Illustrative Paragraph Prewriting assignment
ILLUSTRATION OR COMPARISON PARAGRAPH: PREWRITING ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
For the third paragraph, you will choose to write an Illustration or Comparison paragraph. You are encouraged to complete the Quiz: Composition Practice: Illustration/Comparison and Contrast, Nouns, Pronouns in Module 4: Week 4 before completing this assignment as it will prepare you with an understanding of Illustration paragraphs and Comparison paragraphs.
INSTRUCTIONS
In Module 4: Week 4 if you choose to write an illustration paragraph, you will complete the Illustration Paragraph: Prewriting Template. The template has 4 steps that will guide you through the prewriting steps. You must save the Illustration Paragraph: Prewriting Template to your computer, complete the 4 steps (Prewriting, First Draft, Rewriting, and Honor Statement), save your work, and submit the completed assignment as a MS Word document (.docx) or PDF (.pdf).
Step 1: Illustration Paragraph: Prewriting
Topic: Choose a topic that you would enjoy writing about, or have a specific opinion about. Your paragraph must be 200-250 words.
Attitude/Point: This will be a general statement of opinion about your topic. This general opinion could be something you have observed about your topic and should be what you hope to prove about your topic by using specific examples.
Audience: Be specific in selecting your audience. Who would be interested in hearing your particular opinion on this subject? Who might benefit from hearing it?
Purpose: Why are you sharing this opinion? To inform? To entertain? To persuade? Choose one.
Topic Sentence: Combine your topic and your point into a complete sentence.
Brainstorm List of Possible Examples: Brainstorm a list of as many examples as you can think of to prove the truth of the opinion stated in your topic sentence. You must have at least six examples on your list. See what groupings the examples may fall into or choose the best examples and make those the three required main points for your sentence outline.
Sentence Outline: Create a sentence outline to organize your essay. Follow these guidelines to create your outline:
Sentence Outline Guidelines
Your sentence outline must have three main points.
There must be at least 2 points (A and B) under each main point.
Be sure that each point in the sentence outline is expressed using a complete sentence.
Follow this 4-step process to develop an acceptable sentence outline.
o You will only need to include Step 1: Brainstorming and Step 4: Sentence Outline in the planning stage of your Prewriting assignment.
o Steps 2 and 3 do not need to be included because they will be incorporated into the Sentence Outline.
Topic: Liberty University has changed since I was a student there.
Step 1. Use your Brainstorming list of examples:
• Girls can wear pants
• Guys do not wear ties
• Prayer groups and church are not required
• Televisions are allowed in dorm rooms
• Secular music can be played
• Curfew is later
• Doc’s Diner is open
• Take out option from Reber-Thomas
Step 2. Group examples into subheadings:
• The dress code at Liberty
• Food choices at Liberty
• The rules at Liberty
Step 3. Add opinions or observations to subheadings to make complete sentences:
• The dress code at Liberty has relaxed.
• The food choices at Liberty have expanded.
• The rules at Liberty are less strict.
Step 4. Create a sentence outline that uses the subheadings as main points and the examples as sub points.
SENTENCE OUTLINE EXAMPLE
Topic Sentence: Liberty University has changed in so many ways since I was a student there.
I. The dress code at Liberty has relaxed.
A. Girls can wear pants.
B. Guys do not have to wear ties.
II. The food choices at Liberty University have expanded.
A. Doc’s Diner is open.
B. The Reber-Thomas dining hall has take out.
C. DeMoss has a food place.
III. The Rules at Liberty University are less strict.
A. Secular music is allowed.
B. Curfew is later.
C. Televisions are allowed in dorm rooms.
D. Secular music can be played.
Step 2: Illustration Paragraph: First Draft
Write a 200-250 word rough draft that follows your paragraph plan, beginning with your topic sentence. Do not worry about spelling or grammar; just let your thoughts flow. End with a good concluding sentence that restates your controlling idea or expresses a thought that restates your dominant impression.
Step 3: Illustration Paragraph: Rewriting
Copy your First Draft from Step 2 into Step 3. Revise and edit your rough draft. Highlight the changes so your instructor will see your revisions and edits. Begin reading through your rough draft and make changes to the content as you see fit. Add more descriptive words if needed or delete irrelevant ones that do not help create your dominant impression. Add transitional words or phrases to help the paragraph flow in a logical order. Edit for any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Remove contractions (can’t, won’t, doesn’t, etc.) and second person (any form of the pronoun “you”). Save your changes
Step 4: Illustration Paragraph: Honor Statement
Read and sign the Honor Statement prior to submitting your assignment to confirm that the work is your own.
