Effective Written Communication and the Writing Process

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the five stages of the writing process, prewriting strategies, editing conventions including transitional devices, and different types of personal and interpersonal correspondence.

Prewriting

The planning stage of the writing process focused on generating and gathering ideas, developing a topic for a specific purpose, and understanding the target audience.

Freewriting

A prewriting strategy involving nonstop writing for $10$-$15$ minutes without becoming conscious of grammar, word choices, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, or sentence structure.

Mapping

A prewriting strategy also known as clustering and webbing, which involves listing words and linking or organizing them using a graphic organizer.

Outlining

A prewriting strategy for organizing ideas to ensure cohesion or unity by using main headings and indented subheadings.

Drafting

The stage of the writing process where ideas and information from prewriting are written into sentences and paragraphs to produce a rough draft.

Fast writing

A drafting strategy where the goal is to let ideas flow based on prewriting work to produce a first draft.

Revising

The stage of making changes to the draft to ensure the ideas support the topic and meet the needs of the target audience and the writer’s purpose.

Self-evaluation

A revision strategy where the writer analyzes their own work to ensure every sentence aligns with the topic, purpose, and audience needs.

Peer Feedback

A revision strategy where one student reads and evaluates another student’s writing using specific sentence starters.

Editing

The stage of making changes to ensure writing adheres to conventions such as grammar, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, and organization.

FANBOYS

An acronym for coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

Transitional devices

Words and phrases used to logically connect sentences and signal relationships between ideas, such as Addition, Contrast, or Cause and Effect.

Publishing

The final stage of the writing process involving sharing or presenting the final writing to the target audience.

Correspondence

Exchanging written communication with family, friends, and others to connect or stay connected meaningfully.

Personal correspondence

An individual form of communication used to express feelings, thoughts, and reflections, which can be public (social media) or private (diaries).

Interpersonal correspondence

An exchange of messages between two or more people, such as text messages, emails, or direct messages on social media.

Traditional Correspondence

Written communication using pen and paper that consists of a date, salutation, body, closing, and signature.

Electronic Messages

Fast and convenient communication sent via email or social media involving a recipient email address, subject line, salutation, body, closing, and signature.