Writing exercise

When you read a text that contains information, you need to be able to understand and explain those ideas. Writing a summary in your own words shows that you understand the concepts, but you also have to explain the implications of these ideas. When you write, emphasize the significance of the information that you are talking about. What other ideas are connected to this? What does it mean for people in real life? If you can answer these questions, you not only understand the meaning of what you have read on the page, but you also understand the way that the ideas or facts go beyond the printed page and take on a life of their own in our society.

Here are some helpful hints for writing:

1. Brainstorm: Take 30 seconds or a minute to write down anything that comes into your head about this topic. Don’t think; just dump whatever is in your brain on the page.

2. Prioritize: Look at your list of pieces of information and identify which are the most important (circle them, number them in order of importance).

3. Outline: Write a brief outline in point form, listing the most important points and giving a few more details about the ideas (the supporting facts or arguments)

4. Write a paragraph for each point. Each paragraph should start with a sentence identifying the main idea. Then explain the facts or arguments (the supporting details).

Conclude with a sentence summarizing the significance of the ideas.

Brainstorm:

________________ _____________________

________________ ____________________

Prioritize:

Outline