1. COMPOSITION &
CRITICAL READING
An Introduction to Effective Writing
Strategies

2. Why do we write?
• What types of writing Lists Social Media
do we do on a daily
basis?
• All writing seeks to
convey a message.
Personal
School Work
Writing

3. WRITING SKILL IS IMPORTANT
 “As soon as you move one step up from the bottom, your
effectiveness depends on your ability to reach others through the
spoken or written word. And the further away your job is from
manual work, the larger the organization of which you are an
employee, the more important it will be that you know how to
convey your thoughts in writing or speaking. In the very large
organizations, whether it is the government, the large business
corporation, or the Army, this ability to express oneself is perhaps
the most important of all the skills a person can possess.”
 Peter Drucker, “How to Be an Employee”
Work
Related

4. IDENTIFY THE PURPOSE
• To Inform
• To Persuade
• To Express Oneself
• To Entertain
• Work from the general to the specific
• “Having a specific purpose assists you at every stage of the
writing process” (Reinking & Osten 5).
 Defining the audience
 Selecting details, language, and approach
 Avoiding sidetracked tangents

5. IDENTIFY THE AUDIENCE
 Purpose and Audience are closely linked.
 All writing is aimed at an audience.
 That audience will determine how your writing is shaped.
 The language you choose.
 The tone you use.
 The information you include……….
 Public audience
 Private or semi-private audience
 What exactly is a “discourse community”?

6. KNOWING GOOD WRITING WHEN
WE SEE IT…
 Fresh Thinking
 Sense of Style
 Effective Organization
 Ethical
 Truthful
 Complete
 Clear
 Helpful, not harmful

7. CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
 Orient your reading – what is your purpose for reading?
 Read multiple times
 First reading:
 Read for content comprehension
 Look for clues
 Make connections
 Additional readings:
 Read carefully and critically
 Annotate the text
 Take notes
 Analyze text
 Respond to the text

8. CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
 “All critical reading begins with an accurate summary” (Behrens &
Rosen 48).
 Identify the main point, subordinate points, and counterarguments.
 To what extent does the author succeed in his or her purpose?
 To what extent do you agree with the author?
 Identify points of agreement and disagreement.
 Explore the reasons for agreement and disagreement.

9. CRITICAL EVALUATION
Evaluating Informative Writing Evaluating Persuasive Writing
 Accuracy of Information  Clearly Defined Terms
 Significance of Information  Fair Use of Information
 Fair Interpretation of  No Logical Fallacies
Information  What is Logical Fallacy?

10. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Emotionally Loaded Terms Ad Hominem Argument
 An attempt to sway reader’s  Rejecting opposing views by
opinions by choosing attacking those who hold that
emotionally charged words viewpoint
 “family values”  Appealing to one’s
 “pay the price” prejudices, emotions, or
 Are the terms being used special interests
deceptively or to hide the  Disregards the central issue
facts? in favor of negative attacks –
 Should NOT be the ONLY (think political advertising)
argument in an academic
essay

11. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Faulty Cause & Effect Either / Or Reasoning
 Assuming that one event  Suggests that there are only
causes the second and two solutions to a problem
ignoring other possible  The “correct” one that the writer
causes is favoring
 Demonstrates unwillingness  The “incorrect” one that the
writer opposes
to thoroughly research and
discuss the topic  Demonstrates an
unwillingness to recognize
 Also known as post hoc, ergo
complexity
proctor hoc (after
this, therefore because of
this)

12. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Hasty Generalization False Analogy
 Drawing conclusions from  Attempting to provide a
too little evidence or from comparison between two
unrepresentative evidence things when the differences
 Demonstrates a lack of between them are greater
research and an than the similarities
unwillingness to thoroughly
analyze the specifics of a Oversimplification
situation
 Offering easy solutions to
complicated problems
 Ignores the complexity of an
issue

13. AVOID LOGICAL FALLACY …
Circular Reasoning Non Sequitur
 Assumes as proven fact the  Non Sequitur is Latin for “it
very thesis being argued does not follow”
 If a thesis is indeed proven  Describes a conclusion that
fact, then there is no need to does not logically follow from
write the essay in the first a premise
place.  Assumes too much
 Also known as “begging the
question”

14. COMPOSITION STRATEGIES
There are 4 essential skills in composition:
 Summary
 Critique
 Synthesis
 Analysis

15. SUMMARY

16. SUMMARY
 A Summary is a brief statement, in your own
words, of the content of a particular passage.
 Approximately 25% of the length of the original
material
 Include the author’s thesis (in your own
words), one-sentence summaries of the
subordinate points, and any significant details.
 Do NOT include your own personal opinion of the
topic.

