FUNDAMENTALS OF

EFFECTIVE WRITING
 Objectives

At the end of this chapter, the students must have:

• constructed grammatically-correct paragraphs with unity and
consistency, coherence, and emphasis
RHETORICAL DEVICES
FOR PARAGRAPH
DEVELOPMENT
Rhetorical Acts/ Modes

• Refers to the different styles and techniques we use when we write

• The rhetorical mode a writer chooses depends on his/her purpose for writing.

Overall, these are a set of tools that allow you different methods to effectively communicate
information to your audience.
Check these patterns out for
your paragraph development!
NARRATIVE : Telling Stories

• Narration is the act of describing a sequence of event.

• A component used in writing, to support a thesis

Narrative writing tries to

relay a series of events in
an emotionally engaging
way.
 NARRATION IN WRITING

Chronological Order
Transition Words and Phrases for Expressing Time

q the order in which events unfold • after/afterward • eventually

from first to last • as soon as • since
q beginning, middle, and end • currently • still
q certain transitional words and • next • while
phrases aid orienting readers of • finally • before
the sequence • until • meanwhile
• during • soon
• now later • then
• when/ whenever • first, second,
• at last third
 NARRATION IN WRITING

• To create strong details, keep the human senses in mind.

• Create tension by making the reader nervous about what is going to happen
through sentence structure, tone, and voice.
• Add dialogue to show the immediacy and drama of the personal interactions.
• Name specific objects to re-create the scene; select details that leave the readers
with a dominant impression of how things were.
• Show people in action by describing precise movements and dialogue to convey
the action of the scene.
 EXAMPLE:

In the 2004 NBA Western Conference semifinals, the Minnesota Timberwolves

played their most unforgettable game in the franchises history.

a) Paragraph 1: Describe the energy of the crowd, the intensity of the crowd,
and the noise in the stadium.
b) Paragraph 2: Describe the team’s energy, key moments in the game where the
momentum shifted, and amazing plays that lifted the crowd off its feet.
c) Paragraph 3: Describe the celebration that ensued after Chris Webber missed
the final shot of the game and the excitement surrounding the Timberwolves’
win.
DESCRIPTION: Describing

• The tool writers use to make things come alive for their readers
• Can be basic or detailed
Basic- I have a blue car
Detailed- The flowers soak up the golden sun’s rays and begin to show their
vibrant colors.

• Descriptive words are used to provide more information and provide added
insight.
 DESCRIPTION IN WRITING
• Objective description
- gives a factual account of the subject
example: The shirt is red.

• Subjective description
- offers a more personal view of the details
example: The girl smiles vibrantly.

• Most descriptions offer a mix of the two

- to convey details while offering the audience an emotional context of the
subject being described.
 DESCRIPTION IN WRITING
1. Sensory Details- Five senses
- Different subjects lead to emphasis on different sensory details.
- Plays an important part in making a description come alive
2. Using Concrete Descriptions
- The reader needs details for a picture to form in their heads.
- Gives the reader the illusion of immediate experience
Describing a tree: beautiful vs. the sun’s rays glistened off the rain-slick leaves
3. Similes and Metaphors
- Creating a picture in readers’ heads by comparing two objects to each other
- Identify an object or concept in your writing and think of another object or
concept with similar traits.
 DESCRIPTION IN WRITING
• The introduction should set the tone and the point of the paragraph or essay.
It should convey the writer’s overall impression of the person, place, or object
described in the body paragraphs.

• Description may best follow a spatial order, an arrangement of ideas according

to physical characteristics or appearance.
top to bottom, left to right, near to far, warm to cold, frightening to inviting, etc.

• Prior to starting the essay, give some thought to the audience of your piece.
Who is going to read the essay, and what effect would you like it to have upon the
readers?
 EXAMPLE

Spam is an unhealthy concept due to the amount of salt in the meat, the gelatinous
substance covering the meat, and the incredibly long shelf life.
a) Paragraph 1: Give an impression of the overbearing salt flavor by describing
the taste and texture of the meat using diction (word choice eliciting an
appropriate connotation for the point being made).
b) Paragraph 2: Describe the texture of the gelatinous preservative substance
surrounding the meat, the smell, the color, etc.
c) Paragraph 3: Make an assertion that meat should need to be refrigerated and
that it shouldn’t be able to sit on a shelf for years at a time.
PROCESS: How Something Works

• The purpose of a process analysis essay is to explain how to do something or

how something works

• The process is articulated into clear, definitive steps.

Process instruction Process explanation

- direct instruction (such as how to - more formal
change a tire), - involve third person
- direct address (2nd person) - no direct address or command language
- the purpose ifs to follow the said allowed
instruction - paragraph structure is the norm.
 PROCESS IN WRITING

• Opens with a discussion of the process and a thesis statement that states the goal
of the process.
• Chronological Order. The steps of the process are conveyed in the order in
which they usually occur.
- These steps take up the body. If a step is complicated and needs a
lot of explanation, it takes up a paragraph of its own.
• Time transition phrases such as first, second, third, next, and finally can be
helpful cues to orient the reader and organize the content of essay.
 PROCESS IN WRITING
• Choose a topic that is interesting, is relatively complex, and can be explained in a series
of steps.
• Include a list of necessary equipment/tools and a place for where the process
should take place.

