READING AND WRITING

SKIMMING

• Quickly scanning a text for a general understanding.

SCANNING

• find specific information

CLOSE READING

• understand and draw conclusions

CRITICAL READING

• Analyzing a text with a critical mindset

ANALYTICAL READING

• often used in academic research and literary analysis

QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITING

• IDEAS- Share your unique ideas and insights. 

• ORGANIZATION- Give information in the right amount and in the right order.

• VOICE- Let your personality show in the way you express yourself.

• WORD CHOICE- Help your readers understand exactly what you mean; use the most precise word for your purpose. 

• ENTENCE FLUENCY- Create a variety of sentence patterns and lengths. 

• CONVENTIONS- Follow the conventions for English, the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.

TECHNIQUE (tekniːk)

It is a way of doing something by using special knowledge or skill; In addition, it is a procedure or way something is done or a strategy.

BRAINSTORMING

is a prewriting technique in which a group jots down as many ideas as possible about a given topic.

BRAINSTORMING TECHNIQUES

• Solicit quality ideas

• Encourage everyone to participate

• Encourage freewheeling and expression of different ideas

• Do not criticize or evaluate ideas

• Build upon other group members' ideas

• Record ideas accurately during the session

TOOLS IN BRAINSTORMING

• Idea List:

  • Lists ideas on a topic

  • Identifies the main idea and supporting details

• Concept Map:

  • Visualizes ideas and connections

  • Structured and hierarchical representation

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

• help visually organize information for easier review and writing.

• They show relationships among ideas and prepare information for writing.

• The type of graphic organizer used depends on the material being learned.

• They visually structure information into patterns.

• present essential information and connect it into a coherent framework.

VENN DIAGRAM

• is used to compare and contrast ideas

• look at the similarities and differences between the two subjects

NETWORK TREE

• used hierarchy, classification, and branching.

• useful in showing relationships between scientific categories, family trees, and even lineages.

SPIDER MAP

• Central idea: Placed at the center of the map

• Main idea: Placed along the diagonal line

• Details of the main idea: Placed on the sides of the diagonals

PROBLEM-SOLUTION MAP

• Problem: Description of the problem

• Causes: Factors contributing to the problem

• Effects: Consequences of the problem

• Logical Solutions: Possible ways to solve the problem

TIMELINE

• show events in chronological order.

• Two types of timelines: linear and comparative.

• Linear timelines display events within one period.

• Comparative timelines show two sets of events in the same period.

• Start with the earliest event at the top, and the latest event at the bottom.

• Use horizontal lines to represent events.

• Write events on the left, and dates/times on the right.

• Specify the unit of time at the top.

PLOT DIAGRAM

• Exposition: Introduces characters, setting, and background.

• Rising Action: Builds suspense and conflict.

• Climax: Turning point or intense moment.

• Falling Action: Shows aftermath and leads to resolution.

• Resolution: Final outcome or solution.

SERIES OF EVENT CHAIN

is used to show the logical sequence of events.

FISHBONE MAP

is used to better understand the causal relationship of a complex phenomenon. It shows the factors that cause a specific event or a problem, as well as details of each cause.

CYCLE

describes how a series of events interact to produce a set of results repeatedly. Some examples of events that require a cycle are water cycle, metamorphosis, and poverty cycle.

PERSUSASION MAP

• map out arguments and evidence that prove a viewpoint

• especially useful when processing persuasive or argumentative texts

• helps students familiarize themselves with the process of persuasive writing

OUTLINING

prewriting or study technique that allows writers or readers to organize the presentation and order of information.

TOPIC OUTLINE

• arrange your ideas hierarchically (showing which are main and which are sub-points), in the sequence you want, and show what you will talk about.

• lists words or phrases

SENTENCE OUTLINE

• shows exactly what you will say about each mini-topic.

• lists complete sentences

Main Point / Main Idea 3

thesis statement

CONCLUSION

A. Restatement of the Thesis Statement

B. Summary of Main Points

C. Closure Sentence

PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT

• refers to the particular strategy writers use to develop ideas.

NARRATION

• most basic pattern of development

• telling a story from the point of view of a person who is describing what, when and where something happened

COMPONENTS THAT BUILD UP A STORY

1.Logical Actions- This pertains to the moments within the plot or the narrative that drive the characters forward.

2.Way of narration- This refers to how the writer presents the story.

CLIPPED NARRATION

• short narration

PACED NARRATION

• precised narration

CONCRETE TERMS

physical manifestation in our world

ABSTRACT TERMS

ideas or concepts that are intangible, such as the concept of love, freedom and feminism

GENERAL TERMS

Commonly used to denote groups

SPECIFIC TERMS

Refer to an individual component of that group.

