Page 188 - (DK) Help Your Kids with Language Arts

186 C OMMUNICA TION SKILLS

Planning and research SEE ALSO 188–189 

Paragraphing
Writing to inform 196–197 
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PLAN A PIECE OF WRITING.
Newspaper articles 198–199 
Letters and e-mails 200–201 
Good writers always plan their work—on paper rather than in their
Writing to influence 202–203 
heads. Planning helps a writer generate ideas, organize them into
Writing to explain and advise 204–205 
a clear structure, and avoid leaving anything out. Writing to analyze or review 206–207 
Writing to describe 208–209 
Writing from personal experience 210–211 

First scribbles Quote from
The best way to start planning Rising • Use official or well-known
a project is to jot down any obesity athlete Make new publications or websites for
relevant ideas, words, and levels friends research to ensure that the
phrases. One method is to information is accurate.
use a mind map. At this stage • Try to cross-reference any facts
in the planning process, it is or statistics with another source
useful to think of as many Why young for accuracy.
relevant ideas as possible—
they can be cut down later. people need to get • Keep a file called “Bibliography”
more exercise open whenever working on a project
and regularly update it.
▷ Map out ideas
A mind map is a visual method
of writing down notes. The free The idea for the piece of
structure of a mind map can Develop writing goes in the middle.
make it a very effective way to a talent
generate ideas. However, Improve Ideas are written
a simple list is also fine. fitness Prevent around the edge.
disease

Research
Write down the Worldwide obesity has more than
It’s important to research a piece of source for each doubled since 1980.
writing in order to gain a good overall statistic, quotation,
and fact.
understanding of a topic, and to (World Health Organization
gather specific examples, quotations, Report, 2012)
or statistics. Sources for research At a later stage,
include books, websites, and color code each
newspapers. To avoid plagiarism note to show which “Physical inactivity is an
(copying someone else’s work), paragraph it will independent risk factor for coronary
be used in.
always rephrase the sentences. heart disease—in other words, if you
Put quotation marks don’t exercise, you dramatically
around quotations
now to avoid increase your risk of dying from
plagiarism later.
▷ Neat notes a heart attack when you’re older.”
Notes should be neat, organized, and
as detailed as possible. Disorganized Dr. John Hobbs
or incomplete notes will hinder the
writing process, and the information
may have to be found again.