For the TEAS, you will need to be familiar with the steps in the writing process and the resources and tools that writers use.
There are four basic steps in the writing process
Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Editing
Prewriting includes everything a writer does before composing the first draft. This may consist of brainstorming, researching, outlining, etc.
Drafting occurs after the writer has an outline (either on paper or in his or her mind) of what he or she will write. Drafting is the process of actually writing the first draft of the text, either with pen and paper or on a computer.
Revising happens after the first draft is written. Revising consists of making large-scale changes to the text, such as changing the focus of the thesis, moving paragraphs around, deleting or adding blocks of text, etc. The revision process may result in multiple subsequent drafts and continues until the writer is happy with the organization and content of the text.
Editing is the final step and it consists of proofreading the draft and making minor changes to improve diction or correct errors. This is the step in which grammar, mechanics, and citation style (if citations are used) should be reviewed carefully. The editing process ends with a finished text.
PREWRITING TECHNIQUES
As mentioned above, prewriting includes everything a writer does before composing the first draft. Here are some common techniques a writer uses to gather ideas and organize them before writing the first draft of the text.
Brainstorming: Write down as much as you can think of about your topic. Don’t worry about complete sentences or coherence. Just generate ideas.
Clustering or Mapping: This is a visual diagram made around your topic in the center. Branch off subtopics and then add detail to each of them. Here is an example:
(insert cluster mapping)
Interviewing: Ask other people questions about the topic. See what interests them about it and what more they would like to know.
Stream of Consciousness Writing: Just start writing about your topic and do not stop for a certain length of time (5-10 minutes minimum). It doesn’t matter if you go off topic or write “I don’t know what to write” ten times. Just keep writing. Eventually you will generate ideas about your topic that can be useful to you.
Outlining: This should be down once you have at least some idea of what you will write about. An outline organizes your writing and creates a hierarchy that you can use to develop paragraphs or sections of your text. Begin by separating your topic into broad categories and then develop those with subcategories.
PARAGRAPH ORGANIZATION
When drafting and revising a text, writers must pay attention to paragraph organization. Clear, effective writing is organized so that readers can understand the author’s points. The TEAS may ask you about the order of sentences in a paragraph or what could be deleted or added to improve the flow and effectiveness of a paragraph.
A basic paragraph structure begins with a topic sentence that tells readers what the paragraph is about. The body of the paragraph will be details about that topic. The final sentence of the paragraph should summarize the information and tie it to the overall thesis of the text. Transitions should be used to move from one topic to the next, either at the end of one paragraph or at the beginning of the next.
CITATIONS
In researched writing, credit should be given to the words and ideas of other through citing the source for that material. There are several different citation styles (Chicago, APA, MLA, etc.) and you will not be tested on the format of any style. You will, however, be expected to know when material needs to include a citation. There are four basic rules for what material to cite.
Quotations: Anytime you use the exact words from another source, you must enclose the words in quotation marks and cite the source.
Paraphrases: Anytime you take language from another sources and rephrase it in your own words, you must cite the source.
Summary: If you take an idea from another source and put a condensed version of it in your own words, you must cite the source.
Data: If you use facts, information, data, graphics, etc. from another source, you must cite that source. If you use an accepted, well-known fact that could be obtained from many different sources, such as a birthdate of a famous person or the date of a battle, then you do not need to cite a source for that information.
ATI TEAS ENGLISH & LANGUAGE USAGE The Writing Process
Time limit: 0
Quiz-summary
0 of 8 questions completed
Questions:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Information
Quiz for ATI TEAS ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE USAGE REVIEW SERIES
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
0 of 8 questions answered correctly
Time has elapsed
You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0)
Average score
Your score
Categories
Not categorized0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Answered
Review
Question 1 of 8
1. Question
Which of the following activities would be considered editing?
Correct
Correcting punctuation is part of the editing process. Interviewing and outlining are both prewriting activities and writing a first draft is drafting.
Incorrect
Correcting punctuation is part of the editing process. Interviewing and outlining are both prewriting activities and writing a first draft is drafting.
