Description
Describe any strategies you might use for advancing your scholarly
writing and why you selected these strategies.
Explain the types of resources you will use to support your
writing process as you continue your scholarly journey (e.g., Writing Center
materials, support groups, professional learning communities, and regular
discussions with your doctoral chair).
To prepare for this Assignment:
•
Review the feedback you received regarding the S.M.A.R.T. goals you identified in this
week’s Discussion.
•
Revise your goals accordingly, based on feedback provided by your Instructor, your
colleagues, and any other relevant source (e.g., other Instructors).
•
Review Learning Resources, and consider how these resources might support your writing
process.
By Day 7
Submit a 2- to 3-paragraph reflection in which you do the following:
•
Describe any strategies you might use for advancing your scholarly writing and why you
selected these strategies.
•
Explain the types of resources you will use to support your writing process as you continue
your scholarly journey (e.g., Writing Center materials, support groups, professional
learning communities, and regular discussions with your doctoral chair).
•
Identify any potential issues you might face and provide strategies on how you might
address these issues.
•
Congratulate yourself on at least one skill you have gained/improved upon during your
experience in this course.
MEAL Plan* for
Paragraph Development
WEEK
4
M
E
A
L
Main Idea
Evidence
Analysis
Lead-Out
Your topic sentence stating the
concrete claim the paragraph is
advancing.
Paraphrase or direct quotations
from the source material you are
using to support your topic
sentence’s claim.
Your explanation and evaluation
of the evidence; explaining the
evidence you provided and its
relevance in your own words.
Concluding; preparing your
reader to transition to the next
paragraph (and the next claim).
*The MEAL plan is adapted from the Duke University Writing Studio.
See the MEAL plan in action, in this sample paragraph:
Findings [of this research study] may also inspire instructors to consider students’ preferences when
of written corrective feedback (WCF) depends in part on students’ attitudes toward the type of feedback
given. Amrhein and Nassaji also noted that students who do not think a certain type of WCF is needed
will be less likely to use it. According to Budge (2011) and Johnson and Cooke (2015), instructor feedback
plays an important role in student learning, and most students apply feedback to enhance their performance on future assignments. According to Fleming (as cited in Carless, 2006), “marking student scripts
is one of the significant quality events in the lives of students and academics” (p. 220). Korte (2015) also
noted that feedback constitutes a significant portion of an instructor’s workload. With an improved
understanding of postsecondary online students’ preferences for electronic feedback, instructors may
accommodate those preferences and thereby increase the likelihood of enhancing their students’ writing
skills, which may positively impact students’ ability to achieve their academic and professional goals.
Gredler, J. J. (2016). Postsecondary online students’ preferences for instructor
feedback (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and
Theses Global. (Accession No. 10132030)
Tips:
Strengthen your paragraphs! Go through your own draft and
highlight each component of the MEAL plan to see what is
missing. Revise accordingly.
RESOURCE
For more resources on MEAL Plan paragraphs, go to http://waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com/2016/11/breaking-down-meal-plan-four-part.html
© 2015 Laureate Education, Inc.
Breaking Down the MEAL Plan:
Wrapping Up With Lead Out
Sentences
Monday, May 12, 2014 Organization , Paragraphs 6 comments
Over the past three weeks, Beth, Sarah, and Jen explained the first three parts of a MEAL
plan* paragraph: a main idea, evidence, and analysis. This week we’re going to explore the
fourth and final letter of the MEAL plan acronym: L, for “lead out.”
Of all the components of the MEAL plan, the lead out is the one I see writers struggle with
most often. Maybe it’s because the term “lead out” doesn’t paint as clear a picture in our
minds as do “main idea,” “evidence,” and “analysis.” Those three words show up often in
course readings and assignments; “lead out,” not so often. So what does it mean to lead
your reader out of the paragraph? In order to write an effective lead out sentence, it’s
important to know what it is, but also what it is not.
A lead out sentence is:
•
The final sentence of the paragraph.
•
A summary of the main point you want your reader to take away from your
paragraph.
•
A resting place for your reader to process what he or she has just read before
moving on to new content in the next paragraph.
A lead out sentence is not:
•
A transition sentence.
Yep, that’s right. Though “lead out” sounds like a synonym for transition, for
paragraphing purposes, it isn’t. Here’s why.
Imagine your paper is a journey you are taking with your reader. You are the guide, and
you have the map; the reader doesn’t know where you are going, but trusts you to lead
expertly and to thoughtfully consider how long each leg of the journey should be. Your job
is to anticipate the most logical resting points, and group your ideas together in ways that
will allow the reader to rest easily between them. These groupings are your paragraphs.
The space between each paragraph is a resting point, a place for the reader to briefly
process what he or she has just experienced on the leg of the journey just completed: the
previous paragraph.
So, what do you want your reader to process while he or she rests up for the next leg? A
succinct summary of the main content of the preceding paragraph. If you transition before
the resting point, the reader may not be able to rest at all; instead, he or she has to jump
instantly into processing a new idea.
