| Merideth Markum |
| Final Essay |
| April 29, 2002 |
| Taking A Road Trip |
| Writing a paper is like taking a road trip. There are many routes to decipher and the unexpected to consider and plan around. My writing process consists of deciding on a topic, writing an introductory paragraph and thesis statement, forming the body, choosing a clever conclusion, and editing. |
| Choosing a topic, one of the most important parts of my writing process, is like chossing the final destination or goal for the trip. Once that is chosen, with careful consideration of the diffiiculty of the subject and evailability of adequate research, it is time to start putting ideas on paper. |
| For me, my thesis statement is often the most dificult part of writing a paper. It sets the mood or tone in which I wish my audience to consider my ideas or research. This is the same as charting the course or planning the route in which I choose to reach the goal I set for myself earlier. While this may seem an unimportant step that could be skipped, it is actually what ties the entire paper together. The thesis statement is just one part of the introduction paragraph, which gives an overview of what I intend to discuss in my paper. |
| With the introduction completed and a clear, concise thesis statement made, it is time to begin writing the body. This is the easier, sometimes even fun part. It is like being on the open road, with all the plans made and a clear guide so I do not get lost. It is not really a time to sit back and relas because I have to keep my eyes on the road and pay attention to the route I previously decided upon. It is easy to get lost or go off on a "tangent" if I do not pay close attention to the points I decided to make in my introductory paragraph. I keep these written on a separate sheet of paper and glance at them every once in a while to make sure I am on the right track. |
| After these things are completed, I often am ready to call it quits. However, ending at this point would be an incomplete paper. The concluding paragraph reiterates my thesis statement and once again ties the paper together, makng needed analogies or comparisons to show links between the points made in my paper. This I compare to the wonderful feeling of knowing I am reaching any destination, seeing the mile-marker and knowing it is just a few more miles until "freedom." |
| Now that my paper is completely written, all that is left is the editing. This often is tedious and annoying , but it is an extremely important element. For me, it is like getting off the highway in a strange town and trying to find the way to the friend's house I am going to. I cannot wait to get there and be done, but it is confusing and frustrating not knowing what is around the next corner. Editing may seem easy, but I hate it because I get confused by ideas that I had earlier but can no longer remember or figure out. |
| My writing process is definitely not something new or innovative. My awesome high school English teacher, who knew how important it is to know how to write a good paper, taught it to me. I know it may not work for everyone, but it is the best way that I know of to ensure that I write and informative and grammatically correct paper. |
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