Transactive Piece –
Conferencing Guide
Purpose: Transactive writing is a piece in which the writer genuinely attempts to communicate with others in order to accomplish a realistic, useful purpose. This piece should be realistic, “authentic”, in purpose, readership, and form. A transactive piece may take the form of a letter, editorial, article, etc.
1. Does the purpose reflect the student’s ownership, individuality, thinking, or decisions?
2. Is the purpose realistic, one the student could actually have in his/her own life?
3. Is the purpose needed by the readers – the purpose is justifiable, it makes sense and is significant?
4. Is the purpose limited in scope and reveals some thought about reasons for communicating the topic?
Audience: Is the writer aware of the audience?
1. Does the piece try to influence a realistic reader/audience, someone logically and realistically appropriate for the writer’s purpose?
2. Does the writer take steps to interest and/or provide for the needs of the readers?
3. Are explanations provided where needed to help the reader?
4. Is careful, thoughtful writing with logical support and reasoning present?
5. Is the tone appropriate for the intended audience?
6. Is awareness of the expectations of the reader for a particular type of writing present? (Does the writer provide what is expected in an editorial, a letter, an academic article, a proposal, or a technical article?)
Form: Is the form authentic?
1. Does the form logically fit with the writer’s purpose and audience?
2. Is the form realistic? Is it one that would be found in the “real world”?
3. Are the main characteristics of the selected form applied appropriately?
A. Does an article contain sub-headings?
B. Does the letter have the appropriate addresses, dates, signatures, etc placed in the appropriate places?
Organization/Idea Development/Detail:
1. Is the piece organized logically, carefully and effectively for the purpose and audience?
2. Does the piece contain some type of introduction?
A. Is background information provided if appropriate?
B. Is specific information stated – statistics, facts, etc if needed?
C. Does it indicate the readership by providing information or a slant that would interest a specific reader?
D. Is there a focus or angle present?
E. Is there a problem, goal, need, concern, issue, question identified?
F. Does the introduction indicate (even state) the purpose or main idea?
G. Does the introduction explain benefits, conclusions, or consequences that the reader can expect?
3. Is the body of the piece organized with appropriate paragraphs or sections?
A. Does the body provide specific, relevant, insightful, and accurate support for the ideas?
1. Does each paragraph, sub-heading, section help build the writer’s thoughts in order to accomplish a specific purpose?
B. Does the writer use a variety of information and forms to support ideas?
1. Graphs.
2. Descriptive details.
3. Examples or stories
4. Quotes or paraphrases
5. Analogies
6. Photographs or drawings
7. Definitions
8. Personal experiences, observations, or findings from research.
C. Is there evidence of thinking about the subject – is there a “push” for a specific purpose?
D. Does the body contain evidence of analysis, reflection, interpretation?
E. Does the body state any recommendations, plans or suggestions?
4. Does the conclusion draw attention to what the writer wanted to accomplish?
A. Does it re-emphasize key points?
B. Does it indicate the significance of the information presented?
C. Does it present requests, recommendations, likely consequences or outcomes?
D. Does it refer to the reader’s needs, interests, responsibilities or concerns?
E. Does it acknowledge difficulties, possible problems, or limitations?
F. Is there a reflection on what else needs to be done or understood on the topic? Is there reference to other sources of information?
G. Does the conclusion use a memorable statement, question or quote directly related to the purpose of the writing?
Other things to look for to aide in detail:
1. Does the title indicate a specific purpose/angle/idea?
2. Does the title create an interest in the topic?
3. Are visuals used that aid in understanding the topic? (graphs, charts, tables, pictures, etc)
4. Is the language appropriate for the piece and the reader? (Is specific content vocabulary used throughout the piece?)
Sentences:
1. Is there a variety of sentence lengths and structure?
A. Simple (noun – verb)
B. Compound (contains conjunctions – and, or, but, therefore)
C. Complex (semicolon (;) connects two sentences).
D. Compound-complex (combination of B and C).
2. Are the transitions smooth?
Language:
1. Is content
vocabulary used appropriately?