DESCRIPTION

• uses sensory writing and includes vivid and rich details

• illustrates certain events, people or objects in a way that a reader can visualize what the writer is describing

• Use rich descriptive words that put a picture of a person, place, or object in the reader’s mind

• should mark a sensory impression to the reader

OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION

• factual and scientific characteristics of the events, people, or objects being described

SUBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION

• “PAINTS A PICTURE”

• opinion of the writer

DEFINITION

• deeply examine a word or concept as we actually use and understand it

• help the readers understand new terms or concepts

• first identify the term being defined, provide a basic and general definition, and followed by a clear detail to support the definition

SCIENTIFIC DEFINITION

• objective as possible.

SUBJECTIVE DEFINITION

• based on his/her personal experiences

METHODS OF DEFINITION

• Characteristics or Features: Defines a concept by describing its physical and behavioral traits.

• Function: Explains how something works or its purpose.

• Negation: Defines a concept by stating what it is not or lacks.

• Synonym: Uses comparisons and analogies to clarify unfamiliar terms.

• Example: Provide real-life instances to illustrate the concept's meaning.

• Origin: Offers historical context to understand a term's evolution.

• Effect: Discusses the impact and utility of the term in specific contexts.

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

• what makes one thing different and similar to another

• Point-to-Point Paragraph:

  • The author alternates between two subjects.

  • Begins with topic A, then shifts to topic B, and repeats.

• Blocked Paragraph:

  • Focuses on one topic completely.

  • Ends the paragraph by introducing the second subject for comparison or contrast.

CAUSE AND EFFECT

• why something happens, what causes it, what are the effects, and how it is related to something else

PROBLEM-SOLUTION

• analyzing and writing about a topic by identifying a problem and proposing solutions

• (1) identify the problem and (2) provide a logical, practical solution for the problem

• a type of argument

ORGANIZATION

• arrangement of ideas in a text

• achieved when ideas are logically and accurately ordered

SIMPLE LISTING

• Items are randomly listed in a series of supporting facts or details

• Signal words for listing- In addition, another, some, for example etc

DEFINITION

• devoted to defining a concept and then further expanded with examples and restatements.

• Signal words for definition- Is defined as, refers to, means, is described as, is called etc.

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OR SEQUENCE

• arranges information according to a progression of time, either forward or backward

• Signal words for chronological order- first, second, third, before, after, until, next etc

COHERENCE

• refers to the overall sense of unit in a passage, including main point of sentences and main point of each paragraph

THREE WAYS OF ORDERING IDEAS TO ACHIEVE COHERENCE

• SPATIAL ORDER- Spatial pattern of organization arranges information according to how things fit together in physical

• ORDER OF IMPORTANCE   In this order a writer can move from the least important to the most important idea, ending the text on a strong note. Reversed order is also possible depending on the writer’s choice

• CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER It means in the order of occurrence

COHESION

• concerns with the flow of sentences and paragraphs

• writer can smoothly transition from one sentence to another

• it talks about tying together the information in a text

TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE PARAGRAPH COHESION  

• Transitions: conjunctions or conjunctive adverbs to link sentences with specific relationships.

• Repetition: repeat a significant word from the previous sentences to maintain the connection between terms.

• Synonymy: Employ synonyms of the word you want to repeat, especially when direct repetition might be too obvious. This is often referred to as 'elegant variation.'

• Antonymy: opposite words

LANGUAGE USE

• refers to the acceptable style of language for a particular form of text

• refers to the level of language and consideration for the informal and conversational terms that will be used sparingly

COLLOQUIALISM

• usage of informal or everyday language

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD CLAIM

• be debatable

• express the writers unique view of the topic

• not neutral

• clearly worded and specific

• logical and rational

CLAIM OF FACT

• factual, recent and reliable

• existed, be existing or exist in the future

• can either be accepted or rejected

• accurate, explicit and not just inferred

CLAIM OF VALUE

• argues about different moral, aesthetical and philosophical values

• set of standards

• assertion that is based on a person’s belief of an morality

• a claim is morally good or bad and right or wrong

• evaluative statement

CLAIMS OF POLICY

• should, ought to, or must

• certain policy should be implemented

• considers arguments

• justifiably needed and probable

• “does the claim solve the problem?”

EVALUATING AUTHOR’S CLAIM

• should be supported by strong arguments based on the premises that are reasonable

• be mindful of the author’s approaches in building a case

• check for FACTS, STATISTICS, AND SOURCES

• distinguish facts from opinions

• For general or broad claims, look for a more substantive evidence

• Determine evidence from the text