What I've Learned About Writing

When you write, the essential concept of Essay Writing is to have an opinion. You need to express an opinion about the topic, and then support that opinion with all the facts you can muster. A good method to use when writing is the KISS method. The KISS method stands for K- keep, I- It, S- Simple, S- Stupid. Keeping this method in mind will improve your writing. The key to good writing is a mixture of short, medium, and long sentences. This means that the writing displays sentence variety especially in length and starting words. "The Big Sixteen" are very common errors that all people using English often encounter. Correctness in your writing is important to the degree that it interferes with your message. You don't want it to interfere because it's important to communicate your message and say things as clearly as possible. To improve your English usage skills, you can get people to proofread your paper, use your computer, and practice writing.

It's easier to practice writing when you are not bothered by distractions. Once you're ready to begin, think about the purpose in doing the assignment. The next step is brainstorming, to think about what information might accomplish your goal. During this process, you start gathering facts and listing ideas. Some ways to brainstorm these ideas are in a Venn Diagram, and a spider web. Try to answer the questions how, when, and why in your writing. This is started by creating a specific purpose for writing. In one complete sentence, the first step in planning your essay is to weite out your point of view, your thesis.

The thesis is the most important sentence in your essay because it's the idea that you are going to prove. The thesis must be expressed in precise language, with a clear, meaningful idea. After your thesis is completed, it's time to do the body paragraphs. The body paragraphs generally present three or four good reasons why the thesis statement is true. Each of the body paragraphs will start with a topic sentence. After you have done your thesis statement and three or four reasons why you think it's true, next you need to develop four or five sentences to clarify each topic sentence. In this part, you're able to expand your thinking to include any questions that seem appropriate. When you write about ideas, specific examples may be essential to make certain that your reader understands you. One way to communicate your writing is to create a mental picture and describe it for your reader. It's not always necessary to write an introduction before you write everything else.

If you first write your introduction, you may have an incomplete idea of exactly what you're leading into. In the introduction you should: get the readers attention, introduce the topic in a natural sounding manner, and make a smooth transition into the body of the paper. A form commonly used in everyday conversations is the generic introduction, the introduction that will work with any topic. To do a generic introduction, pick out one aspect of the thesis, and make an offensive comment about it, and let that lead you naturally into the thesis statement, just as if you were trying to change the subject of a conversation. In the next type of introduction, specialized introductions, there are several different kinds including quotations, personal experiences, famous person anecdotes, questions, and refutations.  The one you choose to do your introduction is entirely personal as long as it accomplishes the three major purposes of the thesis. This all shows how to start your essay, now to the conclusion part.

The conclusion should be relevant, clear, and concise.  Your conclusion should not only tie together the main ideas, but it should also make one, final significant point. The conclusion can either be done in the form of a recommendation, prediction, call for action, quoting a stimulating source, or a summary. This will be the reader's last impression of the essay.

When doing a compare and contrast essay, it's important to know which of the two you should use. It's best to concentrate on contrast if you're trying to show how one item is superior to the other. It's best to use compare when you are trying to show how a product of lesser value can compare to the more appealing product. At times it may be necessary to do a combination of both compare and contrast. In this type of essay it shows the whole picture, with no sides being taken. Unlike in a regular essay, a compare and contrast essay's thesis statement presents a special problem and a special opportunity. It is not limited to show only similarities and differences. Using a well structured pattern is important to the essay. The opposing pattern devotes one paragraph to one topic, and the other paragraph to the opposing topic. This allows your reader to receive a separate total impression of each topic. Alternating pattern moves back and forth between its two topics. This pattern is best when you have a large number of characteristics to cover. Topic sentences for each paragraph refer to the individual characteristics rather than the people being discussed. Structure and outlining are important in this type of essay to try to avoid the possibility of confusion. This isn't very challenging, but you have to try to not to make any silly mistakes.

Sentence combining is a skill learned in class that allows students to improve their writing, which is important in all aspects of life. Some new techniques are: move the adjectives in front of the nouns they modify, use participial phrases, and avoid comma splice by using a conjunction after a comma. There is no need to have unnecessary words, and awkward words and phrases, so those can just be eliminated.

Out of all of these, I new most of the basic information. I didn't know that there are that many options for the introduction and conclusion. Since we have done several essays in this class, I feel like I have learned to incorporate more and more of these things to my writing. Some of the things we learned this year that I've never done before was the Open Responses and the Approach Papers. These weren't difficult but it just took a little to get used to. Overall, this Essay Writing class was fun and very interesting. You are a great teacher and helped me learn a lot, thanks Mr. Bailey!

