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Comma splices and run-ons are two types of mechanical errors created by incorrectly joining independent clauses. (An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb, expresses a complete thought, and can be a sentence on its own.)
- Four Steps to Effective Essay Writing
- CHOOSING AND MANAGING A TOPIC
- T H E W R I T I N G P R O C E S S
- AN OVERVIEW OF THE WRITING PROCESS
- TECHNIQUE 1: FREEWRITING
- Freewriting: A Student Model
- Freewriting to Generate Ideas
- Focused Freewriting
- Activity
- TECHNIQUE 2: QUESTIONING
- Why? When? Where? Who? and How?
- Questions
- Answers
- Questions
- Answers
- Activity
- TECHNIQUE 3: LIST MAKING
- List Making: A Student Model
- Activity
- TECHNIQUE 4: CLUSTERING
- Clustering: A Student Model
- Noisy people
- A FINAL NOTE ON THE FIRST STAGE OF THE WRITING PROCESS
- W R I T I N G A N O U T L I N E A N D D R A F T I N G
- Opening Paragraph: Thesis Statement
- Supporting Details & Examples
- Supporting Details & Examples
- Concluding Paragraph: Conclusion
- Comment
- Activity
- DEVELOPING A FIRST DRAFT FROM AN OUTLINE
- Writing a First Draft: A Student Model
- Comment
- Activity
- GENERAL REVISING TIPS
- Revising with a Second Draft: A Student Model
- Comment
- Activity
- Editing: A Student Model
- Comment
- Activity
- AC T I V I T I E S
- Activity 2
- Losing Touch
- Final Questions
Discover your point and write a solid thesis statement. Develop logical, detailed support for your thesis. Organize your thesis and supporting material into an outline. Write a first draft, then revise and edit in further drafts. Each of these steps uses different parts of your mind, different ways of think-ing.Learning how the writing process work...
Occasionally you may be assigned a specifically designed “essay-size topic or subject.” When this is the case, you simply proceed to prewrite to discover your ideas—no “topic adjustment time” is needed. More often, though, you will be given a general topic area or asked to choose a topic for your paper. In either of these writing sit-uations, the f...
A blank page or screen can be an intimidating object for anyone. As you sit won-dering how to develop a finished essay in a few days, you may develop a mental block instead. The blank, confused feeling is usually the result of “mental clutter,” trying to think of too many things at once. Beginning to write is difficult,but these two strategies will...
When you start to write an essay,you begin a process that is seldom straightforward. For most writers, getting started is difficult.Accept first of all that discovering what you think will take time and energy. Your mind is not blank; it is full of ideas and connections. Writing—like drawing, speaking, or making music—is a way of find-ing out what ...
Freewriting means jotting down in rough sentences or phrases everything that comes to mind about a possible topic. See if you can write non-stop for ten min-utes or more. Do not worry about spelling or punctuating correctly, about erasing mistakes,about organizing material,or about finding exact words.Instead,explore an idea by putting down whateve...
As you freewrite, your mind runs along all sorts of paths branching off the general topic you are assigned.You fill up your page or screen, racing past ideas as you get them down. From this general freewriting, two possibilities usually emerge: your focus simply appears as the thing you are writing most about, or, like Tina Kallas, you consciously ...
Tina Kallas’ essay “The Hazards of Movie-Going” on pages 13–14 was in response to an assignment with the general topic of some annoyance in everyday life. Tina began by doing some general freewriting and thinking about things that annoyed her. Here is her freewriting: There are lots of things I get annoyed by. One of them that comes to mind is poli...
At this point, Tina read over her notes, and later commented,“I realized that I had several potential topics. I said to myself,‘What point can I make that I can cover in an essay? What do I have the most information about?’ I decided that maybe I could narrow my topic down to the annoyances involved in going to the movies; I figured I would have mo...
To get a sense of freewriting, take a sheet of paper and do some general freewrit-ing about the everyday annoyances in your life. See how much material you can accumulate in ten minutes. And remember not to worry about “mistakes”; you’re just thinking on paper. When you are finished, see if you can find an idea or two that would make a good focus f...
Questioning as a technique works in a way different from freewriting. If you are an “order oriented” methodical person who enjoys linear thinking, questioning may offer a comfortable framework to use.Freewriting bypasses the ordering parts of your mind; questioning requires you to confront yourself with a set of specific demands. Questioning’s stru...
To begin, divide your page or screen into two columns: “Questions” and “Answers,” as you see below. Leave enough space in the “Answers” column so that you can return to a particular response if more details come to you later. Next, ask yourself this preliminary question: “What’s my subject?” Then, write your answer as a reference point for the rest...
