My writing process: The Exploratory Essay
When I write a paper for a class, I always, or try to, pay attention in class. This way, I'll get any helpful hints that the teacher throws my way, and I'll have input from my classmates. For this exploratory essay (EE) I paid attention in class when my professor explained the instructions. (See picture of me sitting in front of an amazing iMac) I listened when my classmates gave out ideas, and I even helped out by adding my question to the board. (See picture of me writing on board) I took lots of notes to help me with this process, and I used the notes as building blocks to start the paper. (See picture of me playing with blocks--they represent the notes I took) I did a lot of searching on the Internet for listings of editors in the area. (See picture of me sitting in front of my MacBook surfing the web) Since I already had a research question in mind, I began to brainstorm ways in which I could put the question on paper as an idea. (See picture of me writing in my journal/notebook) I spoke to several people about the ideas I had, wondering whether it was a good question and if I needed to incorporate something more. (See picture of me talking to other stick-figures, err, humans) I finally sat down at my computer and wrote the paper. (Another picture of me in front of my computer, typing away)
Now, I must create a visual metaphor for my drawing that I have done. This ought to be interesting...
Once I have done this, I need to compare the two, saying what each includes/excludes.
Both drawings exclude the exact details of the real-life situation. This is to be expected, as I am not a good drawer (meant as one who draws pictures, not the rolling thing in the kitchen). The drawings did not include me talking to the editors themselves. I'm sure that would have greatly helped with my writing, but I could not pin-point an editor to ask. I believe I have pin-pointed one now, though. I'm sure I have left out major ideas not incorporated in the drawings, but I am not positive.
If you're in my class, I'll be able to show you the pictures. If not, however, I'm trying to figure out how to upload images. I think the "upload images" button might play into this query, but I'm too confused to ask. Anyways...to class!
1 comment:
Great stuff here, Erin. I'm particularly interested in these parts of your description:
"For this exploratory essay (EE) I paid attention in class when my professor explained the instructions. (See picture of me sitting in front of an amazing iMac) I listened when my classmates gave out ideas, and I even helped out by adding my question to the board. (See picture of me writing on board)."
Here you're referencing the "interpretation and negotiation" that any writer needs to do when working from an initiating text (in this case, the assignment prompt for the EE).
Were you to be producing a more formal research project of your writing process for this essay, you'd want to spell out in more specific terms how you were interpreting this initiating text and how you understood it to be negotiated through the process of class discussion.
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