(WW) Writing Workshop - Module Overview

Writing Workshop

Introduction

An illustrated pencil scribbles on a piece of paper.In literature, the essay serves as a way for students to reveal their own thoughts or ideas regarding a certain text. Throughout middle school, high school, and college, each individual subject area requires students to broadcast their ideas in the form of an essay. Many genres of essays exist: expository, descriptive, narrative, and argumentative. The type of essay chosen depends upon the desired topic of the writer. The fact that the writer can discuss any topic they choose through an essay remains the exciting idea behind writing!

Essential Questions

  1. What are the four types of writings used to convey ideas, and when do I use each type?
  2. How do I effectively brainstorm before writing an essay?
  3. What are sources, and how do I find reliable sources to support my ideas?
  4. How do I effectively create a thesis statement for an essay?
  5. What is MLA format?
  6. What is "evidence" or "support" in a paper?

Key Terms

  1. Essay: A piece of writing on a particular subject.
  2. Thesis statement: One sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay.
  3. Ideas: The opinions or thoughts of the writer.
  4. Organization: Arranging an essay in a way that keeps similar ideas in groups known as paragraphs.
  5. Paragraph: A group of sentences that explains the ideas of the writer.
  6. Brainstorming: The way for writers to think of the ideas to include in an essay.
  7. Support: Ideas from other people that writers use as evidence to back up and prove their own ideas.
  8. MLA format: MLA stands for Modern Language Association. MLA format is the way that a writer sets up an essay: 12-point font, Times New Roman, double spaced, one-inch margins, header, and heading.
  9. Sources: The various books, essays, and other places a writer finds the support for an essay.
  10. Primary source: The main work of literature a writer focuses on and uses for an essay.
  11. Secondary source: Various texts a writer uses to find support for an essay.
  12. Expository: An essay written for the purpose of informing, explaining, or describing the author’s subject matter.
  13. Descriptive: An essay that asks a student to describe something in particular.
  14. Narrative: An essay where the writer tells a story.
  15. Persuasive: An essay that requires the writers to convince readers to agree with their position or opinion on a topic.

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