Drafting

Goal: to create a first draft that explores what you might wish to say in your paper
Time: 1 hour
Instructions: Because drafting is an exploratory process, you should start writing your paper with an open mind. As you compose, occasionally stop to reread your work to see if the points you are making are clear and concise. In your initial draft, write as much as possible. You can always remove unneeded sections later. Drafting should involve producing the body of your paper, as well as a title, an introduction, conclusion and transitions.

The drafting activity asks you to spend two or more hours working on your draft. However, instead of posting all that work to WeBoard, please post the following two things: 1) a list of four possible titles for your paper, 2) an introduction.

1. Titling

Each of your papers should have a creative title that clearly indicates what your paper will cover.  Here are some hints about titling your paper.  Remember that your title should not be a question.  A popular and efficient way to title any document is to use a title and subtitle separated by a colon.  This allows you to give the general topic of your paper along with a more detailed glimpse of the point you are making.  Here are some strong examples.

• Cannibalism: It Still Exists
• Surrogacy: A Gift not a Sale
• Wheelchair Hell: A Look at Campus Accessibility
• The Liberal Arts: A Practical View

• Your Introduction should be surprising and specific rather than vague and genral.  Try starting with a case study, a narrated example, or description.  Make sure to clearly state your claim in the Introduction.
• Your Conclusion should reinforce the points you have made throughout the paper without sounding repetative.  Try using an anecdote, a quotation, or a statement of the subject's significance.
• Transitions between paragraphs should let the reader know the focus of the paragraph immediately, and should also link the paragraph to the paper's claim.  Readers need to know if the new paragraph will introduce a new aspect of the claim or develop one already introduced.  Try these techniques: Announcing the topic, forecasting subtopics, or referring to an earlier sentence.