2. Is there careful word choice and
sentence structure present which aids in the development of the thoughts/ideas?
3. Does the word choice help to convince
the reader?
Correctness:
1. Is the spelling correct?
a. Watch for misplaced words or words that do not fit. Students will automatically think the computer suggestion is correct and it may not be the correct word in meaning or spelling.
2. Is punctuation correct?
Is capitalization correct?
Whitaker
Getting Some Feedback on
Your Article
Author's Name: _______________________________
Date: ____________
Names of
Classmates:_________________________________________________
Write
here what you want to accomplish in this writing, your specific purpose or main
idea: ______
Write
here some questions or concerns about your writing you would like others to
discuss with you:
Ask
your classmate especially (make notes here and also on your draft):
1. What do you think about my main
idea/angle for writing? What could I do to make my purpose more interesting,
unusual, useful?
2. What could I do to improve my introduction?
3. What other kinds of support could I
include to help my readers and serve my purposes?(Check the ideas on the
handout provided.)
4. What kinds of "local"
connections could I make? How could I use the "local" or personal in
my writing? From class study, what else could I include for my purposes? What
else could I find out about to include in my writing?
5. Where do I need to explain more in order
to be clear and show my own thinking and in order to help readers?
6. What might I leave out? What should I
either do more with or leave out?
7. Where do I need to work on my
paragraphing (separating, combining, rearranging, omitting)? Also, how could I
improve my transitions?
8. Where is my word choice too general?
Where are my sentences not very clear?
Whitaker
Some Common Problems in
Introductions
Listed here are some of the problems
that often appear in introductions. Going through the list may give you some
ideas for your own introduction. If you are working with a classmate, you might
exchange drafts and check the introductions using the list as a guide. How many
of the statements apply or might apply to your introduction?
1. The writer presents obvious statements: true
but nearly everyone already knows them.
2. The introduction is too general.
3. Not enough attention is paid to the reader's
interests. What's in this writing for a reader? Who is the intended readership,
anyway?
4. The writer does not show knowledge or
insight. Maybe adding some specifics early on will help.
5. The topic is clear, but the main idea is
not. The purpose is not focused, not specific. The reader cannot tell exactly
what the writer will develop, support, prove, demonstrate.
6. Thought does not develop smoothly,
logically, or methodically. Sentences don't smoothly connect, leading the
reader into the writing. One part of the introduction does not clearly connect
with another. It's like a string of statements, true but only generally
related. -
7. The direction the writing will take is not
clear.
8. The writer is too abrupt; does not prepare
the reader to see what and why, does not indicate what about the writing is
special or unusual or particularly deserving. The angle is not strong in
appealing to a reader.
9. To understand purposes and directions for
the writing, the reader needs some background, a perspective, a better build-up
to see what the writer will do and why.
Whitaker
Conferences on
Transactive Writing
Some
Key Problems:
1. The title and
introduction do not reveal an effort to write with an "angle" on the
subject, an effort to discuss the subject in an interesting, perhaps unusual
way. The writer does not take steps to build up a logical reason for having a
writer with this particular purpose. The introduction is underdeveloped. -
2. The purpose is too general or is not
authentic. The writing is "canned." It reveals little ownership.
3. The writer does not present and
"push" a controlling idea or does not "work" the angle
indicated. The writer just writes about a topic.
4. Ideas or claims are offered, but the
writer does not provide support for them. Support for purposes is not relevant,
specific, or thorough.
5. The writer provides a lot of information
but does not explain it or slant it toward the angle or main idea he or she is
developing about the subject. The work is mostly a collection of pockets of
information about a topic. There's not much ownership in working with the
information.
6. The work is not developed in much depth.
The writer stays too much on the surface.
7. Needed parts are missing, or parts are
not logically arranged. Or the writing is not developed methodically, one part
logically leading to the next. Paragraphs are not developing the writing
coherently.
8. The work is not organized clearly in an
introduction, body, and conclusion, showing understanding of things to do in
those sections.
