October 1985: Writing Assignments--Persuasive

Question: How can teachers  prepare students for writing narrative, descriptive and persuasive assignments?

Answer: Heuristics are a series of questions that help students to prepare for a writing assignment. They are helpful in that students can learn from them how to think through a writing assignment. In short, they are models for one approach to pre-writing. Heuristics are a kind of directed brainstorm RayS.

Persuasive Writing

What is the issue?

What are some words that specifically describe this controversy? Where did this controversy take place? What are some words that describe this place?

When did this controversy take place?

What are some words that specifically describe the context in which this controversy took place? Who was involved in this controversy?

How did the people involved in this controversy cause or help cause it? What words would you use to describe these people? What relationship did you have with these people? Why is this issue important to you?

Could this controversy have been prevented? If so, how.

OR

Would you want this controversy to occur again? If so, why? How has this issue added to what you now know that you did not know before? How does what you now know affect your decisions and relations with others?

Title: “The Effects of Writing Ability and Mode of Discourse on Cognitive Capacity Engagement.” WM Reed, JK Burton and PP Kelly. Research in the Teaching of English (October 1985), 283-297.