Prewriting for Biography Book Report

I. Summarize your biography in two paragraphs of eight to ten sentences in your journal in an entry titled "Biography."

II. Complete your T-chart to determine your viewpoint and subtopics.

A. List at least five strengths of the book. (Use bullet points.)

B. List at least five weaknesses of the book. (Use bullet points.)

C. Look over the two columns and determine your viewpoint.

1. Which column was easier to fill out?

2. Which column has more bullet points?

D. Highlight the column title of your viewpoint purple.

E. Highlight in blue four bullet points in the column you have selected as your viewpoint.

F. Highlight in blue one bullet point from the opposing column that you will use as your concession.

III. Fill out the Expository Body Paragraph Prewriting Tables

A. The title of your book is the essay topic.

B. Indicate whether you would recommend or not recommend your selected biography for your viewpoint of the general topic.

C. Use one of the four highlighted bullet points from the column on your T-chart that you selected for your viewpoint for each subtopic.

D. Determine your viewpoint of the subtopic.

1. If your overall viewpoint for the essay (your thesis) is positive, then your viewpoint of each supporting subtopic should be positive.

2. If your thesis is negative, then the viewpoint in each of your topic sentences should be negative.

3. You may choose to determine the viewpoint of your topic sentence after you have selected your concrete details.

E. Skip writing your concrete details until you have at least selected your concrete details.

F. Select three concrete details (in this case, short passages from the biography you are discussing).

1. Consider making a list of possible examples on a separate sheet of paper or look through sticky notes/written notes (in a book you purchased).

2. Be sure and write down the page numbers for each concrete detail (chapter numbers for electronic texts).

G. Write two (or more) sentences of commentary for each concrete detail.

1. Your commentary should explain how your selected concrete detail from the book exemplifies the point you are making in your topic sentence's viewpoint.

2. Make sure your write each of your commentary sentences in a separate cell.

H. Go back and write out your topic sentence (revising if necessary) in light of the concrete detail you selected and the thinking you did while writing your commentary.

I. Complete the introduction prewriting sheet.

J. Complete the conclusion prewriting sheet.



All of the prewriting for the biography book report is due at the beginning of your first class next week. Your typed rough draft will be due at the beginning of your second English class next week.