Week 01: Introduction to Writing
Becoming A Disciple of Jesus
Christ
Starting a new school term is an ideal time to start new habits and patterns in your
life. Small changes today can result in significant improvements in your life.
President Russell M. Nelson (2022), a modern-day prophet, taught that “Now, this is
a singular time in your life. There won’t be another quite like it. You are establishing
priorities and patterns that will dramatically affect not just your mortal life but also
your eternal life.”
As you start this semester, we invite you to pray and ask the Lord what He would
have you do to establish a new priority or pattern. As you faithfully follow this
prompting you will see changes in your life.
We Believe in Being Honest
An important quality of a disciple of Jesus Christ is being honest with ourselves, others, and
God. Please complete WRIT 101: Academic Honesty, Ethics, and Integrity module. You will
learn how to avoid academic dishonesty in this and other classes in the future.
Introduction to Writing
Consider written messages that changed or improved your life. Perhaps scriptures or
messages from modern-day prophets come to mind as writings that taught you and were
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confirmed by the Spirit. The craft of writing is a gift from our Heavenly Father so that we may
know who we are and our purpose on this earth. It is a tool that you may learn to use to bless
yourself and others.
The ancient Book of Mormon prophet Nephi prayed that “the words which I have written in
weakness will be made strong unto [my people]; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh
known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe
in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal (2 Nephi 33:4).
Nephi’s desire in his writings was pure—to persuade and testify of Christ. He wrote that he
gloried in clear messages or “plainness” (2 Nephi 33:6). By using language as a tool to
communicate, you are able to share your important messages to others, through
organization and focused, concise writing. Humbly study to improve this gift.
This week we will begin our study of writing by reviewing the basics of writing that you
learned during the Pathway Connect courses. Remember that all good writing starts with a
mastery of the basic principles of writing.
Introduction to Thesis Statements and
Topic Sentences
Being able to identify the purpose and thesis of a text while you’re reading takes practice,
and it is an essential skill for successful writing. Powerful thesis statements are an effective
and important element of almost every writing assignment.
The thesis statement is the key to keep writing organized. The purpose of professional
writing is to offer your own insights and ideas—to show not only that you understand the
concepts you’re writing about, but also that you have thought about those concepts in your
own way and agreed or disagreed, or developed your own unique ideas. The thesis
statement is the one sentence that summarizes the result of your thinking, as it offers your
main insight or argument in condensed form.
We often use the word “argument” in writing courses, but we do not mean it in the traditional
sense of a verbal fight with someone else. Instead, you “argue” by taking a position on an
issue and supporting it with evidence. Because you’ve taken a position about your topic,
someone else may be in a position to disagree (or argue) with the stance you have taken.
Some consider all writing a form of argument—or at least of persuasion. After all, even if
you’re writing a letter, an informative essay, or an email, you’re trying to persuade your
audience to care about what you’re saying. Your thesis statement represents the main idea—
or point—about a topic or issue that you make in an argument.
Example Thesis Statements
Thesis: Regular exercise leads to multiple physical and emotional benefits.
Topic: Regular exercise
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Angle: Leads to multiple physical and emotional benefits
Thesis: Requiring school uniforms provides a more equal and less distracting
atmosphere at school.
Topic: Requiring school uniforms
Angle: Provides a more equal and less distracting atmosphere at school
Thesis: Scripture study shared with a friend or family member increases learning.
Topic: Scripture study
Angle: shared with a friend or family member increases learning.
When you read all of the thesis statements above, can you see areas where the writer could
be more specific with their angle? The more specific you are with your topic and your claims,
the more focused your essay will be for your reader.
Writing a Thesis Statement
Remember your thesis should answer two simple questions: What topic are you writing
about, and what is your position, or angle, on the topic?
A thesis statement is a single sentence (or sometimes two) that provides the answers to
these questions clearly and concisely. Ask yourself, “What is my paper about, exactly?”
Answering this question will help you develop a precise and directed thesis, not only for your
reader but for you as well.
A good thesis statement will:
consist of just one interesting idea
be specific and written clearly
have evidence to support it
You have creative control over your thesis sentence, and you should try to avoid the
following problems.