Question 2 of 8
2. Question
(a) I swam in a river with piranhas once and was not bitten
(b) There are only two situations in which a piranha is likely to bite a human.
(c) In this case, they may attack anything that enters the pool.
(d) The second situation is when too many piranhas are trapped in a pool with a low water level and become hungry and aggressive.
(e) When confronted with a large animal, a piranha’s instinct is to flee rather than to attack.
(f) The first is when a piranha is lifted out of water, usually by a fishing net, and the frightened fish may bite.
(g) Although many people think of piranhas as man-eaters, they are rarely dangerous to humans.
(h) For the most part, the man-eating piranha is a myth, just like the man-eating shark.
(i) Piranhas mostly eat smaller fish and aquatic plants; they rarely feed on large animals.
If a writer constructs a paragraph with the sentences above, which of the following shows the first four sentences that would compose the paragraph listed in the chronological order?
Correct
The best order is (g), (i), (e), (b). The topic sentence is; Although many people think of piranhas as man-eaters, they are rarely dangerous to humans. (i) and (e) expand on this idea: Piranhas mostly eat smaller fish and aquatic plants; they rarely feed on large animals. When confronted with a large animal, a piranha’s instinct is to flee rather than to attack. (b) begins the discussion of the exceptions to the rule: There are only two situations in which a piranha is likely to bite a human.
Incorrect
The best order is (g), (i), (e), (b). The topic sentence is; Although many people think of piranhas as man-eaters, they are rarely dangerous to humans. (i) and (e) expand on this idea: Piranhas mostly eat smaller fish and aquatic plants; they rarely feed on large animals. When confronted with a large animal, a piranha’s instinct is to flee rather than to attack. (b) begins the discussion of the exceptions to the rule: There are only two situations in which a piranha is likely to bite a human.
Question 3 of 8
3. Question
Which of the following phrases indicates a transition in a sequence?
Correct
The phrase to begin with indicates step in sequence.
Incorrect
The phrase to begin with indicates step in sequence.
Question 4 of 8
4. Question
Which of the following would require a citation?
Correct
Even in a footnote, material from an outside source must include a citation.
Incorrect
Even in a footnote, material from an outside source must include a citation.
Question 5 of 8
5. Question
Which of the following would NOT require a citation?
Correct
Only choice B describes a situation in which no citation is needed. An original poem does not need a citation.
Incorrect
Only choice B describes a situation in which no citation is needed. An original poem does not need a citation.
Question 6 of 8
6. Question
(a) I swam in a river with piranhas once and was not bitten
(b) There are only two situations in which a piranha is likely to bite a human.
(c) In this case, they may attack anything that enters the pool.
(d) The second situation is when too many piranhas are trapped in a pool with a low water level and become hungry and aggressive.
(e) When confronted with a large animal, a piranha’s instinct is to flee rather than to attack.
(f) The first is when a piranha is lifted out of water, usually by a fishing net, and the frightened fish may bite.
(g) Although many people think of piranhas as man-eaters, they are rarely dangerous to humans.
(h) For the most part, the man-eating piranha is a myth, just like the man-eating shark.
(i) Piranhas mostly eat smaller fish and aquatic plants; they rarely feed on large animals.
If a writer is constructing a paragraph with the sentences above, which of the following sentences should be omitted?
Correct
A sentence about the author’s personal experience does not belong in this third-person paragraph.
Incorrect
A sentence about the author’s personal experience does not belong in this third-person paragraph.
Question 7 of 8
7. Question
Which of the following could be a topic sentence for a paragraph?
Correct
The best choice is D. It introduces an idea that needs more explaining. Choices A and C are conclusions, while choice B is a supporting fact.
Incorrect
The best choice is D. It introduces an idea that needs more explaining. Choices A and C are conclusions, while choice B is a supporting fact.
Question 8 of 8
8. Question
Which of the following steps would occur last in the writing process?
Correct
Checking for spelling errors would be the last of the items shown, since it is part of the editing process.
Incorrect
Checking for spelling errors would be the last of the items shown, since it is part of the editing process.