Summary, Paraphrase, Quote... breathe..
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: ENGLISH-1A
Summarizing:

In essence, a summary is a condensation of the article you've just read. The content of summaries should not provide your own personal opinions or comparisons with other articles of interest. Summaries should however, provide the foundation from which you can write upon. In order to write a summary, you should read through the material at least once. Next, jot down what you remember and re-read the material. It's ideal that you take notes as you read. Once you've gathered your data, write the summary of the material which should include the thesis of the material and the supporting notes.

Paraphrase:

Paraphrasing is re-writing the material you've just read. In order to paraphrase, you must have a clear understanding of the material. I feel this is the main difference between summaries and paraphrases although the book claims it's the length of the document between the two. When paraphrasing an idea, you represent the idea on paper in your own words. A key concept of paraphrasing is that you can express the original idea in your words as long as the underlying message is conveyed the same.

Quote:

Quotes are typically used when you want to recite sources, add some spice to your document, or simply put: it can't be said any better. There are two types of quotations: direct and indirect. A direct quotation is taken verbatim from the source, while indirect quotation is taken from what someone said without the obligation of repeating it verbatim.

How I typically write an essay
Mood:  spacey
Topic: ENGLISH-1A
I will often times review a sentence and the preceding sentences to perhaps even the entire paragraph before I continue to make sure that it makes sense to me and to my reader. I don't recall ever following an outline I've done prior to writing an essay, nor did I understood why drafts were so important. I always preferred to just write and see how the story unfolds on paper as I went along conjuring it up. As I got older, I noticed my writing style to have changed as well. I think a lot of this change has to do with my work environment.
I communicate with people whose primary language is not English and it's important that I ensure the point I am trying to make to my reader is made, otherwise you might not be able to send a text message to your friend ( I work on telecommunication servers ). When it comes to specifications, plans or research papers I will typically have spent months researching the topic prior to writing. I eventually grew to love having outlines prior to writing as it gives me a high level view of what it is I will be trying to convey. It is essential that capture all of my thoughts in writing and had it not been for outlines, I might have missed some key points. I go through a lot of peer reviews from my colleagues and this in turn helps me make sure the final product is as good as it can be.
However much my writing as developed to be the way it is today, I still have uneasy feelings about my grammar. Did I use too many commas? Should I have used a semi-colon or colon in certain areas? This part about my writing annoys me. How will I do when writing an essay? I can only assume I will approach it the same way as I do writing for work.

Welcome
Topic: ENGLISH-1A
Hello. If you plan on posting to my blog site, please do so in the ENGLISH-1A topic.

Thanks!
-patrick