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Broad Thesis Sentence
When the angle in a thesis sentence is too broad, the writer may not have carefully thought
through the specific support for the rest of the writing.
Poor example: Nurses need support.
This is a thesis sentence; it has a topic (nurses) and an angle (need support). However, the
angle is too broad. A thesis angle that’s too broad makes it easy to fall into the trap of
offering information that deviates from that angle.
Narrow Thesis Sentence
A narrow statistic, or a narrow statement of fact, doesn’t offer the writer’s own ideas or
analysis about a topic.
Poor example: In Canada, nurses have a 27.1% turnover rate compared to the general
healthcare population’s 5.4% turnover rate.
This sentence really isn’t a thesis sentence at all because there’s no angle idea to support. A
clearer example of a thesis statement would have an angle of development.
Improved example: Nurses should have access to counseling services to combat their
growing turnover rate.
Knowledge Check
Why is a powerful thesis statement important in writing?
To conclude the main points of the text
To provide background information
To present evidence
To keep the writing organized
Introduction to Effective Paragraphs
The paragraph is the building block of essay writing. The word paragraph itself, according to
the Oxford Dictionary Online (2023), is defined as “a distinct section of a piece of writing,
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usually dealing with a single theme and indicated by a new line, indentation, or numbering.”
Paragraphs are important for ease of reading; they help to offer ideas in “chunks” that the
eye and brain can more easily comprehend (as opposed to offering information in one large
block of text, which is hard to read).
In writing, paragraphs show changes in ideas or further development of ideas. Typically,
paragraphs organize ideas that develop from a thesis statement’s main idea. Paragraphs are
fundamental units of writing; without good paragraphs, you may struggle to convey your
ideas and claims.
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A paragraph is composed of multiple sentences focused on a single, clearly defined topic.
There should be one main idea per paragraph, so whenever a writer moves on to a new idea,
the writer will start a new paragraph. Paragraphs are organized much like how persuasive
papers are organized. Just like an essay has a thesis statement followed by a body of
supportive evidence, paragraphs have a topic or key sentence followed by several sentences
of support or explanation.
After the topic or key sentence introduces the main idea, the remainder of the sentences in a
paragraph should support or explain this topic. These additional sentences might detail the
author’s position on the topic. They might also provide examples, statistics, or other
evidence to support that position. At the end of the paragraph, the author may include some
sort of conclusion or a transition that sets up the next idea in the essay.
Sentence Construction
Effective writing is clear and concise when it comes to language choices. This precision and
concision must be evident at all levels, from the overall document to paragraphing, to
sentence structure, to word choice, and even to punctuation. Every word or phrase should
have a purpose.
Write Concise Sentences
As you write, always ask yourself if you are spending your readers’ time wisely. Are you
writing unnecessarily complex sentences, or using 50 words when five would do? If a
sentence is already plain and direct, there is no need to fluff it up. Flowery words and
phrases obscure your ideas: when writing, being concise is key.
For example, why write, “Cats have a tendency toward sleeping most of the day” when you
could simply write, “Cats usually sleep most of the day”? How about changing “The 12th day
of the month of April” to “April 12th?”
Try to pick out such sentences and substitute simpler ones.
When you are concise in your writing, you want to avoid unnecessary words. For example,
you don’t need to talk about the “positive benefits” of a program in your community, because
the word “benefits” already implies that it is positive.
Write Clear Sentences
Writers worry that their sentences don’t sound smart enough, and they feel like they need to
use the thesaurus to find fancy words instead of using their natural vocabulary. Fancy words
and complicated sentences are not always better. Clear sentences are strong sentences.
Vary the Length of Your Sentences
Your sentences should vary in length (short sentence). Avoid having too many long
sentences because they take longer to read and are often more complex (longer sentence).
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Reserve the short sentences for main points and use longer sentences for supporting points
that clarify or explain cause and effect relationships (longer sentence). If you feel the
sentence is too long, break it into two sentences (medium sentence). You do not want your
reader to have to read a sentence twice to understand it (short sentence).
