Step ii. Script stage

OBJECTIVES: at the script stage you are going to learn how to recognize general and specific ideas; topics and main ideas and write good theses.

A general idea is a main idea. It covers many smaller, more detailed ideas. A specific idea is a detail; it supports (explains or gives reasons and examples for) a main idea. Good writers think about the difference between general and specific ideas as they write. They put general ideas first, and specific ideas next. They organize their ideas like shown below.

Learn the example.

1) University students have a lot of homework (This sentence talks about a general idea: homework).

2) They often have to read several hundred textbook pages a week (This sentence contains a specific idea: an example of homework).

3) University students may also have to write several long papers each term (This sentence also contains a specific idea: another example of homework).

General idea

Specific idea № 1

Specific idea № 2

Etc.

In both reading and writing, it is important to recognize the topic of a paragraph and the main idea of a paragraph. The topic is a word or phrase that states what a paragraph is about. The main idea is a complete sentence that says something about the topic. Remember, a complete sentence has at least a subject and a verb! Learn the example.

1) The condition of textbooks (It is a topic. It is not a complete sentence).

2) In some countries, students’ textbooks are in pristine condition (This is a main idea – a complete sentence that says something about the topic).

You do not need to be a natural writer to produce correct, reader-friendly documents. If you follow the basic writing principlesby E. Danziger, your readers not only will have a better grasp of your services and responsibilities but they also may even look forward to reading your letters.

1) Use many verbs. They give your language life. Use the active voice – the passive voice will rob your writing of its energy – and simplify your sentences by breaking them up into manageable, easy-to-read information bites.

2) Include an overview that highlights the major points of interests to your readers. Separate all the detailed analysis from the bottom-line conclusion.

3) Emphasize the value of your services.

4) Follow the golden rule of writing: Write to others as you would like others to write to you.

Now you are going to write a paragraph. The writing process has five main steps: understanding the assignment; brainstorming; narrowing the topic; writing; and self-and peer editing.

The first step in the writing process is understanding the writing assignment. Often the assignment is a question. Here is the example: Are engineers in your country paid well? Why or why not? Write one paragraph.

First, make sure that you understand the meanings of all the words in the assignment. Then make sure you know how long your writing is supposed to be. Finally, think about what the assignment is asking you to do. This will help you narrow your topic. This assignment asks you to answer a question and then give reasons for your answer.

Writing is telling someone about your ideas. But it’s hard to write if you don’t have ideas. Where do you get ideas? You get ideas from reading, talking to other people, and thinking. Then you brainstorm. Brainstorming is thinking of ideas about a topic and writing them down. You don’t worry if they’re good or correct. You don’t decide whether they fit; you don’t erase the ones that don’t fit. You can brainstorm alone or with partners. Here are some brainstorming ideas for the assignment on the cost of textbooks:

high qualification; government help;

hard to find a good job after university; we live in difficult times;

my uncle’s career; education is important; relatives or friends’ patronage;

don’t dream too much; sexism

The next step is to look at your brainstorming ideas and pick out a main (general) idea and two or more specific ideas that support it. You aren’t going to write a lot, so you must narrow your topic(make it small enough) to fit into one paragraph. For example:

Engineers are paid well because in Russia they get good education.

Young engineers are not paid well because it is difficult to find a good job after the university.

To have a good job and high salary you need your relatives or friends’ patronage.

Now you are ready to write your first draft. Writing is actuallyrewriting– writing the same thing over again until you get it right. What does a first draft look like? It might be missing some information, it might have some information that is not a logical order, or it might have some grammar or spelling mistakes. Learn the following example.

Engineers in Russia are paid well because here we have a very good system of technical education. The government also speaks about the shortage of qualified engineers in our country. But in fact, it is so difficult for young engineers to find a good job just after the university. You should work a lot and always take care about your skills and trainings. Sometimes it helps but usually an average engineer earns not enough and has little hope to be promoted.

In addition sexism is very common and for women to become a well-paid specialist is more difficult. I think the best thing that can help you to obtain quick promotion and earn good money is your relatives or friends’ patronage, of course if you have such relatives or friends. My uncle works for big international engineering company, you know.

As you can see, this first draft is quite good. However, there are a few mistakes, and the last sentence is not necessary.

Self-editing is checking your own work. Peer editing is giving your work to another person to check. Checking your own work helps you to be an independent writer [2].