Writing Techniques Overview

Types of Writing Techniques

• Informative Writing (Informing): Presents key facts and raw information straightforwardly. Explains a topic or issue without personal opinions. Examples include providing definitions, comparisons, problem/solution analyses, and cause/effect explanations. A study showed 90% of students studying abroad with TESOL were admitted to their first or second choice graduate school.

• Persuasive Writing (Persuading/Convincing): Includes an author's opinion to convince the reader. Motivates and moves the reader towards a viewpoint or opinion. A good example is encouraging students to study abroad, highlighting long-lasting positive implications for future academic and professional success.

• Argumentative Writing (Arguing): Shows a tendency to agree or disagree. Convinces readers through claims supported by reasons, evidence, counterclaims, and rebuttals. Explores different viewpoints and reaches a conclusion. Students who study abroad are better equipped for the workplace due to broader worldviews and improved workplace connections. However, parental concerns regarding safety and finances may hinder study abroad opportunities.

Informative Essay Parts

• Introduction: Provides a general overview of the subject.
• Body: Presents detailed information, supporting evidence, and specific examples, breaking down the topic into sections.
• Conclusion: Summarizes the main points and insights, potentially offering a call to action or a thought-provoking statement.

Argumentative Writing Components

• Claim: A statement or assertion that will be argued.
• Reasons: Support statements justifying the claim.
• Evidence: Proof or supporting data backing up reasons.
• Counterclaim: Addressing the opposing view.
• Rebuttal: Refuting the opposing arguments.

Literary and Sound Devices

• Simile: Indirect comparison using "as" or "like".
• Metaphor: Direct comparison without using "as" or "like."
• Imagery: Using sensory details (touch, smell, hearing, seeing, tasting) to create vivid descriptions.
• Symbolism: Representing ideas through objects or actions.
• Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human objects.
• Hyperbole: Exaggeration for emphasis.
• Rhyme: Matching similar vowel and consonant sounds at the end of lines.
• Rhyme Scheme: Pattern of rhyming lines.
• Repetition: Repeating words, phrases, or ideas for emphasis.
• Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds within words.
• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
• Onomatopoeia: Using words that imitate sounds, like "buzz" or "splash."

Approaches to Literary Criticism

• Formalist Approach: Analyzing the structure, literary devices, and sound devices of a literary piece.
• Moralistic Approach: Judging the work based on ethical or moral values.
• Historical Approach: Seeing literature as a portrayal and a product of its time period.
• Reader Response Approach: Assessing the text based on the reader's interpretation.
• Feminist Approach: Examining gender relationships within a text, advocating for gender equality, especially for women.
• Marxist Approach: Analyzing class struggles, economic issues, and power struggles within the text.