Why don’t I like to go to the theatre? When is going to the movies a problem? Where are problems with movie-going?
Just too many problems involved. Could be any time—when movie is popular the theatre is too crowded, when traffic is bad the trip is a drag. On the highway, in the parking lot, at the concession stand, in the theatre itself.
Who creates the problems? How can I deal with the problem?
do by wanting to eat too much. The patrons do by creating disturbances. The theatre owners do by not having enough parking space and showing too many commercials. can stay home and watch movies on video or cable TV. Tips and Comments Asking questions can be an effective way of getting you to think about a topic from a number of different angles. Th...
To get a sense of the questioning process,use a sheet of paper to ask yourself a series of questions about a good or bad experience that you have had recently.See how many details you can accumulate in ten minutes. And remember not to be concerned about “mistakes,” because you are just thinking on paper.
List making is simply making a list of ideas and details that relate to your subject. Pile these items up,one after another,without trying to sort out major details from minor ones or trying to put the details in any special order.Your goal is just to list everything about your subject that occurs to you.You may use list making as a first or second...
Traffic is bad between my house and theatre Noisy patrons Don’t want to run into Jeremy Hard to be on a diet Kids running in aisles I’m crowded into seats between strangers who push me off arm rests Not enough parking Parking lot needs to be expanded Too many previews Can’t pause or fast forward like you can with a VCR or DVD player Long lines High...
To get a sense of list making, list a series of realistic goals, major or minor, that you would like to accomplish between today and one year from today. Your goals can involve personal, academic, and career matters.
Clustering,also known as diagramming or mapping,is another strategy for generating ideas. People who enjoy thinking in a visual or graphic way can use lines, boxes, arrows,and circles to show relationships among the ideas and details that occur to them. State your subject in a few words in the centre of a blank sheet of paper. Then, as ideas and de...
Traffic getting to theatre Line at box office Might see old boyfriend Too many people
Teenagers Adults Yelling Telling plot Coughing and sneezing Note: This diagram shows how Tina could use clustering after freewriting,as a sec-ond stage of prewriting. Her main idea groupings now show clearly as supporting points in bold, separate branches from the topic. The relationships of details to supporting points are clearly visible. Cluster...
Prewriting is the “no rules” first stage of the writing process. Following rules or worrying about spelling or sentence structure actually works against the “idea generating”way of using your mind. No matter which technique you prefer, there is only one guideline: go with what works for you. Any technique that gets your ideas flowing is good. Somet...
Stage 2 of the writing process involves outlining and drafting. Generally you will create an outline from your prewriting,followed by a first draft: this is the sequence this book demonstrates. Outlining, and sometimes re-outlining, is needed to untangle and clarify your prewriting. True, some writers write a trial draft before outlining. If you ha...
Going to the movies is more of a hassle than a pleasure for me. Annoyances of parking and driving Constant temptations to overeat Behaviour of other movie-goers
Don’t need to snack—healthy food at home Theatres are big convenience stores—smells of popcorn, huge chocolate bars Friends buy candy—I feel deprived, so I buy it too
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
Which errors in some of the drafts are the most distracting to the reader? Which sample paragraph conveys its meaning most clearly? Why? R E V I E W I N G T H E L E A R N I N G O U TC O M E S F O R C H A P T E R 2 To assure yourself that you have met the Learning Outcomes for this chapter, answer the following questions. What is the key to discover...
The following pages describe five prewriting techniques that will help you think about and develop a topic and get words on paper: (1) freewriting, (2) questioning, (3) making a list, (4) diagramming, and (5) preparing a scratch outline. These techniques help you think about and create material, and they are a central part of the writing process.
Introduction to the Process. Overview of the Format. Step #1: Thesis Statements. Step #2: Primary Pattern of Development. Step #3: Coherent, Unified Paragraphs. Step #4: Strong, Clear Introductions and Conclusions. Step #5: Proper Use of Relevant, Authoritative Sources. Step #6: Properly Formatted (MLA) The Building Metaphor. Final Thoughts. 1. 3.
A comma splice occurs when writers join two independent clauses with a comma only. It’s just like a run-on, except where the two independent clauses meet, there is a comma.
Plan Your Essay. Every essay needs a strong and clear structure, organized around an argument. The planning process is likely to be iterative for term-time essays. In an exam setting, where time is limited, it can seem like a waste of time to brainstorm and plan before beginning.
People also ask
What is a comma splice?
Why are comma splices problematic?
How do you fix a comma splice?
How does the writing process work?
Download this page as a PDF: What is a Comma Splice? Return to Writing Studio Handouts. Typically, when instructors tell you that you have a comma splice in your writing, what they are identifying is a single sentence that fuses two independent clauses (or two complete and separate ideas).
