Pre-writing is the total process of finding and shaping a subject. This stage confronts the psychological problems of composition writing.
Pre-writing is a method of discovering the subject to write that involves the willingness to think your own thoughts, to sort them out, to explore why you have them and to come to a tentative conclusion about what they are and why they interest you.
In the later stages of pre-writing, you will have to be more specific by limiting your subject and consider your audience in preparing to write.
Evaluative Categories of a Good Composition
1. Thesis
Thesis is the declaration of a statement and what is intended to be proven. This should contain the clear stand on a subject and a brief background of the supporting details.
A good thesis should be authoritative that indicates the writer’s knowledge about the subject area.
To achieve a strong thesis, statement should be narrowed down so that the writer in his theme can properly qualify and support his generalizations in the space allowed.
Homologous discourse of the statements about one thing or class of things provides an avenue of the thesis to be unified which is another good quality of a thesis.
Moreover, thesis should be specifically worded for this will help the writer to choose and develop his subject.
2. Organization
Organization pertains to the logical arrangement of parts of the composition –from introduction to conclusion. An organized composition will be able to provide a clear and logical perspective of the writer.
3. Content
The content of the composition should be able to provide detailed information about two general questions: ‘what are you talking about?’ and ‘what do you mean?’
This is also the part of the composition that gives supporting details that are relevant, accurate, convincing and interesting. Though the stand of the writer might be clear and the write-up is tight, without a good content, both will be meaningless.
4. Use of Words
Choice of words provides the register or tone of appropriateness of the composition, its accuracy gives a clear view of what the writer wants to say and its clarity connects the writer to his or her readers.
5. Sentence and Style
In writing a composition, proper choice of words would not be enough if not logically connected with each other. Putting them together creates sentences that should present variation and in effect displays style.
6. Mechanics
Mechanics refers to grammar, spelling and punctuation, physical appearance that denotes legibility. As a general rule, composition should be free of any mechanical errors. Nowadays, mechanical errors are the least worries of writers with the aid of technology – from personal software to online assistances.
ref: Serrano, Josephine B., et al; 'Advanced Composition'; National Bookstore. 1981
