Writing Process

In the first level in college writing, Freshman Composition 1, I am expecting students to show that they can follow the standard, structural guidelines currently in use in the writing community.  If you can master the rigid format established in this ENC1101 (or 101) class, you will be able to mature your writing in ENC1102 (or 1102), and from there, you can decide if there are areas where you might want to deviate in your structure.  However, when writing academic essays, especially at the college level, it is always required for you to stick to these established conventions mentioned below.



The Writing Process
In this section of the classroom, you will find links to postings about the writing process.

This page can be used in 2 ways
  • as you are writing and encounter issues with placement of items in your essay, or 
  • after your assignment is scored and you see feedback alerting you to structural issues in your writing.
Most of you will use this site in the 2nd way, and I encourage you to review your FEEDBACK on assignments in the classroom and come into this page to see how to improve specific issues you are having with your writing structure.




What is the Writing Process?  Have you ever heard that term before?  The Writing Process is the process of writing...easy, right?

Once you learn the steps to the Writing Process and follow this with the steps in constructing your essay, you will find essay writing to be quite logical and methodical to the point where you will wonder why it every made you nervous.


When starting the Writing Process, you need to begin with carefully understanding the writing prompt.  What is being asked of you to write?  How long?  How many sources?  Be sure to take the time to fully read the writing assignment directions before beginning to gather your ideas.


The visual below jumps right into the Gathering Ideas phase; however, if you do not know what is expected, you will not be able to easily progress through the Writing Process by moving around the circle in a clock-wise motion.


The Writing Process
Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7











  1. Planning
  2. Prewriting
    1. Clustering
  3. Drafting
    1. Specifics about Drafting
      1. Drafting Your Paper—Part 1
      2. Drafting Your Paper—Part 2
      3. Drafting Your Paper—Part 3
  4. Revise
  5. Edit
  6. Checklist
  7. Publish



Writing Samples

Writing samples are often used to help guide students on what the instructor is looking for in the final version of the assignment.  However, students should be able to know exactly what to submit by analyzing the writing prompt--found in the assignment directions, reviewing the assignment rubric, and reading the assigned documents for the course.  Nonetheless, samples are useful, too.  Click on the link below to learn about my thoughts on writing samples.




The 3X3 Writing Process

Depending on how your mind works, you may enjoy the 3X3 Writing Process.  It still uses all of the previously mentioned steps, but it labels them as three steps with three objectives for each step.  Take a look here.

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Essay 3 Cause/Effect Argument

Design and Development Handouts

· Know the Guidelines: Cause/Effect Argument Essay Writing—view the planning, outlining, and development handouts for the cause/effect essay.

· Sample thesis for a causal argument: this handout shows a sample cause/effect THESIS, the break-down of that THESIS, and how the essay would be structured to develop and argue the THESIS.

· Flow, Length, and Content of a Typical Body-paragraph: a specific break-down of what is expected in a well-developed body-paragraph of an argument paper.

· Need Ideas for Cause/Effect Essay??: this handout provides 'spring-board' articles and images to help you think through how you feel about the topic and possible cause/effect relationships. These are not scholarly sources. They are simply readings to help you understand different ideas surrounding the issue.