Steps to Good Writing

YOUR TURN

Work Together

Think about your writing process—and then share it with another student. Do you both use the same process? If not, what can you learn from each other?

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One of the more popular ways of thinking about the writing process includes the following steps (see Figure 10.2):

  1. Freewriting. This step includes preparing to write by filling your mind (and your notebook or laptop) with information from the sources that you found through your research. It is generally considered to be the first stage of exploratory writing.
  2. Writing or drafting. Transform your less formal exploratory writing into a draft that will eventually become your final paper.
  3. Rewriting or revision. This step involves polishing your work until it clearly explains what you want to communicate and is ready for your audience.
FIGURE 10.2 The Writing Process
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