Name the People
Directly state who or what group is acting in your sentences. Note the contrast in power and
clarity among the sentences below.
Without people: Scholarships given for science and technology caused an increase in
enrollment from local students in these majors.
With people: When the Accra Institute of Technology began giving scholarships for science
and technology, more local students began to study these fields.
Knowledge Check
Why is it important to vary sentence structure in writing?
To keep the writing organized
To summarize the main points of the text
To create rhythm and maintain reader interest
To provide background information
Tone, Language, and Appeal
You can approach your audience’s needs and build common ground with your readers by
using three basic rhetorical approaches in your writing: tone, language, and appeal.
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Tone
Tone is the way a writer uses language to communicate a certain attitude. For example,
what is the difference between a formal tone and a conversational tone? For many of your
assignments in college, you will write using a formal tone since your audience will be your
teachers and fellow students. You may use a conversational tone when you write texts and
emails to your friends and family. Tone is important because if you choose the wrong tone,
you may turn off your audience completely.
Notice the different tones in the two passages below. Both managers are contacting their
employees for the first time about powering down their computers.
Manager 1:
It has come to my attention that computers are not being turned off at the end of the
workday. What are you thinking? This is a possible security breach, as well as a waste of
electricity. Failure to shut down electronic equipment will NOT be tolerated. Please ensure
that your computers are off before you leave each night or there will be consequences for
individuals who do not comply.
Manager 2:
Hello, everyone! Here at Plants, Inc., we are committed to using energy efficiently. I need your
help with respect to our use of computers. A number of computers have been accidentally
left on in the evenings, and I want to remind everyone to turn them off before you leave work
for the day. With your cooperation with turning off your computer before you leave, you will
help us conserve electricity. Thank you!
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Notice a difference in the tone between Manager 1 and Manager 2? Note the use of
punctuation and words that sound threatening or encouraging. If Manager 1 had already
asked employees several times, the tone may be justified. However, most people respond to
polite requests similar to Manager 2’s approach.
Language
Language is closely related to tone. If you misjudge the appropriate language for your
audience, your tone may suffer too. If you are writing an article for a scientific journal, you
would make sure to use the technical language appropriate to your subject. Of course, if you
write a text message to a friend, your language should be informal, non-technical, and
conversational!
The differences in the kind of language we use and what is appropriate and correct depends
on our understanding of the different rhetorical contexts. Language use depends on
discourse communities. In the example above, there is a discourse community for a
scientific journal and a discourse community among friends who text. You have several
discourse communities in your life depending on who you are addressing.
Imagine that you work in a car assembly plant. You know your job and enough about the
process of car assembly in general to talk to anybody else in the plant about their jobs. You
probably have a specialized vocabulary that describes your work process. Now, imagine that
you walk into an airplane manufacturing plant. Would you be able to do the same thing?
Sure, many of the processes are the same, and you might be able to talk to the workers
about the things you have in common. You both build machines, but the vocabulary is
different. Workers in the airplane factory talk about different things and have different
common knowledge than you do. Each factory is a discourse community.
A discourse community may also be a sport that you play. You might also be a parent and
when you talk to other parents, you share a discourse community about raising your
children. You are part of a discourse community in this class. When you write, you are
participating in a discourse community, and you should use language that matches the
expectations of the audience.
Rhetorical Appeals
Writers use tone and language to connect with an audience. To be persuasive, writers also
use what are called rhetorical appeals, using logos, pathos, and ethos to determine what
kind of evidence might be most effective. Logos is about appealing to your audience’s
logical side. Pathos is about appealing to their emotions. Ethos is about using credibility or
character to bring out the appeal to your audience.
Rhetorical appeals will be discussed in greater detail in Week 03 of the course.
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Tips for Appropriate Professional
Language
1. Be clear.
Instead of: The utilization of teams as a way of optimizing our capacity
to meet and prioritize our goals will impact the productivity of the
company.
Write: Teams will execute the goals and enhance the company’s output.
Why: Don’t confuse your readers with complex phrases and overly
complicated vocabulary.
2. When writing in an academic voice you usually avoid first-person pronouns.
Instead of: I think anyone who becomes a parent should have to take a
parenting class.
