Writing from Sources:Tips for Engagement and Digital Tools, Too. Writing Moments Institute at the International Reading Association Conference in New Orleans, May 9, 2014. Presenter: Thomas DeVere Wolsey

1. Thomas DeVere Wolsey
University of Central Florida
Writing from Sources in the
Disciplines:
Tips for Engagement and
Digital Tools, Too

2. Choosing Resources
•Evaluating resources
•Type of resource (genre
or mode)
•Readability
•Working with Multiple
Sources
• (Wolsey, Lapp, & Fisher, 2013)
Source: zapatopi.net
www.twurdy.com

3. • Slow down
• Precision in writing
• Writing a prompt
• Inquiry
• Argumentation
Writing from Sources in the Disciplines

4. •Slow down
•Precise
•Prompt
•Inquiry
•Arguments
•Notes

5. Slow Reading
Source: www.clickrmedia.com/
(Nielsen, 2012)
Slow
Down!

6. Read Up, Ask Around, Double Check
(Wolsey, 2014 )
• Read Up
• Ask Around
• Double check
Precision
in Writing

7. Being Prompt
• Characterized by what is specified in them and what is
not specified.
• Discourse type or structure
• Topic and/or subject matter
• Data (specified, not specified, provided)
• Audience (mentioned, general, specific)
Source: Hillocks, G. (2002) p. 55-56.
Writing a
Prompt

8. Being Prompt
• Discourse type or structure (a letter, an essay, etc.)
• Topic and/or subject matter (Causes of the Revolutionary
War, Summarize the process of cellular mitosis).
• Data (Use the chart on page 134, Interview a student
government officer)
• Audience (Write a letter to the editor, an essay for your
teacher, a brochure for potential clients)

9. On the Hunt
• Using a thinking map
Inquiry

10. Are You Arguing with Me?
• Facts
• Judgment
• Policy
• Source: Hillocks, 2011
• Visualizing the argument with graphic organizers
• Source: Lapp, Wolsey, & Moss, 2013
Argumentation

11. References
• Hillocks, G. (2002) The testing trap: How state writing assessments control
learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
• Wolsey, T. D. (2014). Accuracy in digital writing environments: Read up, ask
around, double-check. Voices from the Middle, 21(3), pp. 49-53).
Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/journals/vm/print-to-practice/march-
2014
• Lapp, D., Wolsey, T.D., & Moss, B. (2013). Visualizing the argument with
graphic organizers. IRA e-ssentials collection: Rigorous real-world teaching
and learning. Retrieved from
http://www.reading.org/general/Publications/e-ssentials/e8036 doi:
10.1.598/e-ssentials.8036
• Wolsey, T. D., Lapp, D. L., & Fisher, D. (2013). Digital texts as sources for
novice writers. In R. Ferdig & K. Pytash (eds.). Exploring Technology for
Writing and Writing Instruction (pp. 261-275). Hershey, PA: IGI Publishers.
Available: http://www.igi-global.com/chapter/digital-texts-sources-
novice-writers/78580 doi: 10.4018/978-1-4666-4341-3.ch015