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MIDTERM
Lesson 8
Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and the
Writing Process
Learning Objectives:

1. Conceptualized an argument or thesis on a relevant social or

cultural issues;
2. Organize supporting ideas into a working plan or outline; and
3. Write a paragraph that integrates original ideas with properly
documented quotations, paraphrases, and/or summaries from a
variety of supporting sources.

Abstraction

Writing as a Process
- “Teach writing as a Process, not a Product” – Donald M. Murray, 1992
- This means that writing consists of more than just drafting a paper but rather
as three stages that Murray calls pre- writing, writing, and rewriting (1972).

THE PRE- WRITING STAGE

I. Choosing a Topic and Limiting It

- The pre-writing stage is defined as “everything that takes place before the
first draft” (Murray, 1972).
- It begins with brainstorming exercises and preliminary research to select a
topic.

Student writer should ask the following practical questions:

1. What are the objectives (of the course or the professor) that need to be met
by this paper?
2. What are my objectives in writing this paper?
3. What are the length requirements of this paper (minimum and maximum
number of words or pages)?
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4. How much time do we need to write it?
5. What are the other restrictions or limits imposed by the professor or the
course?
6. What has already been written about this topic, and what new ideas can I add
to the conversation about it?
Example:
General Topic: The tingi-tingi system (the practice of buying and selling by
piece or small amounts, e.g. one stick of cigarette versus pack, a
sachet of shampoo versus a bottle)
Specific Topic: The cultural significance of the tingi-tingi system in the twenty-
first century

II. Asking Research Questions and Establishing the Significance of One’s Research
- The next step is to barrage the specific topic with questions to come up with
the essay’s main Research Question.
- Although it is helpful to begin with questions that ask who, what, when, or
where, these should be used as background research questions.
Example:
 Why is tingi-tingi system a prevalent practice in the Philippines?
 How did it develop? How was it practiced in the past? How it is
practiced today?

Finally, the student should pose a tougher question, the “so-what?” question:
Now that I know all of this, so what? What makes my research socially or
culturally significant?

Main Research Question: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in
twenty-first-century Philippines significant?

III. Composing a Thesis Statement

- this is the explicit statement of what will be the paper’s central idea, point, or
argument, that is – the main assertion that will be supported by the entire
essay. It is also, essentially, the tentative answer to the research question.
-
Example:

Research Question: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-
first-century Philippines significant?
Thesis Statement: The continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-
century Philippines reflects a lack of change in the economic
situation of the Philippines, as those from the many poorer
sectors of society are forced, due to lack of available funds, to
both buy small and think in the short term.
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IV. Preparing a Writing Outline

- an outline consists of three main sections:

 introduction
 development (body)
 conclusion

Introduction
- Typically consists of an interesting opening to draw the reader into the
subject, background information on the topic, and a statement of the paper’s
thesis.

Development
- more detailed and specific
- The subheadings in this section should consist of three or more subtopics
that act as supporting points for the essay’s central idea. Each of these
sections of the paper may have supporting details listed under them.

Conclusion
- Typically contains a wrap-up or summary of the essay’s main point and a final
point: a prediction or recommendation, a reiteration of the main idea, and/or
a final insight.

Example:

Title: Tingi Culture in the Twenty-First Century: Still Thinking Small in the
Philippines

Thesis Statement: The continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-

century Philippines reflects a lack of change in the economic
situation of the Philippines, as those from the many poorer
sectors of society are forced, due to lack of available funds, to
both buy small and think in the short term.