Word Count: 1,041

Private and public schools 2

When going to private school, all the rules are clearly stated when you first sign the contract to enter into the school. If you don't abide by the rules on the contract that you signed, there'll be consequences. Unlike private schools which can make up their own rules, public schools have to abide by the rules of the state. To help public schools enforce the rules, there is a police officer. In private schools, this role is handled by the Student Judiciary Committee. Just like there is high discipline, there is also high expectations for learning.  Learning expectations in private schools are not measured in Standardized testing until PSAT, SAT, or AP course testing. In public schools, from elementary school until senior year in high schools, learning skills are measured through Standardized MCAS testing. In public high school, just like in private, you also have to take the PSAT, SAT, and AP courses if you make it in. The course time differed at HHS and MSC, the school I went too.  At MSC, we also had a free period similar to DSB. The free period, instead of it only being about 40 minutes, was the length of a full period. The periods there were much shorter, only about 52 minutes. We had six classes a day and the schedule was rotating. Personally, I liked the schedule better there because you didn't have all the same classes everyday, two would switch out. When the two classes switched out, this would give you more time to do your work which made it easier. In HHS, seniors are allowed to leave for DSB and lunch, but not in MSC. At all times you are supervised by an adult. For this reason, when I'm a senior, I'll enjoy DSB in HHS more than the free period in MSC. Another very similar program private and public schools share are extracurricular activities.  In MSC, there isn't a football, golf, or frisbee team like HHS. In MSC, football wasn't allowed because it is "too dangerous," and  the insurance is too high. Hockey is huge at MSC, they are one of the most competitive high school teams in the country. They have their own rink and travel across the country because they are often ranked nationally. In HHS, there are all of the sports in MSC and more. Football is a huge part at HHS, they have been Superbowl champs and always field a competitive team. In public school there is more of a variety of choices because the state pays for most of it. There is a charge of $200 for any sport you are participating in the school. There is no charge in private school, it's all rolled into the tuition. Both are equally competitive. One of the problems in competing in a sports team is getting home.  In MSC, we tended to travel to farther distances. Some happened to be as far as about a one-two hour drive. At HHS, most of our competitions are within 30 minutes of the school. For both schools, to go to away games, there would be a team bus for the players and coaches, that way we all get there at the same time. After the games, there is transportation back to the school, but none back home. We would either have to have our parents pick us up or get in a carpool. In MSC, I was able to get in carpools because people lived in the same area. Unfortunately, this year at HHS, there is almost nobody that lives in my area. To get to school everyday to MSC was a pain. It took about  40 minutes to drive there on a good day, without traffic. Since it was a 40 minute drive, I had to wake up extra early just to get ready. Going to HHS is a much better drive. It only takes about 20 minutes to get there, but the traffic can also get hectic every once in awhile. When comparing private and public schools, there are more similarities than differences, particularly when looking at sports, and free time. 

Death of an Innocent Open Response

Death of an Innocent Open Response: 

The most important factors in Chris's death were his "intensity, heedlessness, and agitation of the soul," and an unlucky twist of fate. Gallien had tried repeatedly to dissuade Alex from his plan to no avail. He even offered to drive Alex all the way to Anchorage so he could at least buy the kid some decent gear. This had been a pattern throughout Alex's life and he had distanced himself from his parents because of their disapproval. Many thought Alex's behavior was crazy and suicidal. Alex had lived a life of extremes by challenging how long he could go without food, water, and shelter. He believed that he could get himself out of any possible situation that he encountered with as few supplies as possible. This behavior wasn't suicidal, but it most definitely was naive and ill-fated. He donated the $20,000 in his bank account to Oxfam, loaded up his car, and disappeared. Walt and Billie would hear nothing more about Chris's whereabouts until their son's body turned up in Alaska two years later. Even though Alex had grown up in an affluent family, he shunned money and worldly possessions. His family loved him very much but he pushed them away. He was very much a loner and wanted to test himself to see if he could survive the extremes of the wilderness. Strength is the gift of the youth, and wisdom is the gift of the aged. If Alex had used his gifts of intensity, heedlessness, and agitation combined with a little wisdom, he would have been able to survive his Alaskan adventure. If Alex had known about 6 miles due South of the bus, an easy day walk, a cabin supplied with food, bedding, and first aid supplies was plainly marked on most maps of the area.