Writing Techniques and Modes

Writing Techniques

• Writing techniques are the styles authors use to express their thoughts clearly, engagingly, and meaningfully to their audience.
• Understanding different writing styles is crucial for adapting your writing to connect with your audience.

Features of Writing Techniques

• Understanding the purpose of a text is essential. For example, advertisements aim to persuade, while emails to friends often aim to inform. Research articles aim to examine an issue fully and argue a point supported by evidence.
• Knowing how different texts are structured helps easily locate needed information.
• Developing a shared understanding of how to communicate effectively in varying situations helps construct similar texts with appropriate formality and structure.

Five Modes of Writing

• Types of writing include: informative, persuasive, narrative, procedural, and descriptive.

Informative Writing

• Informative writing explains concepts and imparts information concisely to a wider audience.
• Focuses on facts and avoids the author's opinions.
• Often includes statistics and evidence to support the information presented.

Language Features of Informative Writing

• Commonly written using present tense and third person.
• Can sometimes use past tense, especially in historical reports.
• Usually uses formal vocabulary and an impersonal tone.
• Focuses on precision rather than emotional response, so imagery is not heavily employed.

Informative Paragraph Example

• Most turtles reproduce during the warmest months of the year. Females come ashore on sandy beaches to lay eggs after mating. After laying eggs, they leave them to hatch on their own. When hatching, baby turtles scramble into the water. Speed is crucial to avoid predators. Many baby turtles will die in their first year.

Other Examples of Informative Writing

• News stories (excluding editorials)
• Textbooks
• Business, technical, or scientific writing

Structure of an Informative Essay

• Introduction
• Central Statement
• Supporting Details
• Concluding Statement
• Conclusion

Introduction

• Typically starts with a hook sentence to grab the reader's attention.
• Includes background information about the topic.
• Ends with a thesis statement explaining the writer's position on the topic.

Body

• Contains gathered details to explain the topic further and deepen the reader's understanding.
• Connected to the thesis statement in the introduction.

Conclusion

• Contains a restatement of the thesis and main idea.
• Includes a call-to-action, urging the reader to learn more about the topic.

Descriptive Writing

• This writing style immerses the reader into a story by vividly portraying characters, settings, and events, using imagery and tools.
• Frequently employs literary tools like similes and metaphors.
• Aims to make readers feel like they are experiencing the events first-hand; writing is typically concise.

Language Features of Descriptive Writing

• Uses specific participants (e.g., names, locations), adjectives to clarify nouns, and simple present tense to directly describe the subject object.
• Uses action verbs to depict activities (e.g., run, sleep, cut).

Persuasive Writing

• Attempts to convince the reader to do something or believe a specific viewpoint on a topic.
• Takes a clear stance, either for or against an issue.

Purpose of Persuasive Writing

• Supporting a cause
• Urging people to action
• Making a change
• Proving something wrong

Persuasive Writing Examples

• "Support my football team by buying coupons."
• "Vote for Sarah!"
• "The principal should allow us to wear hats."
• "Cell phones do not cause brain cancer."

Persuasive Writing Format

• Introduction with a hook and thesis
• Body explaining the argument
• Conclusion summarizing main points and providing a call to action

Do's and Don'ts of Persuasive Writing

• Do: Divide into paragraphs, have a thesis statement, come up with main points supporting arguments, show the counter-argument, have a conclusion including a clincher statement, and have a catchy title.
• Don't: Start with "Hello, my name is...", use "I think" instead of a statement, be wishy-washy, or ignore backing up opinions with examples and facts.

Narrative Writing

• Primarily presents a story through a sequence of events, demonstrating the structure of events, themes, and patterns.
• Includes detailed presentation of characters, settings, plots, and conflicts.

Narrative Writing Purpose

• Storytelling (whole)

Narrative Writing Characteristics

• Descriptive language (literary elements and techniques)
• Characters (protagonist and antagonist)
• Plot (series of events—simple or complex/multi-layered)
• Narrative structure (beginning, middle, end).

Procedural Writing

• Writing focusing on a step-by-step course of action or instructions to accomplish a goal or action.
• Examples include recipes, directions, safety procedures, how-to guides, and manuals.

Procedural Writing Features

• An introduction clarifying the aim of the piece.
• Numbered instructions.
• Use of imperative commands (verbs directing action).
• Second-person language.
• Use of time phrases (e.g., first, next, then).
• Present tense (for instructions).
• Specific vocabulary to describe the procedure.

Performance Task Examples

• Group 1: Mini Dictionary (Informative)
• Group 2: Advertisement Poster (Persuasive)
• Group 3: Story Book (Narrative)
• Group 4: Cook Book (Procedural)
• Group 4: Blog Feature (Descriptive)

Mini-Dictionary Criteria

• Accuracy of definitions
• Conciseness
• Clarity
• Alphabetical order
• Pronunciation guide
• Part of speech
• Examples
• Cross-references
• Layout
• Size

Advertisement Poster Criteria

• Visual appeal
• Message clarity
• Target audience
• Brand identity
• Call to action
• Contact information
• Legibility
• Balance
• Originality
• Relevance

Storybook Criteria

• Engaging plot
• Character development
• Appropriate language
• High quality illustrations
• Maintain pacing
• Moral or lesson
• Realistic dialogue
• Vivid setting
• Free from grammatical or typographical errors
• Appealing format

Cookbook Criteria

• Recipe clarity
• Ingredient lists (exact measurements)
• Step-by-step instructions
• High-quality photos
• Variety of recipes
• Nutritional information
• Preparation and cooking times
• Equipment list
• Tips
• Index

Blog Feature Criteria

• Catchy title
• Compelling introduction
• High-quality content
• Clear writing style (short paragraphs, headings)
• Relevant multimedia
• SEO optimization
• Interactivity
• Relevant links
• Consistency
• Strong call to action