I. Introduction: The tingi-tingi system

A. Interesting examples of buying piece

B. Definition and origin of ting and the tingi-tingi system
C. Main idea: continued practice of tingi culture as a reflection of
prevailing poverty and thinking in the short-term

II. Development: The social and cultural implications of the tingi-tingi system

A. Why it was practiced in the past

B. Why it continues to be practiced today
C. Buying small as equivalent to thinking small
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III. Conclusion: Looking back and looking ahead

A. Recap of why the system has significant cultural implications
B. Final insights about the need to think in larger and longer terms

V. Doing Research and Finding Credible Sources

- A writer must first do research and gather information from wide variety of
sources available.
- Doing research may actually happen at any point in the pre-writing stage as
well as during the writing and rewriting stages of the writing process.
- A good academic should use only trustworthy sources. Students who find
articles or pages on the Web that provide relevant information on the topics
they have chosen to write about, must make the extra effort of verifying that
the sources is valid, credible, and reliable.
- There are several ways to do this:

1. Check the universal resource locator or URL – the shortcuts for domain
names at the end of the URL give information linked to the site’s purpose
or agenda and, therefore, its potential biases.
2. Read the “About Us” section of the website. This will help one to verify
whether or not the information is being provided by an expert or authority
on the subject.
3. Review the content for relevance, depth and breadth, accuracy, and
currency. The information should be related to the subject one is studying
and provides the appropriate depth and coverage of the topic.
4. Look at the sources cited. If the website is credible and reliable, the
information will include ideas cited from other sources. There should also
be “live” links to the sources used and cited by the author.

THE WRITING STAGE

- “the act of producing a first draft” (Donald Murray)

- “Fastest” part of the writing process taking up as little as 1% of the writer’s
time. This is because if the essay is well-planned, drafting will not be difficult.
- Moreover, the product of drafting is only initial draft.

THE REWRITING STAGE

- This third stage involves “researching, rethinking, redesigning, rewriting –
finally, line-by-line editing, the demanding, satisfying process f making every
word right” (Murray, 1972)
- In this stage, the writer reviews the paper to see how it may be improved,
asking such questions as:
1. Is the title appropriate and effective?
2. Is the first paragraph interesting and compelling? Is it related to the topic?
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3. Does the introduction include a clearly stated main idea?
4. Does each paragraph support the essay’s main idea?
5. Are transitions and connections between ideas smooth and signalled
clearly?
6. What needs to be added, omitted, or reorganized?
7. Does the conclusion flow naturally from the body of the essay?
8. Is there anything confusing or unclear in the content of the essay?
9. What should be edited in terms of grammar and mechanics?
10.Have all sources been properly acknowledged via in-text citations and a
bibliographic list?

Reference: Uychoco, Marikit Tara A & Santos, Maria Lorena (2018). Purposive Communication. Manila.
Rex Bookstore Inc. (2018)

(Read Lesson 2: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and the Writing Process, pages 99-111, to get the full
discussion.)
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(Write is in a whole sheet

of Yellow Paper)
Application

TASK 1: Writing a Documented Narrative

NAME: SECTION:

(Title of your Narrative)

Buhay Magsasaka: Mga Storya Sa Ilalim ng Matirik na Araw

Instructions:

Go through the various steps the writing process by planning, drafting, and documenting narrative.
Assuming that you are planning to make a narrative interview and choose a topic related to Agriculture field. Fill in
the matrix below for you to be guided with the drafting process of a documented essay. Make sure to have an
introduction, formulated questions, central ideas, three main supporting points, and photos.

Topic and Introduction of Your Narratives:

Guide Questions: Make an outline of questions intended to be asked in your target participant. At least five (5)
relevant questions or more.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

State the Central Idea of your focus.

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Now, try to construct a short documented essay out of your chosen topic. Fill in the matrix below to complete
this tasks

Title:

First Paragraph - Introduction (contains the topic or the introductory statement of your topic, 2-3 sentences only)

Second Paragraph - Body (contains ideas to support the main topic or statement; 5 or more sentences. Ideas must
be taken from the set questions)

Third Paragraph – Conclusion (contains concluding words, but do not open new topic! 2-3 sentences only)

Documentation (in another sheet put the evidences or narratives that support or proof of your interviews)

Criteria for scoring:

Content and Development 35%
Unity and Coherence 25%
Writing Mechanics and Language 20%
Documentation 20%
Total 100%
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