ACTIVITY 3:
Task 1: Read the descriptions/features of some common text
types.
Descriptive:
Examples: A descriptive essay could describe . . .
* a tree in my backyard;
* a visit to the children's ward of a hospital;
* a hot fudge sundae;
* what an athlete did in order to make it to the Olympics .

The descriptive essay provides details about how something looks, feels, tastes,
smells, makes one feel, or sounds. It can also describe what something is, or how
something happened. These essays generally use a lot of sensory details. The essay
could be a list-like description that provides point by point details. Or, it could function as
a story, keeping the reader interested in the plot and theme of the event described.

Examples:A narrative essay could tell of . . .

* my brother's and my fishing trips;
* a boring trip to the grocery store;
* my near-death experience at the beach.
The narrative essay tells a story. It can also be called a "short story."
Generally the narrative essay is conversational in style, and tells of a
personal experience. It is most commonly written in the first person (I).
This essay could tell of a single, life-shaping event, or simply a
mundane daily experience.

Compare and Contrast

Examples: A compare/contrast
essay may discuss . . .
* the likenesses and
differences
between two places,
like Kuala
Lumpur and Penang;

* the similarities and differences

between two people.

The compare/contrast essay discusses the similarities and differences between

two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased
discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing,
person, or concept. It could also be written simply to entertain the reader, or to
arrive at an insight into human nature. The essay could discuss both similarities
and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay
usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay
discusses the differences.

Compare/Contrast and Cause and Effect essays are part of an

expository essay.

Examples:A cause/effect essay may explain . . .

* why a volcano erupts, and what happens
afterwards;
* what happens after a loved one's death.

The cause/effect essay explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted
from the event. This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or
experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply
address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something
happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or
circumstance.
The example below shows a cause essay, one that would explain how and why an
event happened.

If this cause essay were about a volcanic

eruption, it might go something like:
"Pressure and heat built up beneath the earth's
surface; the effect of this was an enormous
volcanic eruption."

The next example shows an effect essay, one that would explain all the effects
that happened after a specific event, like a volcanic eruption. If this effect essay
were about a volcanic eruption again, it might go something like:
"The eruption caused many terrible things to
happen; it destroyed homes, forests, and polluted
the atmosphere."
Argumentative:
Examples: An
argumentative essay
may

persuade a reader that . . .

* he or she should use public transportation
instead of driving.
* cats are better than dogs.

An argumentative essay is one that attempts to persuade the reader to the writer's
point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the
reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may
attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm.

Source: http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/main/index.htm

TASK 2
b. Identify the text type of the following snippets of essays by filling in the blanks in
Tasksheet 2A below . Justify your answer by listing out the features of the text type

Tasksheet 2A
SNIPPETS OF ESAYS
1. A well-known proverb states
Money is the root of all evil. I
whole-heartedly agree with this
proverb and that is why I say
that money and possessions
do not bring happiness. With
money, it is possible to acquire
possessions and often people
who have a lot of money
become arrogant and overconfident. With lots of money
to spare, people sometimes
develop unhealthy habits

2. The culture of a place is an

integral part of its society
whether that place is a remote
Indian village in Brazil or a
highly industrialised city in
Western Europe. The culture
of Japan fascinates Americans
because at first glance, it
seems so different. Everything
that characterises the United
States ------- newness, racial
heterogeneity, vast territory,
informality, and an ethnic of
individualism ------- is absent in
Japan. There, one finds an
ancient and homogenous
society, an ethnic that
emphasises the importance of
groups, and a tradition of
formal behaviour governing

every aspect of daily living, from

drinking tea to saying Hello. On
the surface at least, American and
Japanese societies seem totally

TEXT TYPE/FEATURES

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opposite.

3. I was shocked to hear of her

death. Only the other day she
seemed so full of life and
energy, She visited some
orphans and cooked a big
meal for them. Puan Salmah
was to me, a power of
strength. In spite of her heavy
burdens, she always wore a
smile. She seemed to have
this rare quality.

4. Obesity is a complex problem

because it does not simply
mean being overweight. A
person is considered obese if
he weighs 20 per cent above
the generally accepted
desirable weight for his height
and age, in addition to having
a certain amount of excess
body fat. For example, a
person can be overweight
because he has large bones
but he is not considered
obese.

