Writing
Transactional writing is a form of communication that aims to persuade, inform, or instruct the reader. It involves conveying information, opinions, or ideas clearly and concisely, intending to elicit a specific response or action from the reader. Teaching transactional writing is crucial for developing students’ abilities to construct compelling arguments, analyze complex issues, and persuade others effectively in educational settings. This article explores the significance of the transactional writing method in teaching argument, analysis, and persuasion, providing valuable insights for educators and learners alike.
What Is Transactional Writing?
It occurs when the writer writes to fulfill an obligation. For example, if you have to write a letter of recommendation for a job applicant or write a research paper for your class, this is transactional writing. This type of writing requires no creativity from the writer and follows a set structure. The main goal is to produce acceptable work within a deadline.
Also, Transactional writing is a powerful form of communication that persuades, informs, and instructs. It encompasses various genres, including biography writing, which brings individuals’ stories to life through engaging narratives and compelling insights.
Transactional Writing in Education
It is a form of argument used in academic and professional environments. It is not a new form of writing but a way of using language to persuade or convince another person. Transactional writing involves the use of logical reasoning and evidence in support of an idea. Like any good argument, it follows the “We should do X because of Y.”
In academic writing, the transactional way of writing involves making arguments about why something happened or why something should be done. It aims to persuade the reader to accept your point of view on a particular topic. If you want to learn more, you can find additional information about transactional writing in education on the Book Writing Founders UK website.
Teaching Argument through Transactional Writing
Here are some ideas for using a transactional way of writing in your classroom:
Developing Logical Reasoning Skills
It is easy to see how transactional writing can be used to teach argument. One of the most important things we do in argument is make logical connections between claims and evidence. These connections are sometimes explicit and sometimes implicit, but they are always there. it calls these connections “claims” and “justifications.” Claims are statements about what we think or believe; justifications are reasons that support those claims. For example, “I think this fiction writing is good because it has a lot of interesting facts about geology.”
Once you know what a claim and a justification are, you can use a transactional way of writing to model how people make arguments by connecting claims with justifications. You can also use it to help students learn how to make good arguments themselves.
Structuring Arguments Effectively
The most common argumentative form is the argument-by-example. It involves citing examples that support a claim and then drawing a conclusion based on those examples. This is the structure of an essay exam answer or a short response to a question, like those found in the AP English Language and Composition course. The following example uses this structure:
In today’s society, violence has become more prevalent in all aspects of life. One place where it is evident is in our schools. Many factors contribute to this problem, but I believe one is the media. For example, some video games encourage players to use violence against others. Also, movies and television shows show people using violence as an acceptable means to solve problems. As a result, children grow up believing that this behavior is acceptable and necessary for solving conflicts (Bateson).
Encouraging Critical Analysis
Students need to understand what arguments are legitimate and how to analyze them. To do this, they must learn how to evaluate different types of claims to determine whether or not they are supported by evidence from texts or external sources. As part of this process, students must understand what makes a claim valid or invalid and how to critique different claims based on their knowledge, experience, and expertise (Kling & Smith, 1983).
One way to encourage critical analysis among your students is to have them engage in transactional writing tasks throughout the year. These tasks should be structured so that they require students to develop their own opinions and judge whether other people’s opinions are valid or invalid based on their knowledge and experience with the issue.
Using Evidence and Proof to back up claims
For transactional writing to be effective, claims must be backed up with proof and logical reasoning. Teachers should help their students research, evaluate sources, and use relevant evidence to support their claims. This helps build a mindset of evidence-based reasoning and makes it easier for students to make well-supported claims.
Why Use Persuasion in Transactional Writing?
Persuasion is an essential tool for achieving success in business transactions. The ability to persuade others to take action is crucial, from closing deals, securing funding and managing projects to getting clients on board.
For example, when applying for a job or convincing your boss that you deserve a raise, you use transactional writing skills. You’re persuading someone else that you’re right and they should take action based on what you have written or said.
Incorporating Transactional Writing in the Classroom
Following are the ways of incorporating.
Creating Engaging Writing Assignments
To help students improve their transactional writing skills, teachers should give them interesting writing tasks that let them practice arguing, analyzing, and persuading. Assignments can be based on real-world situations, arguments, or even persuasive essays about important things to the students. By making tasks relevant and interesting, teachers encourage students to participate and get them excited about writing.
Providing Constructive Feedback
Giving kids constructive feedback is an important part of teaching transactional writing. Teachers should focus on praising their students’ skills and giving them ideas for how to improve. Timely feedback helps students improve their writing skills, determine where to improve, and get a better handle on commercial writing.
Key Aspects/Characteristics and Profound Details
| Aspect | Description | Examples/Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Transactional writing aims to persuade, inform, or instruct. No creativity required; follows a set structure. | Writing recommendation letters, research papers. |
| Importance in Education | Used for argumentation in academic and professional settings. Involves logical reasoning and evidence. | Teaching argument construction and analysis. |
| Teaching Argument | Developing logical reasoning and structuring arguments effectively. | Connecting claims with justifications, argument-by-example. |
| Encouraging Critical Analysis | Teaching students to evaluate claims and arguments. | Transactional writing tasks for opinion development. |
| Using Evidence and Proof | Essential for backing up claims in transactional writing. | Research and evidence-based reasoning in arguments. |
| Role of Persuasion | Crucial in business and professional contexts. | Job applications, business proposals. |
| Classroom Incorporation | Creating engaging assignments and providing constructive feedback. | Real-world based writing tasks, timely feedback. |
Conclusion
Transactional writing is a great way to help kids learn important communication skills. By emphasizing argumentation, analysis, and persuasion, teachers give students the tools to express their ideas clearly, analyze material critically, and persuade others well. It is very important in helping kids become confident communicators who can do well in school and the future.