9. The writer does not reveal awareness of
readers, "target" readers or critical readers. Or the reader
"targeted" is not a logical one for the writer's purposes. Or the
writer starts with awareness of an authentic reader but gradually just writes
about a topic.
10. Sentences do not make sense, are not
grammatical, or are not varied.
11. Frequent errors appear, creating distractions
and suggesting a careless writer. [Editing matters usually are dealt with after
the writer has worked on purpose, read awareness, idea development/support, and
organization.]
Whitaker
Revision Conferences for
Transactive Writing
SOME KEY THINGS TO CONSIDER:
1. Setting up an angle/specific purpose/main
idea-and pushing it.
2. Strengthening awareness of authentic
readers
·
References to "target" reader
·
Explanations slanted toward the target
reader and critical reader
·
Explanations to address the "So
what"? of the writing
·
More and more varied support to interest
and help readers
3. Promoting stronger student ownership of
the writing.
·
Creating
and maintaining an angle
·
Using
the local
·
Conducting
independent inquiry and drawing on it
·
Selecting
a variety of forms of support/idea development
·
Providing
more reader-slanted explanations that show thinking
4. Striving for more depth of idea development
·
Using
the local for more detailed support
·
Including
more content learning relevant to angle
·
Using
more than one form of support/development
·
Explaining
more to show thinking and to help/interest readers
5. Organizing logically
·
I-B-C
·
Paragraphing
(logical sequence, arrangement)
·
More
transitions (consider headings)
6. Using language for clear, smooth flow of
thought
·
Appropriate
tone, voice
·
Specific
word choice
·
Clear,
varied sentences
7. Using sources correctly, effectively
·
Use
quotes and document sources (parenthetically)
·
Provide
follow-up explanation relevant to main purpose
·
Include
signal phrases
Whitaker
Developing Your
Article
This handout
might give you some ideas for ways to develop your article so that it will
accomplish your purposes and be effective with your readers. You could consult
the list below when you are planning your writing and come back to it as you
draft and revise. Remember that what you choose should fit logically your
specific purpose and the readers' needs. By the items you want to use, you
might write a note to guide you when you write. Which of these can you use?
1. Facts, Statistics, Information
2. Examples (Actual or Hypothetical)
3. Stories (Actual or Hypothetical)
4. References to Your Personal
Experience; First-hand Observations
5. Quotes; References to Your Reading
6. Findings from Inquiry: Survey,
Questionnaire, Interview, Internet Search, Sit Visit, etc.
7. Descriptive Detail about
People,-Places,--Things,-Conditions, Problems
8. Dialogue; References to What Others
Have Said
9. Graphs, Diagrams, Charts, Sets of
Information
10.Photographs,
Drawings, Illustrations (Not Just Ornamental, Though, Relevant to Ideas)
11.Comparisons,
Analogies, Allusions
12.References
to History, Past Action, Ideas and Positions of Others
13.Explanation
of Causes, Effects, Reasons, Relationships and Connections
14.Definitions
(Special Words; Definitions Readers Need)
15.References
to Laws, Rules, Agreements, Principles, Policies, Sayings, Customs
16.Support
from Mathematics
17.References
to Songs, Film, Literature
18.Summary
or Paraphrase of a Viewpoint, Position (Needed to Develop Your Own Ideas)
19.Predictions,
Explanations of Consequences, Possible Outcomes/Events
20.Explanation
of Processes, Procedures, Events (Needed to Support Your Own Ideas)
Whitaker
Develop Your Transactive
Writing Thoroughly
Show that you know. Help your
reader. Go into detail.
Remember that what you do should support
your specific purpose, main idea.
Some
Options:
1. Add new and relevant sections of
information. Add especially information you think the reader might not know.
Explain what the information shows or proves.
2. Tell more about what you have seen or
heard concerning your topic.
3. Make connections to yourself and to where
you live, your experience.
4. Give examples that can help the reader
understand and accept your ideas.
