writing iteratively
National Seminar Department of English Education Tarbiya Faculty and
Teachers' Training May, 2015
WRITING ITERATIVELY
By: Ratna Sari Dewi
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
The aims of this paper are to reduce college students’ anxiety while they do
their project of writing likes a task, a paper and a final project of writing
hopefully; to give valuable ways to be a skillful and critical writer. The steps of
writing iteratively are; work on writing, practice, get feedback and learn from the
errors and missteps as well as from what they do well. Feedback can be from
friends and
lecturers. In the process of iterative writing, thinking process
always accompany before we write, when we write, while we write, even after
we write. At the time of the process, new ideas occur, when we can connect the
new ideas and make it clearer, sharper and more concise. We state our point
concisely, support and refer them to relevant sources. The benefit of this
process are; students become more confidents, be able to express ideas
skillfully and critically in writing and helps students to grow–in knowledge, ability
and also in self –confidence.
Key words: Iterative Writing, referee, and rewrite
A. Introduction
Acquiring a writing skill is not an easy way for students who learn
English. The important thing to remember by the lecturers, teachers, and
instructors of English as foreign language is that writing skill is not an instant
one. We as teachers must realize it. Because we know that it needs time to
achieve the goal of writing .The first time students write, maybe they hope to
have a good writing, it is not like that, do not think that they will get informative
result of their writing. Again, it is impossible, except when your students are
good writers or they have many experience to practice their writing skill. Then,
our students have to have good enough comprehension in grammatical rules,
spelling, and structure of English. They must know the function of punctuation,
the tenses, types of sentence, and others. Another one to consider is the
contain of the text likes the information and ideas are being stated in the text
which affect one and others (faigley et al., 1985; Odel 1992; wiemelt 1994).
To get our goals of teaching writing, we must help our students by using
many strategies, method, and techniques. One of the ways to guide our
students to have a good writing is by helping, guiding, and controlling their
writing through iterative writing. Hopefully the writer wants to share her idea
about writing iteratively. The next parts are about the meaning of writing
iteratively, the steps of iterative writing In this activity we as lecturers, teachers,
and instructors spend more time for our students to be their referee and should
be patient while we are doing the task to give valuable input for our students’
progress of writing.
B. Iterative Writing
The word iterative means doing something again and again , usually to
improve something: iterative process ( Cambridge Advanced learner’s
Dictionary). Repeating; making repetition; frequentative. (Random House
Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright
2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved).
A process for arriving at a decision or a desired result by repeating
rounds of analysis or a cycle of operations. The objective is to bring the desired
decision or result closer to discovery with each repetition (iteration). The
iterative process can be used where the decision is not easily revocable.
Based on the definition of iterative, we can describe that iterative writing
is writing process in which the writers (students ) have to finish their work
iteratively. They have to write the text, give or send the result of their writing to
the referee, make revision from the referees’ report by enriching the knowledge
of the written material, realize the mistakes and try to make comprehensible
writing. Iterative writing as an important process needs to be enhance. It
involves and takes time dealing with this system. This should be done by the
learners themselves and teachers as their guide. What should teachers do?
They have to monitor the result of the process of students writing by giving
some corrections, comments, and constructive critics. Revisions are the hardest
thing to do in feedback (Sherranclarence: 2013) . And the task of students is
not only to revise the mechanics mistakes but also they have to rethinking the
ideas they deliver in the text.
Learners change when they provide with the feedback and opportunity to
rewrite. They can learn and think more about the missteps they do in their text.
In this process there is a relationship between the process of writing and the
process of thinking (Vardi 2011).
Based on the activity above student step by step know more new
information of the material being discussed on the task being written. They will
ask some questions and the question is not the standard one, but they ask
more deep questions in their mind: Is my argument clear? Is it interesting? Does
each supporting paragraph help to build the main argument? Does it enlist
appropriate evidence? Do I successfully address counter-arguments? Does
each paragraph follow logically from the last? Are the transitions smooth? Does
my conclusion both sum up and add a new perspective to the rest of the paper?
These questions broaden their knowledge and also build up their confident
automatically.
C. Steps of Iterative Writing
Based on the explanation above it can be stated the steps of iterative
writing . The step to do writing iteratively are (1) select topics, (2) generate
ideas, and (3) write multiple drafts, (4) give or send the writing text to the
referee, (5) learn from the comments or note from the referee, (6) rewrite the
text again by giving the new revision with deeper ideas and critical thinking (7)
edit, and last submit the revised text (Smith).