As an illustration, let’s look once again at our sample paragraph from the first three blog
posts. This time, though, I’ve changed the original lead out sentence to a sentence that
transitions
to
a
new
idea.
Many infant and mother deaths can be prevented, especially in the third world.
Worldwide, around 11,000,000 children under 5 years old die primarily from preventable
diseases, and over 500,000 mothers die from pregnancy- or delivery-related complications
annually; almost 99% of these occur in developing countries (Hill et al., 2007). This high
number is devastating because while infants in these countries have a high risk of dying,
their risk does not stop once they are adults. For women, the lifetime risk of dying from
pregnancy and childbirth-related causes is about 100 times higher in Bangladesh than in
developed countries (WHO, 2004). The continued failures in implementing straightforward
interventions targeting the root causes of mortalities have been responsible for these
deaths (McCoy, 2006). The medical community has not been able to come up with simple,
cost-effective, and life-saving methods that would help save lives in developing countries.
In spite of these high mortality rates, women hold more political seats in Bangladesh than
in nearly all other developing nations in the world.
Do you see how that last sentence, while well-written, factual, and smoothly linked to the
preceding content, feels jarring at the bottom of that paragraph? If, as a writer, I wanted
to move from discussing infant and mother mortality rates in Bangladesh to discussing
Bangladeshi women in politics, I could certainly do so, especially if my paper was a broader
discussion of life for women in Bangladesh. It would make much more sense, however, to
make this transition at the top of the next paragraph, after the reader had rested and taken
in the content in this paragraph about high mortality rates. The transitioning sentence
would instead become the main idea (that “M” in the MEAL plan) of the next paragraph.
The original concluding sentence of the example paragraph is a perfect example of a
successful lead out. Let’s check it against the criteria listed above.
This lack of innovation in the medical field has resulted in the continued unnecessary
deaths of thousands of mothers and children.
√ Is it the final sentence of the paragraph? Yes.
√ Does it summarize of the main point of the paragraph? Yes. It does not repeat the main
idea but instead helps tie together all three MEAL components that precede it: main idea,
evidence, and analysis.
√ Does it help the reader rest before moving on to the next paragraph? Yes. It gives
readers content from the previous paragraph to file away in their brain so that they are up
to speed on the paper’s argument and are ready to move on.
√ Does it wrap up the idea(s) in the paragraph rather than transitioning to a new idea?
Yes. It stays with the same ideas, leaving the transition for the beginning of the next
paragraph.
Using the MEAL plan can help you write paragraphs that are organized, developed, focused,
and easy for readers to understand. Try the MEAL plan with your next piece of writing, and
let
us
know
how
it
goes
in
the
comments!
*The MEAL plan is adapted from the Duke University Writing Studio.
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
•
Review the feedback you received regarding the S.M.A.R.T. goals you identified in this
week’s Discussion.
•
Revise your goals accordingly, based on feedback provided by your Instructor, your
colleagues, and any other relevant source (e.g., other Instructors).
•
Review Learning Resources, and consider how these resources might support your writing
process.
By Day 7
Submit a 2- to 3-paragraph reflection in which you do the following:
•
Describe any strategies you might use for advancing your scholarly writing and why you
selected these strategies.
•
Explain the types of resources you will use to support your writing process as you continue
your scholarly journey (e.g., Writing Center materials, support groups, professional
learning communities, and regular discussions with your doctoral chair).
•
Identify any potential issues you might face and provide strategies on how you might
address these issues.
•
Congratulate yourself on at least one skill you have gained/improved upon during your
experience in this course.
MEAL Plan* for
Paragraph Development
WEEK
4
M
E
A
L
Main Idea
Evidence
Analysis
Lead-Out
Your topic sentence stating the
concrete claim the paragraph is
advancing.
Paraphrase or direct quotations
from the source material you are
using to support your topic
sentence’s claim.
Your explanation and evaluation
of the evidence; explaining the
evidence you provided and its
relevance in your own words.
Concluding; preparing your
reader to transition to the next
paragraph (and the next claim).
*The MEAL plan is adapted from the Duke University Writing Studio.
See the MEAL plan in action, in this sample paragraph:
Findings [of this research study] may also inspire instructors to consider students’ preferences when
of written corrective feedback (WCF) depends in part on students’ attitudes toward the type of feedback
given. Amrhein and Nassaji also noted that students who do not think a certain type of WCF is needed
will be less likely to use it. According to Budge (2011) and Johnson and Cooke (2015), instructor feedback
plays an important role in student learning, and most students apply feedback to enhance their performance on future assignments. According to Fleming (as cited in Carless, 2006), “marking student scripts
is one of the significant quality events in the lives of students and academics” (p. 220). Korte (2015) also
noted that feedback constitutes a significant portion of an instructor’s workload. With an improved
understanding of postsecondary online students’ preferences for electronic feedback, instructors may
accommodate those preferences and thereby increase the likelihood of enhancing their students’ writing
skills, which may positively impact students’ ability to achieve their academic and professional goals.
