midterms for RAWS

CRITICAL THINKING

Reflecting and asking questions as you consume and share ideas and information.

SKIMMING

Reading quickly to get the main ideas without focusing on details.

SCANNING

A reading technique used when you want to locate a single fact or a specific bit of information without reading every word.

INFERENCES

Involves using what you know to make a guess about what you don't know or reading between the lines.

ANNOTATING

Deliberately interacts with a text to enhance the reader's understanding of, recall of, and reaction to the text.

BRAINSTORMING

Employed to generate creative, or 'out-of-the-box,' ideas through collaboration.

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Visual representations of concepts that help us structure information into organizational patterns.

VENN DIAGRAM

Used to compare and contrast ideas and events.

NETWORK TREE

A hierarchical structure that organizes data, devices, or nodes into a branching pattern.

SPIDER MAP

Used to investigate and enumerate various aspects of a central idea, including a concept, topic or theme.

TIMELINE

Shows how events occurred chronologically.

OUTLINING

A structured way to organize information that shows the relationships between different ideas.

PARAPHRASING

Restatement of a text in another form or other words, often to simplify or clarify meaning.

SUMMARIZING

The process of reducing larger texts to their main ideas and key points.

THESIS STATEMENT

Main idea/main point of an informational text that serves as a roadmap.

GOOD THESIS STATEMENT

Takes a stand on the prompt, is specific, unified, and expresses one main idea.

THESIS STATEMENT IS NOT

A fact, a question, an announcement, too broad, or a simple statement.

HOW TO STRUCTURE A THESIS STATEMENT

Includes a topic and a claim.

SUPPORTING IDEAS

points or reasons that back up your claim

TOPIC SENTENCE

states the main topic of the paragraph and the controlling idea

SUPPORTING SENTENCE

should be drawn from a variety of sources

CONCLUDING SENTENCE

signals end of the paragraph and leaves readers the important details

ORGANIZATION

arrangement of ideas, evidence, or details logically and clearly, helping the reader follow the progression of thoughts

COHERENCE

the overall sense of unity in writing, where the ideas and sentences are clearly connected and follow a logical flow

COHESION

the way sentences and ideas connect within a text using strategies like pronouns, transitions, repetition, and synonyms to make the writing smooth and understandable

UNITY

the focus on one central idea in writing, ensuring all supporting details relate to and reinforce the main point

LANGUAGE USE

choice of words and style to effectively communicate ideas in writing, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness for the audience

informal/personal language

includes slang, local expressions, or casual language often used in texting or speaking with friends

standard/academic language

includes widely accepted words and phrases used in formal writing like essays, articles, and academic papers

business/technical language

includes specific terminology, jargon, or scientific terms used in professional or specialized fields

clear, concise sentences

aim for sentences around 18 words, keeping them simple

avoid redundancy and wordiness

be direct; avoid overused expressions and excessive elaboration

limit 'there' and 'it'

avoid starting sentences with these words too often

use precise vocabulary

be accurate and concise with word choice

maintain pronoun consistency

stick to one pronoun point of view (pov)

avoid sexist language

use inclusive language, avoiding bias

match formality to context

adjust formality based on the situation

MECHANICS

technical aspects of writing, including grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and formatting

always use standard English

avoid contractions (e.g., shouldn't, gonna)

avoid exclamation marks

unless part of a quotation

mention full names

on the first mention, then use abbreviations thereafter

numbers

write out numbers from zero to ten, and use numerals for 11 and above

citations

should be used sparingly in business texts but are important in academic writing

PROOFREADING

looking for and correcting mistakes, especially focusing on mechanics such as punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and avoiding run-on sentences

AUTHOR'S PURPOSE IN WRITING

INFORM, PERSUADE, ENTERTAIN

PATTERNS DEFINITION

DESCRIPTION: has a clear focus and sense of purpose, uses sensory details and precise words, presents details in a logical order

SUBJECTIVE

personal and emotional imagery

OBJECTIVE

factual and scientific

NARRATION

tells a story by presenting, in descriptive detail, events in an orderly, logical sequence

INTRODUCTION

hook, context, thesis

BODY

recount events, provide analysis

CONCLUSION

reinforce the main point

EXEMPLIFICATION

using specific examples to clarify or support an idea, moves from general to specific details

CAUSE AND EFFECT

explaining why something happens and its consequences, organized by: cause to effect, effect to cause, consecutive cause and effect

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

highlighting similarities and differences, can be organized point-by-point or side-by-side

DEFINITION

explaining what something is, including its characteristics and functions, can be scientific or subjective

DIVISION

sorting subjects into categories based on shared characteristics

PROBLEM-SOLUTION

identifying a problem and proposing solutions

PERSUASION

convincing readers to adopt a viewpoint, techniques include using evidence, providing examples, and addressing opposing views