We visually represent the writing process as a Writing Strategy Ladder that writers need to thoughtfully “follow” in order to successfully complete their work (see Philippakos, MacArthur & Coker, in press; http://www.guilford.com/books/Developing-Strategic-Writers-through-Genre-Instruction/Philippakos-MacArthur-Coker/9781462520329).
Students are taught how to Plan, Draft, Evaluate to Revise, Edit and Publish their work using the steps of the Writing Strategy Ladder.
Plan. Students are taught how to analyze the writing task in a manner that will best help them stay on task and on topic, determine how much time and effort to devote and also determine early on what genre they develop. After this process, they develop their ideas and organize them using the information relevant to that genre
Draft. Drafting is based on the initial planning. The writers are also taught to stop the drafting process and return to planning if they do not have adequate or clear ideas.
Evaluate to Revise. Students evaluate their work using clear criteria. They self-evaluate and peer review. Finally, they use that feedback to make revisions.
Edit. Students use an editing strategy to edit their work. Teacher may address additional editing issues that are relevant to the group of students and to grade-level expectations.
Publish. Students publish their work and share it with a larger audience.
Developing Strategic Writers: Bridging Research and Practice 