Gredler, J. J. (2016). Postsecondary online students’ preferences for instructor
feedback (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and
Theses Global. (Accession No. 10132030)
Tips:
Strengthen your paragraphs! Go through your own draft and
highlight each component of the MEAL plan to see what is
missing. Revise accordingly.
RESOURCE
For more resources on MEAL Plan paragraphs, go to http://waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com/2016/11/breaking-down-meal-plan-four-part.html
© 2015 Laureate Education, Inc.
Breaking Down the MEAL Plan:
Wrapping Up With Lead Out
Sentences
Monday, May 12, 2014 Organization , Paragraphs 6 comments
Over the past three weeks, Beth, Sarah, and Jen explained the first three parts of a MEAL
plan* paragraph: a main idea, evidence, and analysis. This week we’re going to explore the
fourth and final letter of the MEAL plan acronym: L, for “lead out.”
Of all the components of the MEAL plan, the lead out is the one I see writers struggle with
most often. Maybe it’s because the term “lead out” doesn’t paint as clear a picture in our
minds as do “main idea,” “evidence,” and “analysis.” Those three words show up often in
course readings and assignments; “lead out,” not so often. So what does it mean to lead
your reader out of the paragraph? In order to write an effective lead out sentence, it’s
important to know what it is, but also what it is not.
A lead out sentence is:
•
The final sentence of the paragraph.
•
A summary of the main point you want your reader to take away from your
paragraph.
•
A resting place for your reader to process what he or she has just read before
moving on to new content in the next paragraph.
A lead out sentence is not:
•
A transition sentence.
Yep, that’s right. Though “lead out” sounds like a synonym for transition, for
paragraphing purposes, it isn’t. Here’s why.
Imagine your paper is a journey you are taking with your reader. You are the guide, and
you have the map; the reader doesn’t know where you are going, but trusts you to lead
expertly and to thoughtfully consider how long each leg of the journey should be. Your job
is to anticipate the most logical resting points, and group your ideas together in ways that
will allow the reader to rest easily between them. These groupings are your paragraphs.
The space between each paragraph is a resting point, a place for the reader to briefly
process what he or she has just experienced on the leg of the journey just completed: the
previous paragraph.
So, what do you want your reader to process while he or she rests up for the next leg? A
succinct summary of the main content of the preceding paragraph. If you transition before
the resting point, the reader may not be able to rest at all; instead, he or she has to jump
instantly into processing a new idea.
As an illustration, let’s look once again at our sample paragraph from the first three blog
posts. This time, though, I’ve changed the original lead out sentence to a sentence that
transitions
to
a
new
idea.
Many infant and mother deaths can be prevented, especially in the third world.
Worldwide, around 11,000,000 children under 5 years old die primarily from preventable
diseases, and over 500,000 mothers die from pregnancy- or delivery-related complications
annually; almost 99% of these occur in developing countries (Hill et al., 2007). This high
number is devastating because while infants in these countries have a high risk of dying,
their risk does not stop once they are adults. For women, the lifetime risk of dying from
pregnancy and childbirth-related causes is about 100 times higher in Bangladesh than in
developed countries (WHO, 2004). The continued failures in implementing straightforward
interventions targeting the root causes of mortalities have been responsible for these
deaths (McCoy, 2006). The medical community has not been able to come up with simple,
cost-effective, and life-saving methods that would help save lives in developing countries.
In spite of these high mortality rates, women hold more political seats in Bangladesh than
in nearly all other developing nations in the world.
Do you see how that last sentence, while well-written, factual, and smoothly linked to the
preceding content, feels jarring at the bottom of that paragraph? If, as a writer, I wanted
to move from discussing infant and mother mortality rates in Bangladesh to discussing
Bangladeshi women in politics, I could certainly do so, especially if my paper was a broader
discussion of life for women in Bangladesh. It would make much more sense, however, to
make this transition at the top of the next paragraph, after the reader had rested and taken
in the content in this paragraph about high mortality rates. The transitioning sentence
would instead become the main idea (that “M” in the MEAL plan) of the next paragraph.
The original concluding sentence of the example paragraph is a perfect example of a
successful lead out. Let’s check it against the criteria listed above.
This lack of innovation in the medical field has resulted in the continued unnecessary
deaths of thousands of mothers and children.
√ Is it the final sentence of the paragraph? Yes.
√ Does it summarize of the main point of the paragraph? Yes. It does not repeat the main
idea but instead helps tie together all three MEAL components that precede it: main idea,
evidence, and analysis.
√ Does it help the reader rest before moving on to the next paragraph? Yes. It gives
readers content from the previous paragraph to file away in their brain so that they are up
to speed on the paper’s argument and are ready to move on.
√ Does it wrap up the idea(s) in the paragraph rather than transitioning to a new idea?
Yes. It stays with the same ideas, leaving the transition for the beginning of the next
paragraph.
Using the MEAL plan can help you write paragraphs that are organized, developed, focused,
and easy for readers to understand. Try the MEAL plan with your next piece of writing, and
let
us
know
how
it
goes
in
the
comments!
*The MEAL plan is adapted from the Duke University Writing Studio.
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
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