In these activity the role of referee is very important dealing with the
comment they give to the students. In other word we can say that the provision
of teacher/referee feedback during the rewriting process is a significant feature
(Ferris: 1997). The value of feedback give substantial improvements for the
learners result of writing.
D. The Advantages of Writing Iteratively
1. Students become more confidents,
2. Students be able to express ideas skillfully and critically in writing and
3. Helps students to grow–in knowledge, ability and also in self –confidence.
Based on the advantages above it can be said that students’ writing can be
developed by teachers’ involvement on their writing. It will give them supports
and suggestions and then they realize their process of learning while they are
doing their writing projects. They arrange their writing smoothly and skillfully.
Step by step they will grow their ability in writing, and at the end they are sure
that their writing have valuable input for the readers.
E. Conclusion
Writing iteratively is a system of writing where students have an
opportunity to revise their text on their project of writing before teacher gives
final score. Students have to consider not only on the form of the text but also
the content of the text. They get valuable input on their written text. It builds up
their knowledge, skill, and self confident. Iterative writing is a good system to be
implemented by teachers in their teaching, especially in writing class. Teachers
should give more of their time to read and give comments on their students text.
They have to be patient teachers..
F. References:
Beason, L. 1993. Feedback and Revision in Writing across the Curriculum Classes.
Research in the Teaching of English 27, no. 4:395--422
Faighley, L., R. Cherry, D. Jolliffe, and A. Skinner. 1985. Asessing Writers’
Knowledge and Processes of Composing. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex
Publishing Corporation.
Fathman, A.K., and E. Whalley. 1990. Teacher Response to Student Writing: Focus
on Form Versus Content. In Second Language Writing: Research Insights for
the Classroom , ed. B. Knoll. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ferris, D.R. 1997. The Influence of Teacher Commentary on Student Revision.
TESOL Quarterly 31, No.2: 315—339.
Sherranclarence. 2013. Writing as an Iterative Process: Finding in Drafting and
Revising.
Smith. Iterative Writing. Davidson College.
Vardi, Iris. 2011. The Impact of Iterative Writing and Feedback on the Characteristics
of Tertiary Students’ Written texts. Teaching in Higher Education Vol. 17, No. 2,
April 2012, 167—179. Rout ledge: Tailor and Francis Group
Teachers' Training May, 2015
WRITING ITERATIVELY
By: Ratna Sari Dewi
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
The aims of this paper are to reduce college students’ anxiety while they do
their project of writing likes a task, a paper and a final project of writing
hopefully; to give valuable ways to be a skillful and critical writer. The steps of
writing iteratively are; work on writing, practice, get feedback and learn from the
errors and missteps as well as from what they do well. Feedback can be from
friends and
lecturers. In the process of iterative writing, thinking process
always accompany before we write, when we write, while we write, even after
we write. At the time of the process, new ideas occur, when we can connect the
new ideas and make it clearer, sharper and more concise. We state our point
concisely, support and refer them to relevant sources. The benefit of this
process are; students become more confidents, be able to express ideas
skillfully and critically in writing and helps students to grow–in knowledge, ability
and also in self –confidence.
Key words: Iterative Writing, referee, and rewrite
A. Introduction
Acquiring a writing skill is not an easy way for students who learn
English. The important thing to remember by the lecturers, teachers, and
instructors of English as foreign language is that writing skill is not an instant
one. We as teachers must realize it. Because we know that it needs time to
achieve the goal of writing .The first time students write, maybe they hope to
have a good writing, it is not like that, do not think that they will get informative
result of their writing. Again, it is impossible, except when your students are
good writers or they have many experience to practice their writing skill. Then,
our students have to have good enough comprehension in grammatical rules,
spelling, and structure of English. They must know the function of punctuation,
the tenses, types of sentence, and others. Another one to consider is the
contain of the text likes the information and ideas are being stated in the text
which affect one and others (faigley et al., 1985; Odel 1992; wiemelt 1994).
To get our goals of teaching writing, we must help our students by using
many strategies, method, and techniques. One of the ways to guide our
students to have a good writing is by helping, guiding, and controlling their
writing through iterative writing. Hopefully the writer wants to share her idea
about writing iteratively. The next parts are about the meaning of writing
iteratively, the steps of iterative writing In this activity we as lecturers, teachers,
and instructors spend more time for our students to be their referee and should
be patient while we are doing the task to give valuable input for our students’
progress of writing.
