{"id":134,"date":"2017-09-04T06:32:31","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T06:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/?page_id=134"},"modified":"2019-02-14T15:17:51","modified_gmt":"2019-02-14T15:17:51","slug":"principles-of-composition-part-i","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/principles-of-composition-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Principles of Composition Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twelve columns\" style=\"margin-top: 10%;\">\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/the-writing-process\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/Writing-Strategies-and-Applications\/\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/principles-of-composition-part-ii\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- CONTENT BEGINS HERE --><\/p>\n<h1 id=\"title\">Principles of Composition Part I<\/h1>\n<p><!-- --><\/p>\n<h4>Objective<\/h4>\n<p>In this lesson, you will learn about various outlining techniques, be introduced to the principles of composition, and explore in detail structure, paragraphing, and the use of transition words.<\/p>\n<h4>Previously Covered:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Techniques designed to expedite the creation, editing, and evaluation of written work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section>\n<h3>How Do I Create an Effective Outline?<\/h3>\n<p><a> Outlining<\/a> is a transitional writing technique that helps writers move from the idea-generation phase of writing to the formal construction and composition phase. The process of creating an outline forces writers to organize their thoughts, posit a thesis, and plan the order in which they will introduce their arguments.<\/p>\n<p>The most widely recognized type of outline is the traditional, formal outline.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/Images\/english\/images\/outlining.jpg\" alt=\"sample outline\" width=\"487\" height=\"360\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>However, an outline with this level of order and specificity is usually the end result of the outlining process, not its initial product. Other outlining techniques can help you sift through your ideas and begin formulating a coherent thesis. For example,<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Write down each of the ideas you hope to discuss in your paper on individual note cards. When you\u2019re finished, group the note cards by topic. Each grouping can become a paragraph or related series of paragraphs.<\/li>\n<li>Create a display that visually represents the relationships between key ideas. Put the most important idea at the top and work your way down; be willing to adjust the positioning of various ideas as you work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/Images\/english\/images\/keyideas.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"110\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p align=\"left\">The previous lesson introduced the idea that writing is a recursive practice, one that involves multiple repetitions of the same steps. This idea is particularly relevant to the outlining process; you have flexibility in how and when you outline.<\/p>\n<p>Some writers aren\u2019t able to create accurate outlines before they\u2019ve started writing. Others create intricate outlines that they can\u2019t seem to stick to once they start writing.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you draft detailed outlines before you begin writing or compose a rough draft first and then create an outline that you use for your final draft is a matter of preference and style. Outlining is a tool to improve the structure, organization, and focus of your writing. Use it whenever you find it most helpful.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>What Are the Elements of Good Composition?<\/h3>\n<p>In the prewriting and outlining phases, writers concern themselves with the substantive content of their work, trying to figure out what they\u2019re going to say. Composition, the actual construction of a piece of writing, introduces new considerations related to the question \u201cHow do they want to say it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These considerations pertain to the technical and formal components of good writing. Creating good prose requires more than presenting interesting ideas in a logical order. Principles of composition are guidelines and rules that help writers create prose that is topic-appropriate and enjoyable to read.<\/p>\n<p>Just as there are multiple stages of the writing process, there are multiple elements of good composition.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/Images\/english\/images\/principlesofcomposition.jpg\" alt=\"priciples of composition\" width=\"500\" height=\"218\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>How Do I Organize and Structure My Essay?<\/h3>\n<p>Every written work needs to be appropriately organized for its purpose and audience. It wouldn\u2019t make sense to take the same approach to writing a short story that you would to writing a business letter. Each major essay type has a corresponding standard structure<strong>. <\/strong> In addition to these purpose-driven organizing principles, there are some fundamentals of composition that lend structure to essays in every genre.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/Images\/english\/images\/essaytypes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"449\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Paragraphing<\/h3>\n<p>Paragraphs are the building blocks of writing, the most basic element of organization. Paragraphs help readers navigate and understand a written work by clearly delineating separate thoughts and points of transition.<\/p>\n<p>A paragraph is a group of sentences that address a single major thought or idea. A complete paragraph will address its topic idea clearly and thoroughly enough that the paragraph could be removed from the essay in which it appears and still make sense as a stand-alone composition.<\/p>\n<p>A traditionally structured paragraph will begin with a topic sentence that states the paragraph\u2019s focus, the major idea it will discuss. After several supporting or detail sentences that explain and illustrate the major idea, a concluding or transition sentence ties up one paragraph and leads into the next one.<\/p>\n<p>A well-written paragraph needs to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>fit smoothly into the structure of the essay in which it appears<\/li>\n<li>utilize every sentence to discuss its topic; no tangents or digressions<\/li>\n<li>add detail, color, and evidence<\/li>\n<li>present those details in a logical order<\/li>\n<li>transition into the next paragraph<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Limiting paragraphs to one major idea each and writing transition sentences that demonstrate the relationships between those ideas will help you maintain a consistent topic focus throughout your essay.