• Steps should serve as the body of the paragraph or essay.

- Each step should be expressed using strong details and clear examples.

• The conclusion should thoroughly describe the result of the process discussed in
the body of the paragraph or essay
 EXAMPLE
Throwing the perfect party has three important steps: preparing a proper party
music playlist, cleaning the house to assure guest comfort, and providing a vast
assortment of beverages.
a) Paragraph 1: Explain the attention to detail and the various factors to consider
that go into creating a playlist for a party.
b) Paragraph 2: Describe the different tasks to complete when cleaning the
house. Be specific and utilize time to describe how long each task takes and
how long the entire step takes.
c) Paragraph 3: Describe the process of deciding which store to get the pop
from based on location and price, and distinguish which beverages are good for
which occasions.
ILLUSTRATION AND EXEMPLIFICATION
• Illustrate- to show or demonstrate something clearly through the use of
evidence
Scientific studies, experts in a particular field, statistics, historical
events, current events, analogies, and personal anecdotes

- Strong evidences make readers consider your point.

- Evidences will depend on your subject, purpose, and audience
• Exemplify- to demonstrate through the use of examples
 ILLUSTRATION AND EXEMPLIFICATION IN
WRITING
• The controlling idea often belongs at the
beginning of the essay.

• Evidence is presented in the essay’s body

paragraphs, to support the thesis.

• In presenting evidence, consider the

order of importance (strongest to
weakest or weakest to strongest)
 ILLUSTRATION AND EXEMPLIFICATION IN
WRITING
• Transition words can be helpful in
presenting evidence.

• Illustration in writing uses many

examples; it is helpful to have a list of
words and phrases to present evidence.
 EXAMPLE

Trees are important to the environment because they provide oxygen, create shelter
for many creatures, and are aesthetically pleasing.
a) Paragraph 1: Use statistics to inform the reader how much oxygen a tree
produces annually and how that affects the environment.
b) Body Paragraph 2: Describe how important trees are to the ecosystem and
list different animals that use trees as shelter.
c) Body Paragraph 3: Describe, in depth and great detail, how the presence of
trees can influence how aesthetically pleasing a landscape is.
 CAUSE AND EFFECT: Origins and Results
• A cause is something that produces an event or condition
• An effect is what results from an event or condition.

The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in
terms of origins and results.

• More than one cause may be responsible for any given effect.
 CAUSE AND EFFECT IN WRITING

• Cause-and-effect paragraphs or essays open with a general introduction to the

topic.
- Thesis: stating the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects
of a condition or event.
Two ways of organizing:
1. Start with the cause and then write about the effects.
2. Start with the effect and then write about the causes.

• Explaining complex relationships requires the full use of evidence, such as

scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and anecdotes
 CAUSE AND EFFECT IN WRITING

q Cause-and-effect writing make

frequent use of certain words and
phrases that denote how phenomena are
linked.

qThe conclusion should wrap up the

discussion and reinforce the thesis.
CAUSE AND EFFECT IN WRITING: TIP!!!

Be careful of resorting to empty

speculation.
In writing, speculation amounts
to unsubstantiated guessing.
 EXAMPLE

Due to video game consoles and fast food restaurants being accessible and
affordable, child obesity has become a serious issue in American society.
a) Paragraph 1: List off all of the consoles available to children, the draw of
video games to children, and how many consoles a house typically owns.
b) Paragraph 2: Explain why a child may consume so much fast food, how many
fast food restaurants are located in a square mile on average, and the advent of
dollar meals.
c) Paragraph 3: Combine the information from the first two paragraphs to
describe how the two factors have attributed to child obesity and explain how
this assertion is true using statistics.
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

• Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar

• Contrast in writing discusses elements that are different.

A compare-and-contrast paragraph/essay analyzes two subjects by comparing them,

contrasting them, or both.

• The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is to illuminate subtle

differences or unexpected similarities between or among two or more subjects.
 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN
WRITING
Thesis statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown,
but they are definitely worth every extra penny.

The thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional
vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

Organizing compare-and-contrast paragraphs/essays:

1. According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
2. According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point
 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN
WRITING
• Start with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared,
contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so.

Thesis statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown,
but they are definitely worth every extra penny.

The thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional
vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

Organizing compare-and-contrast paragraphs/essays:

1. According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
2. According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point
 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN
WRITING

• Here are phrases that will

cue the reader to the
analysis of the relationship
between two subjects.
 EXAMPLE

To make a decision about whether to expand business in Japan or in Canada, a

company needs to know the economics and business practices of each culture.
a) Paragraph 1: Describe the economic situation in Japan or describe the
economy in both Japan and Canada
b) Paragraph 2: Describe the business practices in both Japan and Canada
regarding proper manners, meeting places, etc.
c) Paragraph 3: Compare how the two cultures are similar and different.
DEFINITION

• Definition, in writing, is to simply define something.

• Defining terms can have far-reaching consequences for individuals as well as
collective groups. Alcoholism:
§ Lawyers: legality
§ Parents: morality
§ Doctors: symptoms and
diagnosis

Definitions establish the way in which people communicate ideas.

 DEFINITION IN WRITING
• The definition paragraph/essay opens with a general discussion of the term to be
defined.
- You then state as your thesis your definition of the term.
- Choose a topic complex enough and familiar

• The rest of the essay should explain the rationale for your definition.
- Context identifies the circumstances, conditions, or setting in which something
exists or occurs.
- Make sure to use clear examples and strong details to illustrate your points.

• The conclusion should pull all the elements of the definition together at the end and
reinforce the thesis.
 DEFINITION IN WRITING
The candle is a kind of reminder that not only lets me
Parts of a Formal Definition think of my friend when I see it, but also lights my room when I
think of her. Every time I clean my room, or get dressed, or pass
• Formal re-definition by, or go to bed, or wake up in the morning, I see the candle and
• History think of my friend. At times, I just light it for a few minutes, and I
• Context am reminded of her presence. I am bombarded with meeting
reminders, “to do” lists, alarms, sticky notes, deadlines, requests,
• Sounds and on and on. My candle is the only reminder I have that slows
• Similar things me down and lets me think of her. The silent burning of the
candle reminds me of her quiet demeanor, the long silences that
• Function
followed our fights, and the suddenness with which her life was
• Meaning snuffed out. Like an old photograph, or stories told by friends, or
places we met, or the smell of barberry and cinnamon, my candle
reminds me of the time we were together. The candle only burns
when I light it once a year – on the day I lost her. To me, the
candle signifies a life lived quietly, resolutely, but with a burning
passion for living in the moment.
 DEFINITION IN WRITING
The candle is a kind of reminder that not only lets me
Parts of a Formal Definition think of my friend when I see it, but also lights my room when I
think of her. Every time I clean my room, or get dressed, or pass
• Formal re-definition by, or go to bed, or wake up in the morning, I see the candle and
• History think of my friend. At times, I just light it for a few minutes, and I
• Context am reminded of her presence. I am bombarded with meeting
reminders, “to do” lists, alarms, sticky notes, deadlines, requests,
• Sounds and on and on. My candle is the only reminder I have that slows
• Similar things me down and lets me think of her. The silent burning of the
candle reminds me of her quiet demeanor, the long silences that
• Function
followed our fights, and the suddenness with which her life was
• Meaning snuffed out. Like an old photograph, or stories told by friends, or
places we met, or the smell of barberry and cinnamon, my candle
reminds me of the time we were together. The candle only burns
when I light it once a year – on the day I lost her. To me, the
candle signifies a life lived quietly, resolutely, but with a burning
passion for living in the moment.
CLASSIFICATION

• Classification breaks down broad subjects into smaller, more manageable, more
specific parts.

• It is important to be sure to use a single basis for the division of categories.

• Smaller categories, and the way in which these categories are created, help us
make sense of the world.
 CLASSIFICATION IN WRITNG
• An introductory sentence/paragraph introduces the broader topic.
- The thesis should then explain how that topic is divided into subgroups and
why.
When people think of New York, they often think of only New York City. But New York
is actually a diverse state with a full range of activities to do, sights to see, and cultures to explore. In
order to better understand the diversity of New York state, it is helpful to break it into five separate
regions: Long Island, New York City, Western New York, Central New York, and Northern New
York.
• Each body paragraph of a classification essay is dedicated to fully illustrating
each of the subcategories.

• The conclusion should bring all the categories and subcategories back together
again to show the reader the big picture.
CLASSIFICATION IN WRITNG: TIP!!!

To avoid settling for an overly simplistic

classification, make sure you break down
any given topic at least three different
ways.

This will help you think outside the box

and perhaps even learn something
entirely new about a subject
 EXAMPLE

There are three basic types of wind instruments: brasswind, woodwind, and free
reed.
a) Paragraph 1: Describe the size, shape, material, sound and types of brasswind
instruments.
b) Paragraph 2: Describe the size, shape, material, sound and types of woodwind
instruments.
c) Paragraph 3: Describe the size, shape, material, sound and types of free reed
instruments.
References:
qhttps://vwcceng111.pressbooks.com/chapter/chapter-5-rhetorical-modes/
qhttp://web.augsburg.edu/english/writinglab/Rhetorical_Patterns.pdf

Visit these links to read more examples!

Prepared by: Chessa Faustino