5. I did not expect to fail again.

How could I? Maybe it was
true after all, that I was a
miserable failure in life. I

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worked so hard to pass the

examination. I put in more and
more hours each day. When
my friends invited me out, I
always refused. In fact, I even
gave up watching television.
Yet, this was the result ----failure in four subjects out of
eight!

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ACTIVITY 4: Brainstorming/generating ideas on a given topic

using different essay writing techniques.
1a. Form four groups. Members from each group will work on their respective
techniques on poster sheets. Group leaders will later present their work to the

class.
b. Members of Group 1 are to read the notes on Questioning in Tasksheet 2B
below.
TASKSHEET 2B
Technique 1: Questioning
In questioning, you generate ideas and details by asking questions about your subject.
Such questions include why, when, where, who, and how. Ask as many questions as
you can think of.
Questioning: A Student Model
Here are some questions that Sheila (a student) might have asked while developing
her essay.
Questions
Why dont I like to go to a movie?
When is going to the movies a problem?

Answers
Just too many problems involved.
Could be any time ----- when a movie is
popular, the theatre is too crowded; when

Where are problems with moviegoing?

traffic is bad, the trip is a drag.

On the highway, in the parking lot, at the

Who creates the problems?

concession stand, in the theatre itself.

I do by wanting to eat too much. The
patrons do by creating disturbances. The
theatre owners do by not having enough
parking space and showing too many

How can I deal with the problem?

commercials.
I can stay at home and watch movies on

DVD or cable TV.

Asking questions can be an effective way of getting yourself to think about a topic
from a number of different angles. The questions can really help you generate details
about a topic.
To get a sense of the questioning process, use a sheet of paper to ask yourself a series
of questions about a good or bad experience that you have had recently. See how
many details you can accumulate in ten minutes. And remember again not to be
concerned about mistakes, because you are just thinking on paper.

c. Using the above technique, you are to ask as many questions as you can think
of about ONE of the following topics:
i) Advantages and disadvantages of surfing the internet.

ii) Why people like to read about movies and celebrities?

2a. Similarly, members of Group 2 are to read the notes on Making a list in
Tasksheet 2C below.
Tasksheet 2C
Technique 2: Making a list
In making a list, also known as brainstorming, you collect ideas and details that relate
to your subject. Pile these items up, one after another, without trying to sort out
major details from minor ones or trying to put the details in any special order. Your

goal is just to make a list of everything about your subject that occurs to you.
Making a List: A Student Model
Look at the following list of details that Sheila has come up with.

Traffic is bad between my house and theatre

Noisy patrons
Dont want to run into Jeremy
Hard to be on a diet
Children running along aisles
Im crowded into seats between strangers who push me
off my armrests
Not enough parking
Parking lot needs to be expanded
Too many previews
Cant pause or fast forward as you can with a DVD
Long lines
High ticket prices
Too many temptations at snack stand
Commercials for food on the screen
Can prepare healthy snacks for myself at home
Tubs of popcorn with butter
Huge chocolate bars
Candy has always been my downfall
Movie may be sold out
People whove seen movie before talk along with actors
and give away plot twists
People coughing and sneezing
Icky stuff on floor
Teenagers yelling and showing off
One detail led to another as Sheila expanded her list. Slowly but surely, more

details emerged, some of which she could use in developing her essay. By the time she
was done with her list, she was ready to plan an outline of her paragraph and then to
write her first draft.
Activity
To get a sense of list-making, list on a sheet of paper a series of realistic goals, major
or minor, that you would like to accomplish between today and one year from today.
Your goals can be personal, academic, and career-related.

b. Make a list of ideas and details that relate to ONE of the following topics:

i) Advantages and disadvantages of surfing the internet.

ii) Why people like to read about movies and celebrities?

3a. Members of Group 3 are to read the notes on Clustering in Tasksheet 2D below.

Tasksheet 2D
Technique 3: Clustering

Clustering, also known as diagramming or mapping, is another strategy that can be

used to generate material for an essay. This method is helpful for people who like to
do their thinking in a visual way. In clustering, you use lines, boxes, arrows, and
circles to show relationships among the ideas and details that occur to you.
Begin by stating your subject in a few words in the centre of a blank sheet of paper.
Then, as ideas and details come to you, put them in boxes or circles around the
subject and draw lines to connect them to each other and to the subject. Put minor
ideas or details in smaller boxes or circles, and use connecting lines to show how they
relate as well.

