Thoughts on Drafting

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In this post I will be discussing my thoughts on A Student's Guide to First-Year Writing's take of drafting and how and when this book's instructions of drafting are helpful or unhelpful when concerning specific genres. Because my class has been working on Quick Reference Guides, only some of the provided advice is useful to us.


Drafting a thesis statement:
Because QRG's don't generally contain a clear argument, a "specific" and "interesting" thesis is not very useful. QRG's provide a clear explanation and an unbiased source of information for their reader on a specific controversy (or argument). Although you are discussing a specific topic or argument, you are not proving a point to your reader. In other words, the point of a QRG is to inform a reader about a specific topic rather than sway the opinions of a reader.

Writing paragraphs in PIE format:
PIE format, according to A Student's Guide, stands for "Point, Illustration, & Explanation" format when writing paragraphs. This is helpful when writing a QRG because you want to provide your reader with clear illustrations and explanations of the information you are talking about. The QRG should not look like a research paper; it should be easy for your reader to read and understand. Writing in PIE format, or similar format, will benefit the clarity of your QRG.

Writing introductions:
A Student's Guide's tips on writing introductions is very helpful when writing in any genre. Whether it be a QRG, research paper, or creative writing, the introduction should always grab the reader's attention and create a clear path of what the author will be talking about. The introduction generally provides background information or evidence concerning the topic and tries to avoid generalizations within the text, particularly in QRG's.

Organizing information:
This is somewhat helpful when writing a QRG. Although you want to make sure that you and your reader are on the same page by keeping your work clear and organized, you aren't trying to solve the controversy, you are just reporting on it. A Student's Guide mentions that when writing an organized work, the author should introduce the background information and the problem, lead to the climax, and then provide a solution. However, like I already said, a QRG's purpose is not to prove a point or win over the reader, but to inform them on a specific topic.

Writing conclusions:
Again, when writing for a QRG you are not trying to prove a specific point. The conclusion of a QRG shouldn't be a summary of your claims, but rather a summary of the controversy as a whole. You should refer to your reader more than yourself. Although you could "look forward" in your conclusion by discussing possible future outcomes of the controversy, you should not try to win-over your reader's opinion.


Reflection:
1. After reading Rachel's post, I realized that the PIE format could also be beneficial with a QRG because it breaks up the paragraphs into shorter and more concise paragraphs. This is easier for the viewer to read and is also more aesthetically pleasing. Although I think I did a good job breaking up my paragraphs and providing enough white space, I need to add more in terms of the explanation part. I also should add more hyperlinks within these paragraphs. 

2. In Jenny's post, she mentioned that it is important in a QRG to "look back and look forward." In my QRG, I should add more information from before the controversy as well as more current information. When I do this, I should also provide hyperlinks and links to further information.

3. Additionally, in Jenny's post, I found it interesting that she didn't find the introduction section helpful regarding QRG's. Now I don't really know the answer to whether or not I need to review this... I personally found that the introduction instructions were helpful because I believe that in any genre you always want to create a clear introduction that provides background on your topic/controversy. In my draft, although I think I have provided enough information, I feel as though I need a peer to tell me whether or not the introduction was effective. Because I already know the background information from my own research, I often forget when writing that I have to assume my reader knows nothing about the controversy.