Pre-Writing Guide

STEP 1: PRE-WRITING

(To be completed BEFORE writing the rough draft of any essay)

Rhetorical Situation (STRAP)

1. SUBJECT (TOPIC): Which story/topic are you writing about?

1. TEXT: What kind of essay are you writing?

1. ROLE (AUTHOR): What role do you play that qualifies you to write about this topic?

I am/was a __________________________

1. AUDIENCE: Whose mind are you going to change? (not optional)

1. PURPOSE: Persuade, Inform, Entertain, or a combination of the three

Rhetorical Analysis: I will persuade (fill in your audience) that (fill in the title of your story) is a well-written argument because of its effective use of rhetorical strategies.

Rogerian: I will persuade (Side A) and (Side B) to work together to solve the problem of (topic).

Classical Argument (Research Paper): I will persuade (audience) to (do what?)

1. FLOW CHART/DIAGRAM: See Page 4

1. PATTERN OF ORGANIZATION: choose one of the following:

SPATIAL: Organized through space (top to bottom of an object, left to right of a room, north to south of a city, etc.)

CHRONOLOGICAL: Organized through time (beginning of an event to the end.)

EMPHATIC: Organized by order of importance (least important to most important, least noticeable to most noticeable, least affected to most affected, least likeable to most likeable, etc.)

1. CLAIM (THESIS): What you believe to be true (stated as a fact, not as a mere opinion).

1. Rhetorical Analysis Thesis: In (his/her) essay (“Title of essay in quotation marks”) the author (state author’s full name) effectively uses (choose three rhetorical strategies such as ethos, logos, pathos, etc.) to persuade the reader that (state author’s main idea).
2. Sample Rogerian Thesis: Although (Side A) believe (whatever they believe about the topic) and (Side B) believe (whatever they believe about the topic, they both need to work together to find a solution to the problem of (whatever topic you chose).
3. Classical Argument (Research Paper): (Audience) should/should not (do what?) because (Reason 1), because (Reason 2), and because (Reason 3).

1. TOPIC SENTENCE FOR BODY PARAGRAPH ONE: What will this paragraph prove? This will be the first sentence of Body Paragraph I.

1. Rhetorical Analysis Topic Sentence: First, (state the author’s full or last name) uses (name one rhetorical strategy) to persuade the reader that (re-state author’s main idea).
2. Sample Rogerian Topic Sentence: In (his/her) article (“Name of article”) the author (author’s full name) states (his/her) belief that (whatever the author believes).
3. Classical Argument (Research Paper): First, (Audience) should/should not (do what?) because (Reason 1).

1. TOPIC SENTENCE FOR BODY PARAGRAPH TWO: What will this paragraph prove? This will be the first sentence of Body Paragraph II.

1. Rhetorical Analysis Topic Sentence: Furthermore, (state the author’s full or last name) uses (name another rhetorical strategy) to persuade the reader that (re-state author’s main idea).
2. Sample Rogerian Topic Sentence: Both conservatives and liberals are concerned about (whatever the problem is).
3. Classical Argument (Research Paper): Furthermore, (Audience) should/should not (do what?) because (Reason 2).

1. TOPIC SENTENCE FOR BODY PARAGRAPH THREE: What will this paragraph prove?  This will be the first sentence of Body Paragraph III.

1. Rhetorical Analysis Topic Sentence: Most importantly, (state the author’s full or last name) uses (name a different rhetorical strategy) to persuade the reader that (re-state author’s main idea).
2. Sample Rogerian Topic Sentence: Start with the side you agree with (Conservatives or Liberals) must concede that (state an idea that your side has to admit is true).
3. Classical Argument (Research Paper): Most importantly, (Audience) should/should not (do what?) because (Reason 3).

1.  TOPIC SENTENCE FOR BODY PARAGRAPH FOUR: What will this paragraph prove?  This will be the first sentence of Body Paragraph IV.

1. Classical Argument (Research Paper): On the other hand, (audience) believes (whatever they believe).

1. TOPIC SENTENCE FOR BODY PARAGRAPH FOUR: What will this paragraph prove?  This will be the first sentence of Body Paragraph V.

1. Sample Rogerian Topic Sentence: Start with the side you agree with. Nevertheless, (conservatives or liberals) do have some questions and concerns about (conservative or liberal’s (the opposite side’s) argument.
2. Classical Argument (Research Paper): Despite a few good points, what (audience) fails to consider is that (main reason they are wrong).

FORMAL OUTLINE (must show sources):

Center the Title of your Essay

INTRODUCTION: (one word or short phrase about the introduction paragraph)

THESIS SENTENCE: (copy the thesis sentence onto the formal outline)

1. First body paragraph topic
2. First major support (Source)
3. First minor supporting idea
4. Second minor supporting idea
5. Third minor supporting idea
6. Second major support (Source)
7. First minor supporting idea
8. Second minor supporting idea
9. Third minor supporting idea
10. Third major support (Source)
11. First minor supporting idea
12. Second minor supporting idea
13. Third minor supporting idea
14. Second body paragraph topic
15. First major support (Source)
16. First minor supporting idea
17. Second minor supporting idea
18. Third minor supporting idea
19. Second major support (Source)
20. First minor supporting idea
21. Second minor supporting idea
22. Third minor supporting idea
23. Third major support (Source)
24. First minor supporting idea
25. Second minor supporting idea
26. Third minor supporting idea

III.           Third body paragraph topic (Source)

1. First major support
2. First minor supporting idea
3. Second minor supporting idea
4. Third minor supporting idea
5. Second major support
6. First minor supporting idea
7.             Second minor supporting idea
8. Third minor supporting idea
9. Third major support
10. First minor supporting idea
11. Second minor supporting idea
12. Third minor supporting idea

CONCLUSION: (a word or short phrase that sums up the conclusion paragraph)

• Notes ShouId be do it

1. Use Insert Page Number to insert your last name and the page number in the upper right hand corner of the page automatically. (Last name, space, page number).
2. Title page: On the first page of the essay, on four separate lines on the left side of the page, type your name, your instructor’s name, your class and section number, and the date. Center the title of your essay without underlining, italics, quotation marks, or boldface type.
3. All essays must be double-spaced.
4. Develop essays in the assigned format (Rhetorical Analysis, Rogerian, Toulmin).
5. Clearly state your claim (opinion) in your Thesis and Topic Sentences.
6. Fully develop your claim with abundant reasons, examples, and data (750 words).
7. Organize your claim and support into five paragraphs (an introduction paragraph, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph).
8. Use transitions to guide your reader from sentence to sentence and from paragraph to paragraph.
9. Use Internal Documentation (Author’s last name page number) at the end of any sentence where you are using information from a source, i.e.: (Smith 14).
10. For the Works Cited page, use Insert Page Break to insert a new page after the end of your conclusion paragraph. Then proceed to type the Works Cited immediately into the rest of the Rough Draft. (Do not keep it in a separate file!!)

11- you should be all sources MLA format