Clustering: A Student Model

Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way of clustering or diagramming. It is a
way of thinking on paper about how various ideas and details relate to one another.
Below is an example of what Sheila might have done to develop her ideas.

Traffic getting to
theatre

Line at box
office

Too many people

Might see old

boyfriend

Moviegoing

Temptation
s

Noisy people

Popcor
n

Chocolate
bars

Teenagers

Yelling

Showing
of

Adults

Telling plot

Coughing and sneezing

TIP
In addition to helping generate material, clustering can give you an early sense of
how ideas and details relate to one another. For example, the cluster for Sheilas essay
suggests that different kinds of noisy people could be the focus of one paragraph and that
different kinds of temptations could be the focus of another paragraph.

b. Use this technique to show the relationships among ideas and details pertaining to
ONE of the following topics:
i) Advantages and disadvantages of surfing the internet.
ii) Why people like to read about movies and celebrities?

4a. Members of Group 4 are to read the notes on Scratch Outline in Tasksheet 2E
below.
Tasksheet 2E
Technique 4: Preparing a Scratch Outline
A scratch outline is an excellent sequel to the three prewriting techniques mentioned
earlier. A scratch outline often follows questioning, list-making, or clustering; or it
may gradually emerge in the midst of these strategies. In fact, trying to make a

scratch outline is a good way to see if you need to do more prewriting. If you cannot
come up with a solid outline, then you know you need to do more prewriting to clarify
your main point or its several kinds of support.
In a scratch outline, you think carefully about the point you are making, the
supporting items for that point, and the order in which you will arrange those items.
The scratch outline is a plan or blueprint to help you achieve a unified, supported,
well-organised essay.
When you are planning a traditional essay consisting of an introduction, three
supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion, a scratch outline is especially important. It
may be only a few words, but it will be the framework on which your whole essay will
be built.

Scratch Outline: A Student Model

As Sheila was working on her list of details, she suddenly realised what the plan of her
essay could be. She could organise many of her details into one of three supporting
groups: (1) annoyances in going out, (2) too many tempting snacks, and (3) other
people. She then went back to the list, crossed out items that she now saw did not fit,
and numbered the items according to the group where they fit. Here is what Sheila
did with her list:

1 Traffic is bad between my house and the theatre

3 Noisy patrons
Dont want to run into Jeremy
2

Hard to be on a diet

Children running along aisles

3 Im crowded into seats between strangers who push me of

armrests
1

Not enough parking

Parking lot needs to be expanded

Too many previews

Cant pause or fast-forward as you can with a DVD

Long lines

High ticket prices

Too many temptations at snack stand

jjjj

Commercials for food on the screen

2

Can prepare healthy snacks for myself at home

Tubs of popcorn with butter

Candy has always been my downfall

Huge chocolate bars

Movie may be sold out

3 People whove seen movie before talk along with actors and
give away plot twists
3

People coughing and sneezing

Icky stuf on floor

Teenagers yelling and showing of

Under the list, Sheila was now able to prepare her scratch outline:
Going to the movies offers some real problems.
1. Inconvenience of going out
2. Tempting snacks
3. Other moviegoers

Sheila was pleased with what she had done in the prewriting stage. She knew that she
had a promising essay -------- one with a clear point and solid support. She saw that
she could organise the material into a traditional essay consisting of an introduction,
several supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. She was now ready to write the first
draft of her essay, using her outline as a guide.

TIP Chances are that if you do enough prewriting and thinking on paper, you will
eventually discover the point and support of your essay.

b. Use this technique to plan/organise the ideas you have generated pertaining to
ONE of the following topics:
i) Advantages and disadvantages of surfing the internet.
ii) Why people like to read about movies and celebrities?

ACTIVITY 5: Presentation and feedback

a) A representative from each group presents their work to the class.
b) Members from the other groups are encouraged to provide feedback

ACTIVITY 6: A 5-minute creative writing activity

a) Write an acrostic poem beginning with the following letters:

WRITERS-