B. Iterative Writing
The word iterative means doing something again and again , usually to
improve something: iterative process ( Cambridge Advanced learner’s
Dictionary). Repeating; making repetition; frequentative. (Random House
Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright
2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved).
A process for arriving at a decision or a desired result by repeating
rounds of analysis or a cycle of operations. The objective is to bring the desired
decision or result closer to discovery with each repetition (iteration). The
iterative process can be used where the decision is not easily revocable.
Based on the definition of iterative, we can describe that iterative writing
is writing process in which the writers (students ) have to finish their work
iteratively. They have to write the text, give or send the result of their writing to
the referee, make revision from the referees’ report by enriching the knowledge
of the written material, realize the mistakes and try to make comprehensible
writing. Iterative writing as an important process needs to be enhance. It
involves and takes time dealing with this system. This should be done by the
learners themselves and teachers as their guide. What should teachers do?
They have to monitor the result of the process of students writing by giving
some corrections, comments, and constructive critics. Revisions are the hardest
thing to do in feedback (Sherranclarence: 2013) . And the task of students is
not only to revise the mechanics mistakes but also they have to rethinking the
ideas they deliver in the text.
Learners change when they provide with the feedback and opportunity to
rewrite. They can learn and think more about the missteps they do in their text.
In this process there is a relationship between the process of writing and the
process of thinking (Vardi 2011).
Based on the activity above student step by step know more new
information of the material being discussed on the task being written. They will
ask some questions and the question is not the standard one, but they ask
more deep questions in their mind: Is my argument clear? Is it interesting? Does
each supporting paragraph help to build the main argument? Does it enlist
appropriate evidence? Do I successfully address counter-arguments? Does
each paragraph follow logically from the last? Are the transitions smooth? Does
my conclusion both sum up and add a new perspective to the rest of the paper?
These questions broaden their knowledge and also build up their confident
automatically.
C. Steps of Iterative Writing
Based on the explanation above it can be stated the steps of iterative
writing . The step to do writing iteratively are (1) select topics, (2) generate
ideas, and (3) write multiple drafts, (4) give or send the writing text to the
referee, (5) learn from the comments or note from the referee, (6) rewrite the
text again by giving the new revision with deeper ideas and critical thinking (7)
edit, and last submit the revised text (Smith).
In these activity the role of referee is very important dealing with the
comment they give to the students. In other word we can say that the provision
of teacher/referee feedback during the rewriting process is a significant feature
(Ferris: 1997). The value of feedback give substantial improvements for the
learners result of writing.
D. The Advantages of Writing Iteratively
1. Students become more confidents,
2. Students be able to express ideas skillfully and critically in writing and
3. Helps students to grow–in knowledge, ability and also in self –confidence.
Based on the advantages above it can be said that students’ writing can be
developed by teachers’ involvement on their writing. It will give them supports
and suggestions and then they realize their process of learning while they are
doing their writing projects. They arrange their writing smoothly and skillfully.
Step by step they will grow their ability in writing, and at the end they are sure
that their writing have valuable input for the readers.
E. Conclusion
Writing iteratively is a system of writing where students have an
opportunity to revise their text on their project of writing before teacher gives
final score. Students have to consider not only on the form of the text but also
the content of the text. They get valuable input on their written text. It builds up
their knowledge, skill, and self confident. Iterative writing is a good system to be
implemented by teachers in their teaching, especially in writing class. Teachers
should give more of their time to read and give comments on their students text.
They have to be patient teachers..
F. References:
Beason, L. 1993. Feedback and Revision in Writing across the Curriculum Classes.
Research in the Teaching of English 27, no. 4:395--422
Faighley, L., R. Cherry, D. Jolliffe, and A. Skinner. 1985. Asessing Writers’
Knowledge and Processes of Composing. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex
Publishing Corporation.
Fathman, A.K., and E. Whalley. 1990. Teacher Response to Student Writing: Focus
on Form Versus Content. In Second Language Writing: Research Insights for
the Classroom , ed. B. Knoll. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ferris, D.R. 1997. The Influence of Teacher Commentary on Student Revision.
TESOL Quarterly 31, No.2: 315—339.
Sherranclarence. 2013. Writing as an Iterative Process: Finding in Drafting and
Revising.
Smith. Iterative Writing. Davidson College.
Vardi, Iris. 2011. The Impact of Iterative Writing and Feedback on the Characteristics
of Tertiary Students’ Written texts. Teaching in Higher Education Vol. 17, No. 2,
April 2012, 167—179. Rout ledge: Tailor and Francis Group