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, there are two specialized types of paragraphs that serve specific organizing functions. The first paragraph in an essay, the introductory paragraph<strong>,<\/strong> should grab the reader\u2019s attention and introduce the essay\u2019s subject matter and central thesis. Introductory paragraphs help create a recognizable beginning to an essay by narrowing its topic focus.<\/p>\n<p>The final paragraph in an essay, the concluding paragraph, should unify the essay\u2019s key ideas and use them as evidence for the essay\u2019s primary conclusion or thesis. The concluding paragraph provides a sense of completion by explaining the implications of the essay\u2019s argument. In other words, a good concluding paragraph definitively answers the heuristic question \u201cSo what?\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Transition Words and Phrases<\/h3>\n<p>Readability is the hallmark of a well-written essay. An essay can be full of brilliant, novel ideas, but those ideas must be presented in a coherent fashion that underscores the relationships between them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transition words<\/strong> are words that segue between sentences and paragraphs while communicating to readers the logical connection between ideas. Rhetorically, they smooth out your writing and make it easier to read. Logically, they create and reinforce relationships between the crucial ideas in your work.<\/p>\n<p>Different transition words and phrases serve different functions. It is important to pick transition words that are germane to the relationships they illustrate.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/Images\/english\/images\/transitionwords1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"246\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>Now read the following excerpt from a student essay and choose the answer choice that inserts appropriate transition words and phrases.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Yesterday\u2019s city council meeting featured a busy agenda. There was the bill to raise bus fares. There was a motion to censure one of the council members for unbecoming conduct. No vote was taken on the censure motion. The debate over the bus-fare increase took hours. The council\u2019s senior member insisted on closing the meeting with a speech paying tribute to her dog\u2019s birthday.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ol>\n<li>Yesterday\u2019s city council meeting featured a busy agenda. There was the bill to raise bus fares, although there was a motion to censure one of the council members for unbecoming conduct. However, no vote was taken on the censure motion. First, the debate over the bus-fare increase took hours, and then the council\u2019s senior member made a speech paying tribute to her dog\u2019s birthday.<\/li>\n<li>Yesterday\u2019s city council meeting featured a busy agenda. In addition to the bill to raise bus fares, there was a motion to censure one of the council members for unbecoming conduct. Plus, no vote was taken on the censure motion. First, the debate over the bus-fare increase took hours. Then, the council\u2019s senior member made a speech paying tribute to her dog\u2019s birthday.<\/li>\n<li>Yesterday\u2019s city council meeting featured a busy agenda. In addition to the bill to raise bus fares, there was a motion to censure one of the council members for unbecoming conduct. However, no vote was taken on the censure motion. First, the debate over the bus-fare increase took hours. Then, the council\u2019s senior member made a speech paying tribute to her dog\u2019s birthday.<\/li>\n<li>Yesterday\u2019s city council meeting featured a busy agenda. In addition to the bill to raise bus fares, there was a motion to censure one of the council members for unbecoming conduct. However, no vote was taken on the censure motion. Even thought the debate over the bus-fare increase took hours, the council\u2019s senior member made a speech paying tribute to her dog\u2019s birthday.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\"><span class=\"lesson_text\">The answer is C. \u201cIn addition to,\u201d \u201chowever,\u201d \u201cfirst,\u201d and \u201cthen\u201d all capture the relationship between the sentences they connect. In Choice A, \u201calthough\u201d is misused. In Choice B, \u201cplus\u201d is out of place, and the use of \u201ceven though\u201d in Choice D is inappropriate.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Review<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Outlining<\/strong> is a transitional writing technique designed to help writers move from the idea-generation phase of writing to the formal construction and composition phase.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Principles of composition<\/strong> are guidelines and rules that help writers create prose that is topic-appropriate and enjoyable to read.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>paragraph <\/strong>is a group of sentences that address a single major thought or idea.<\/li>\n<li>An <strong>introductory paragraph <\/strong>is the first paragraph in an essay that grabs the reader\u2019s attention and introduces the essay\u2019s subject matter and central thesis.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>concluding paragraph<\/strong> is the final paragraph in an essay that unifies the essay\u2019s key ideas and uses them as evidence for the essay\u2019s primary conclusion or thesis.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Transition words <\/strong> are words that segue between sentences and paragraphs while communicating to readers the logical connection between ideas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- CONTENT ENDS HERE --><\/p>\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/the-writing-process\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/Writing-Strategies-and-Applications\/\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/principles-of-composition-part-ii\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"backtotop\" href=\"#title\">Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2b05 Previous Lesson\u00a0Workshop Index\u00a0Next Lesson \u27a1 Principles of Composition Part I Objective In this lesson, you will learn about various outlining techniques, be introduced to the principles of composition, and explore in detail structure, paragraphing, and the use of transition words. Previously Covered: Techniques designed to expedite the creation, editing, and evaluation of written work. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-134","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":629,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134\/revisions\/629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}