5. Tell about what you imagine or predict.
6. Add a diagram, chart, graph, photograph,
set of information. Make sure you explain what you add.
7. Tell what you have learned from
- an interview or several interviews
- a survey you have conducted
- a questionnaire
- reading
- computer resources
8. Raise good questions a thoughtful reader
might ask and answer them.
9. Explain more to show more of your own
thinking: "What this means is...." "What's important to
understand is ...."
10. Discuss reasons, causes, effects, connections.
11. Tell an example story (actual or imagined).
Explain what the example shows.
12. Describe what something looks like to
interest the reader and to support your purposes. For example, describe a scene
that shows a problem you want to discuss.
13. Give a comparison or contrast: "It
would be like ...." "It would be different ...."
14. Discuss what a reader might think or say.
Show awareness of readers' ideas or feelings.
Whitaker
Think-about-it
Sentences
** Show your
ability to think.
** Explain to help
your readers.
** Push your main
ideas, purposes.
In most
writing, readers expect writers to do more than just provide information about
a topic.
Readers
expect to see some thinking about the selected subject; they expect to see also
that the writer can explain in helpful ways. Check your writing to see if you
are revealing enough of your own thinking and your ability to explain for your
readers. Check out your think-about-it
sentences.
Here are some examples of "leads" to think-about-it sentences. There
are others, but you might refer to the list to get some ideas for ways you can
show your thinking.
1. The reason is
2. This is important because
3. What this means is
4. The information shows that
5. Readers should understand that
6. Let me explain some more.
7. These examples (or charts, diagrams,
graphs, facts) prove that
8. A comparison (contrast) might help here.
9. My experience shows that
10. A question might be raised here.
11. Another way to understand this is
12. What some have not noticed is that
13. A conclusion can be drawn
14. The point is
15. What we should see is
16. The implication or consequence is
Whitaker
Some Tips for Revising Your Article
When writers revise, they are looking again
at a draft of writing and thinking about what more they might be able to do to
accomplish their purposes and be effective with readers. As a writer, you might
make many changes in a draft, but here are some ideas for you to consider.
I.
Change the purpose so that it is more specific or so that it would be
more interesting.
2.
Create an angle, some unusual or interesting way to approach the subject
you want to discuss. Select an approach that will interest and be useful to
readers.
3. Add more in the introduction to inform
and interest the reader. Cut out what you think is not really needed for your
purpose or readers. Make sure the introduction leads the reader logically to
see what you are writing about and why.
4. In the body section of the writing, check
to make sure the paragraphing is logical. Add transitions or use headings as
you think useful. Make sure that what you have in each paragraph fits what you
are trying to do there. Rearrange, combine, separate paragraphs to show your
purposes clearer and to help readers.
5. Add sentences that show your own
thinking. Explain more to show your understanding of your subject, to develop
your ideas, and to help or convince readers. Find places to follow through
more.
6. Provide more and appropriate support for
your purposes and ideas. Think of what more you could do to go into more depth.
Think of what more you could add to be effective with readers, especially your
target reader and a critical reader. Add more support.
7. Add words, phases, sentences that will
bring the reader back to your purpose. Look for ways to come back to or
"push" your controlling idea.
8. Add sentences that "slant toward
your reader." Explain the importance, relevance, benefit, etc., of your
writing for readers. Take steps to answer a critical reader’s "So
what?" Do this throughout the writing and especially in the conclusion.
Don't just end the writing. Create an effective closure that emphasizes the importance
of your ideas and that slants toward readers' interests.
9. Think more about your word choice and
your sentences. Change words to be more specific or interesting. Make sure
terminology is accurate. Use words that convey an appropriate tone. Change
sentences to improve meaning, to create some variety, and to make a smooth flow
of thought. There will come a time when you concentrate on editing your work,
looking for mistakes in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar, but
as you revise, if you see something that needs to
corrected,
go ahead and do it. Even experienced writers "revisit" their work
many times to make it as effective as they can. Take pride in your writing. Be
serious about revising.