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The Nature of the Writing Process

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Process Writing Stephen Marcus,-a specialist in the use of technologyin

writing, maintains that process writhing really becamefeasible with the development of word processing.

Martin(1985)- argues that factual writing fosters thedevelopment of critical thinking skills, which in turn

encourage the individual to explore and challenge socialreality.

Rodrigues-argues that the unfitted writing processapproach has been just as artificial as the traditional high

school research paper. Raimes deals with the issue by teaching two types of

writing:

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Writing for learning and Writing for Display>Writing for Learning

*with prewriting, drafts ,revisions and editing

>Writing for Display*examination writing

A shortcoming of the debate around these issues isthat process and product have been seen as either/or

rather than both and entities.

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White and Arndt(1991)-view writing as a complexcognitive process that requires sustained intellectualeffort over a considerable period of time. They suggestthat producing text involves six recursive procedures

before actually producing a first draft.

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Procedures involved in producing written textDrafting

Structuring

Reviewing

Focusing

Generating ideasEvaluation

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Social,Collaborative nature of the composing process

nature of the composing process:

1.Discussion(class,small group, pair)2.Brainstorming/making notes/asking questions3.Fastwriting/selecting ides/establishing a viewpoint4.Rough drafting

5.Preliminary self-evaluation6.Arranging information/structuring the text7.First draft8.Group/peer evaluation and responding9.Conference

10.Second draft11.Self-evaluation/editing/proofreading12.Finished draft13.Final responding to draft

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Spoken Versus Written Language

Written language emerged from spoken language ,it is more than talkwritten down

Halliday(1981),according to him, writing emerge in societies as a resultof cultural changes that created new communicative needs. Thesecould not be readily met by the spoken language.

(People need permanent records that could be referred to over andover again). This lead to the emergence of a new form of language:

writing

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He suggested(1985)-suggest written language is used forthe ff. purposes:

*Action( e.g.: public signs, products labels, televisionand radio guides, bills, menus,telephone directories,ballot papers, computer manuals)

*For information (e.g.: Newspapers ,current affairsmagazines, advertisements, political pamphlets)

*for entertainment (e. g .:comic strips, fiction books,poetry and drama ,newspaper features ,film subtitles)*These different purposes for language will be reflected

in the charactericstics of the texts themselves:

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Can you tell the difference?

Study the following extracts from McCarthy andCarter(1994) and decide which has been takenfrom a spoken text and which from a written text.

1no, itll shut. So ,try it now. Its better..

2are erased awy.Now,wouldnt you like to changeyour image

3.our answers to these questions may not be

definitive or complete ,but even if4so, you know ,up I get temper

5and should be adjusted clockwise to reach theslowest speed while still

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answer:

Numbers 1 and 4 suggested spoken language

Numbers 3 and 5 were thought it as writing Number 2 was felt neutral.

Some linguistic exponents identified the informant ascharacteristic of spoken language included the use of

1.Colloquialisms:( far from it,little so-and-sos)2.Discourse markers(now,well, and you know)

3.contracted verb forms(itll,its)

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Lexical Density

The number number of content words per clause expressedas a ratio of content words to function.

Spoken and written language also differ in the ratioof content words and grammatical words.

Content words (content words include nouns and verb)Grammatical words (include such as prepositions,pronouns ,and articles)

Example:Spoken

Good writers reflect on what they write.Written

reflection is a characteristic of good writers

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Functional Grammar and Writing

Halliday(1985)-language and function is described. >A functional grammar is essentially a natural

grammar ,in the sense that everything in it can beexplained, ultimately ,by reference to how language is

used.

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Genre Theory and Writing- Are typified by a particular structure and grammatical

forms that reflect the communicative purpose of thegenre in question.

- Ways in which genre theory has been used in writingpedagogy and researh.

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Disadvantaged School Project (DSP) It was set to improve the academia writing skills of

children in inner city schools.

AIMS:

To perform effectively in written class assignments

Make effective notes

Do independent research

Complete written homework discussions about writing

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The project worked toward these goals byimplementing an innovation teacher

education package Assessment criteria were asked to evaluation

the project

1. Schematic structure: Is the schematicstructure appropriate to the genreof the text

2. Topic development: Does the writer explicitlyidentify the topic and is the topic developed.

3. Reference: Does the writer use referenceappropriately?

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THE SNAP PROJECT

- It was initaited to develop a systematic procedure fordiagnosing the strength and weaknesses of students in

their control over in order to succeed in school.

Aims:

- Schools with high proportion of immigrant students

- To develop a procedure for quantifying, qualitativeinformation

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Criteria in evaluating students writing:

1. Explanation- is a factual text used to explain theprocesses involved in the evaluation of natural and

social phenomena.2. Recount- related a series of events. The focus of a

recount is on events rather that on characterdevelopment and plot, as in narrative.