Writing Program | Writing Tips

Tips for Writing in Reading and Composition classes

• Participate Actively in class and office hrs. This will help you develop your own understandings and interpretations of the material&endash;critical to an effective paper.
  Read Critically: as you read, ask yourself what you think of what the author is saying, and how he/she is saying it.
• Anticipate Paper Topics by studying the theme of the course, the discussion "threads" that emerge in class.
• Get to Know your Instructor - the better you know your audience, the easier it is to know their expectations.
• Plan to Get Feedback as you write: sign up for an SLC Writing Tutor, develop relationships with other writers, make note of T.A. office hours;writing is about communication, so plan to get feedback from others about how your paper is developing.

Start Writing Early! and give yourself time to develop your paper through stages:

• Give Yourself Lots of Freedom at the initial idea-generating stage--jot down notes as you think of interesting or puzzling ideas, or questions that haven’t come up in class discussion. Try freewriting and brainstorming techniques to generate ideas for your paper. Talk with your tutor, friends, roommate, TA, the cat, anyone!
• Decide on a Main Point (thesis) for your paper;even if you end up modifying your thesis as you write, starting out with a clear focus will keep your paper from rambling.
• Organize Your Paper around Your Argument, not just by artificial categories. The "5-paragragh" model may work for some papers, but don’t impose it where it doesn’t make sense. Your tutor or TA can help you decide on the best organizational approach for presenting your ideas.
• Give Yourself Enough Time and the Right Conditions to Write;whatever that means for you. Discover whether you write best early in the day or late at night, in a quiet library or a bustling café, in long blocks of time or shorter, and then schedule the time into your week.
• Complete a Draft a few days before your final paper is due, and get feedback.
• Revise! Don’t just ask for feedback, use it! Plan to spend significant time rewriting your initial draft based on the feedback you get.
• Create a Great Title for your paper&endash;here’s your first chance to make a great impression!
• Leave Time for Editing and Proofreading: You’ve worked hard on your paper;show your pride in your work and respect for your reader by leaving enough time to correct grammar, spelling and typing errors.