Write: Parenting classes should be mandatory for any biological or
adoptive parents.
Why: Check your assignment, and if you are unsure of whether you can
use first-person pronouns (I think, I feel, etc.) ask your teacher.
3. Avoid contractions in writing.
Instead of: It shouldn’t be difficult to record what we feel, but many of
us just can’t get our feelings down on paper.
Write: It should not be difficult to record feelings, but many people are
unable to do so.
Why: Contractions shorten words, and they can signify informal writing.
If you like using them as a writer, you can always remove them as you
revise.
4. Avoid informal language.
Instead of: It’s obvious that she’s a Manchester United fan because she
makes a really big deal about fans who are so totally into the sport that
they have made a pilgrimage to Old Trafford.
Write: Because of her positive review on those who have been to Old
Trafford stadium, one can assume she is a Manchester United fan.
Why: Most academic discourse is formal. If you are confused about
your assignment, check with your teacher.
5. Abbreviations for common terms should not be used in academic writing.
Instead of: Smith was declared the official winner at the P.O. last Mon.
on Jan. 6th.
Write: Smith was declared the official winner at the post office last
Monday, on January 6.
Why: You can use abbreviations, but you want to explain them for
readers who may not know them.
6. Use gender-inclusive language and gender-neutral pronouns when
appropriate. Instead of defaulting to the masculine pronoun or using the
cluttery “he or she” and “his or her,” make it plural and use “they, them, or
their.”
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Instead of: Every student should turn in his or her paper to the office
before noon.
Write: Students should turn in their papers to the office before noon.
Why: You want to include as many people as you can with the
consideration of your audience.
Key Terms
Angle
viewpoint or focus
Argument
taking a position on an issue and supporting it with evidence
Concise
expressed in few words; brief and comprehensive
Discourse Community
a group of people who have an agreed set of goals
Ethos
using credibility or character to appeal to your audience
Evidence
acts or observations presented in support of a conclusion or statement
Language
word choice depending on the audience
Main Idea
central focus of a text or paragraph
Logos
appealing to your audience’s logical side
Paragraph
building block of writing; a distinct section of a piece of writing, usually dealing with
a single theme and indicated by a new line, indentation, or numbering
Pathos
appealing to your audience’s emotions
Persuasion
the action of persuading someone to do or believe something
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Rhetorical Appeal
the qualities of an argument that make it persuasive
Stance
the attitude of a person or organization toward something; a standpoint
Thesis Statement
sentence in a paper that provides the topic being discussed and includes the points
discussed in the paper
Tone
the way a writer uses language to communicate a certain attitude
Topic
the subject of a discourse, argument, or literary composition
Topic Sentence
a sentence that expresses the main idea of the paragraph in which it occurs
Transition
transition a word or phrase that connects one idea to another
Conclusion
“When we write,” the ancient American prophet Moroni wrote, “we behold our weakness, and
stumble because of the placing of our words, and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock our
words” (Ether 12:25). To this, the Lord reminded him that “I make weak things become
strong” (Ether 12:27).
Even Moroni, whose words have been quoted and cherished by many, feared the weakness
of his writings. Take time to ensure your writing is clear by reviewing some basic guidelines
included in this chapter:
Create focused thesis statements and topic sentences
Organize your paragraphs
Vary your sentence structure
Consider the tone, language, and appeal of your writing
We have learned that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma
37:6). Attention to these areas will elevate the clarity of your work and ensure you can share
your intended message.
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Remember, as a writer, you are also a creator, and this can bring you great joy. Elder Dieter F.
Uchtdorf (2008), a modern-day prophet, taught, “Creation brings deep satisfaction and
fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our
hands and mold it into something of beauty.” Words can be your “unorganized matter” to
use to make something of beauty.
Nelson, R. M. (2022). Choices for eternity. Worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15,
2022, Gospel Library.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/worldwide-devotional-for-young-
adults/2022/05/12nelson?lang=eng
Uchtdorf, D.F. (2008, November). Happiness, your heritage.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2008/10/happiness-your-
heritage?lang=eng#title1.
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