In Module 4: Week 4, if you choose to write a comparison paragraph, you will complete the Comparison Paragraph: Prewriting Template. The template has 4 steps that will guide you through the prewriting steps. You must save the Comparison Paragraph: Prewriting Template to your computer, complete the 4 steps (Prewriting, First Draft, Rewriting, and Honor Statement), save your work, and submit the completed assignment as a MS Word document (.docx) or PDF (.pdf).
Step 1: Comparison Paragraph: Prewriting
Topics: Be sure to choose a topic that you find the most interesting. Your paragraph must be 200-250 words.
Plan: Either choose to show the similarities between two things, or the differences. You cannot do both for this assignment. Just write “similarities” or “differences” here.
Attitude/Point: This will be your attitude toward your two subjects. Do not just write that they are similar or different. What truth or significance can be drawn from the fact that they are similar or different?
Audience: Be specific in selecting your audience. Who would be interested in hearing this comparison and the point you want to make? Who would benefit from acknowledging the significance of your comparison?
Purpose: To inform? To entertain? To persuade? Choose or perhaps a combination of two.
Categories of Comparison: You must have at least three general categories where your two subjects are similar or different. (Like comparing LU now with LU then, based on food service, rules, and dress code, for example.)
Topic Sentence: Combine your topic, your attitude/point, and your categories of comparison into a complete sentence. (See sample outline below for a topic sentence example.)
Brainstorm Details: Brainstorm a list of similarities (or differences) for each of your three categories of comparison. List those in the provided space.
Sentence Outline: Create a sentence outline to organize your essay. Follow these guidelines to create your outline:
Sentence Outline Guidelines
Your sentence outline must have three main points.
There must be at least 2 points (A and B) under each main point.
Be sure that each point in the sentence outline is expressed using a complete sentence.
Choose only one of the two following outline methods for your Prewriting assignment.
OUTLINE METHOD EXAMPLES
Method #1. Point-By-Point Comparison Outline
Topic Sentence: The fact that LU tries to keep up with the changes in student population can be seen in the changes to dress code, food services, and rules.
I. The dress code at Liberty has relaxed.
A. Then, girls had to wear skirts, and guys had to wear ties.
B. Now, girls can wear pants, and guys do not have to wear ties.
II. The food choices at LU have expanded.
A. Then, we only had one small cafeteria.
B. Now, there is Doc’s Diner, a huge cafeteria, and several a la carte locations.
III. The Rules at LU are less strict.
A. Then, students were required to attend church & prayer groups.
B. Now, church is encouraged but not required.
C. Then, televisions were not allowed in dorm rooms.
D. Now, students can have televisions.
Method #2. Topic-By-Topic Comparison Outline Method
Topic Sentence: The fact that LU tries to keep up with the changes in student population can be seen in the changes to dress code, food services, and rules.
I. Liberty used to be more strict and less convenient.
A. The Dress Code was more strict.
1. Girls had to wear skirts.
2. Guys had to wear ties.
B. Food Services was less convenient.
1. There was only one small cafeteria.
2. Lines were so long.
C. Rules were more strict.
1. Students had to attend church and prayer groups.
2. Students could not have TV in the dorm rooms.
3. Students could only listen to Christian music.
II. Now Liberty has become more convenient and less strict.
A. The Dress code is more relaxed.
1. Girls can wear pants.
2. Guys do not have to wear ties.
B. Food Services are more convenient.
1. Doc’s Diner, a large cafeteria, and several à la carte places are options for students.
2. Lines are much shorter because of the variety of choices.
C. The rules are less strict.
1. Church and prayer groups are no longer required.
2. Students can have TVs in the dorm rooms.
3. Students can listen to secular music.
Step 2: Comparison Paragraph: First Draft
Write a 200-250 word rough draft that follows your paragraph plan, beginning with your topic sentence. Do not worry about spelling or grammar; just let your thoughts flow. End with a good concluding sentence that restates your controlling idea or expresses a thought that restates your dominant impression.
Step 3: Comparison Paragraph: Rewriting
Copy your First Draft from Step 2 into Step 3. Revise and edit your rough draft. Highlight the changes so your instructor will see your revisions and edits. Begin reading through your rough draft and make changes to the content as you see fit. Add more descriptive words if needed or delete irrelevant ones that do not help create your dominant impression. Add transitional words or phrases to help the paragraph flow in a logical order. Edit for any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Remove contractions (can’t, won’t, doesn’t, etc.) and second person (any form of the pronoun “you”). Save your changes
Step 4: Comparison Paragraph: Honor Statement
Read and sign the Honor Statement prior to submitting your assignment to confirm that the work is your own.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
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