(22) Lesson 5: Charting a Resilient Course

The 4 A’s Protocol

A protocol that helps one to think critically about what a writer is saying and why they might be saying it: Assumption, Agree, Argue, and Aspire.

Assumption

Consider what assumptions the author holds in their beliefs and ideas.

Agree

Ideas in the text that you support or find convincing.

Argue

Points you disagree with or would challenge in the text.

Aspire

Ideas from the text you want to adopt, apply, or act on.

The 6 Parts Of The Writing Process

Pre-Writing/Brainstorming, Writing/Drafting, Responding, Revising, Editing & Proofreading, and Presenting.

Pre-Writing/Brainstorming

Determine purpose and audience, generate ideas, and plan the structure or format of your writing.

Writing/Drafting

Develop your ideas into sentences and paragraphs, focusing on organization, word choice, voice, and sentence fluency.

Responding

Receive and give feedback through peer review, conferencing, or self-assessment to improve the work.

Revising

Improve content by clarifying ideas, reorganizing sections, and refining language for clarity and precision.

Editing & Proofreading

Correct and polish the text. Editing involves improving structure and clarity by adding, removing, or rearranging words. Proofreading focuses on fixing grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

Presenting

The final stage of writing where the finished work is shared, submitted for assessment, or published for an audience.

5 Characteristics Of An Effective Thesis Statement

Substantial, Supportable, Precise, Arguable, and Shows Awareness.

Substantial

Interesting and meaningful enough to engage the reader and encourage deeper thinking.

Supportable

Can be supported with evidence, rather than just a personal preference or unsupported opinion.

Precise

Clear and specific, avoiding vague or overly broad language and general statements.

Arguable

Presents an interpretation, not just stating facts. It should make a claim about the meaning of that evidence. Even with strong evidence, it is a debatable claim that others could reasonably agree or disagree with and interpret differently.

Shows Awareness

Recognizes other possible viewpoints or counterarguments, and addresses or acknowledges them. In short essays, the process of doing this without refuting counterarguments is sufficient.

MLA Format

A standardized citation and formatting style created by the Modern Language Association. It ensures that writing and source citations are consistent by providing rules for how to format your paper, how to cite sources within your writing, and how to create a Works Cited page at the end of your essay.

MLA 8 uses “core elements” to describe sources in a fixed order on the Works Cited page:

Author, Title of Source, Title of Container, Other Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, and Location.

MLA In-Text Citation

Author Last Name, Page Number(s).

MLA In-Text Play Citation

Author's last name, Page number(s). If the text of the play includes line numbers, replace the page number with the act, scene, and line numbers, separated by periods.