For Freshman English A (first semester first-year writing)
Corresponds to Chapters 4-12 of The Student Writer
- Patterns of Development = how to develop paragraphs, correlates closely to genres
- Book addresses, by chapter, the following patterns or genres:
- Description
- Narration
- Exemplification (“showing by exampleâ€)
- Process Analysis (either to provide step-by-step instructions or simply to explain without instructing how-to)
- Comparison-Contrast
- Cause-Effect Analysis
- Definition (goes beyond basic dictionary, clarifies complex or abstract topic, or delineates a specific meaning for a particular purpose)
- Classification and Division (group according to common characteristics OR break down into parts)
- Argumentation
- Practically, though, most texts combine patterns or genres …
Combining Patterns of Development
- Combine patterns to entertain, inform, persuade, share feelings/experiences
- Will most likely have a primary pattern and one or more secondary pattern – primary pattern will govern academic conventions of text overall
- Class discussion/group work/in-class assignment: Read “I’m Plunging to My Death …†pp.382-385 and answer the “Considering Technique†questions on p385.
To Start, Let’s Focus on Narration
- Narrations/narratives must do 4 things:
- Tell a story
- Introduce and develop characters (describe what they look like, “show by example†who they are)
- Give details
- Make a point (lesson)
- The writer of a narration can accomplish these things by:
- Using 1st person
- Using figures of speech/figurative language (metaphors, similes and other descriptive language; describing people, places, scenes)
- Using active voice (rather than passive voice)
- Using simple language
- Using dialogue (how-to beginning on p158)
- *So should see already that good narratives require other patterns: description and exemplification
- *But narration can be used in other patterns as well: e.g. arguments with narrative components
- Stories are often structured:
- Chronologically (simple sequence) – outline example p165
- To build toward a climax
- … And sometimes use:
- Flashbacks
- Reverse order
- “Being a Responsible Writer†section p161
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