17. READ CRITICALLY TO SUMMARIZE
 Critical Reading for Summary means you should…
 Examine the context.
 Note the title and subtitle.
 Identify the main point.
 Identify the subordinate points.
 Break the reading into sections or stages of thought.
 Distinguish between points, examples, and counterarguments.
 Watch for transitions within and between paragraphs.
 Read actively and recursively.

18. SUMMARY WRITING
 Read the passage carefully.
 Reread.
 Provide the context for the essay.
 Introduce the author and the article title.
 Write a thesis of the entire passage.
 Write one-sentence summaries of each stage of thought.
 Write the first draft
 Combine the thesis with your lists of one-sentence summaries
OR
 Combine the thesis, the one-sentence summaries, and significant
details
 Remember that summaries do NOT include your own personal
opinion of the topic.

19. INCLUDE CITATIONS FOR…
Summaries
Paraphrases
Quotes

20. INCLUDE CITATIONS FOR…
Summary Paraphrase
 Because a summary is a  Similar to
shortened version of the summary, paraphrase means
original material, it MUST be conveying a text’s message
cited accordingly, even in your own words.
though it has been put into  Approximately the same
the writer’s own words. length as the original text.
 Look for synonyms of the
 Use a citation at the end of
original words and rearrange
every summarized section or your own sentences so that
paragraph. they read smoothly.
 Use a citation at the end of
every paraphrased section or
paragraph.

21. INCLUDE CITATIONS FOR…
 Use a Direct Quote for:
Direct Quotes  Memorable language
 Clear and concise language
 Authoritative language
 Use only what is necessary
 IQ = Incorporate your Quote
into your own sentence
 Avoid free standing
quotations
 Use ellipsis marks … to
indicate omitted material from
within a quoted passage.
 Use brackets [ ] to add or
substitute words within a
quote.

22. Avoid
Plagiarism
Avoiding Plagiarism
Safe Practices for
Academic Writing

23. CRITIQUE

24. CRITIQUE
 “A critique is a formalized, critical reading of a passage” (Behrens
and Rosen 62).
 Begin with critical reading and turn that into a systematic
evaluation in order to deepen your reader’s (and your own)
understanding of that text.
 Consider…
 What the author says
 How well the points are made
 What assumptions underlie the argument
 What issues are overlooked
 What implications can be drawn

25. CRITIQUE
 Critique begins with a summary of the work
 Whether responding positively or negatively, present a fair and
accurate summary of the work
 You might draw on and cite other sources
 Include a statement of your own assumptions – your opinion is
included in a critique
 State your opinions explicitly

26. READ CRITICALLY TO CRITIQUE
 Examine the context  Establish the author’s primary
 Note the title and subtitle purpose
 Identify the main point and  Evaluate informative writing
subpoints  Accuracy / Significance / Fair
Interpretation
 Break the reading into
 Evaluate persuasive writing
sections
 Clear Definitions / Significance / Fair
 Distinguish between Interpretations
points, examples, and
 Evaluating writing that entertains
counterarguments
 Interesting Characters / Believable
 Watch for transitions within Action, Plot, and Situations /
and between paragraphs Communication of Theme / Use of
Language
 Read actively
 Decide whether you agree or
disagree

27. CRITIQUE WRITING
 Introduce both the author and the article title
 State the main argument and the points you intend to make about it
 Use background information to provide context – information explaining why the issue is
of current interest, a reference to a possible controversy surrounding the
topic, biographical information about the author, circumstances under which the passage
was written, a reference to the intended audience
 Summarize the main points and state the author’s purpose for writing
 Assess the Presentation
 Comment on the author’s success in achieving his or her purpose by reviewing three or
four specific points
 Consider whether the author as argued logically
 Respond to the Presentation
 Where do you agree or disagree?
 Discuss your reasons for agreement or disagreement
 Conclude
 State your conclusions regarding the overall validity of the piece – your assessment of
the author’s success at achieving his or her purpose – and your reactions to the author’s
views.
 Comment on the weaknesses or strengths of the article.

28. WORKS CITED
Behrens, Laurence and Leonard J. Rosen. Writing and Reading
Across the Curriculum, 11th ed. Boston: Longman, 2011.
Reinking, James A. and Robert von der Osten. Strategies for
Successful Writing: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and
Handbook,” 9th ed. New York: Pearson, 2010.