Effective Writing Skills PDF

Effective Writing Skills Prepared by: Efraim S. Vidal, Jr. Ed.D  Goals and Objectives This course is designed to improve writing skills for everyday use beyond school. The class focuses on nonfiction writing including the following: business lett...

Effective Writing Skills Prepared by: Efraim S. Vidal, Jr. Ed.D  Goals and Objectives This course is designed to improve writing skills for everyday use beyond school. The class focuses on nonfiction writing including the following: business letters, essays, reports, and resumes. It also tackles grammar, syntax, lexicon, and morphology. Students will be able to learn strategies and techniques to write more clearly and succinctly. Why do people write? Writing gives people the opportunity to express themselves regardless of whether they are writing journalism, fiction or other type of genre. Writing, in its essence, is a soul soother. As the pen hits the page or fingers tap on a keyboard, the writing is the beginning of personal expression. Writing to Express Yourself When people are stressed out or unnerved by certain situations in their lives, writing can tame those qualms. Putting thoughts on a page can help people solve those problems or just provide a sense of peace by expressing their feelings rather than keeping them bottled up inside. Writing to Provoke Change Writing can also be used to provoke change. When people blog or publish books and articles about controversial issues such as abortion or gay marriage, they are using persuasive language to get their point across and convince others that their platform on a certain policy is correct. Writing to Gain Attention or Notoriety Writers can also use their tools to gain attention or notoriety. They may focus on writing about a particular topic to become well-known for their opinions about it. Writing for Educational Purpose Students, regardless of if they're pursuing a high school diploma, bachelor's degree, master's degree or Ph.D., write to enhance their education and fulfill class requirements. This type of writing serves to help students delve deeper into the topics of their classes. Writing Books People write books for a wide variety of reasons, but in general the underlying reason is that they have a story to share with the world, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. The Importance of Writing Skills: Why It Matters to the Student 1. Because It Improves Communication Skills Communication (oral and non-verbal), is one essential skill every student must master to be able to succeed not only in their academics but in life as a whole. 3. Because It Widens Knowledge Base Writing can also widen your knowledge capacity, and significantly, too. Even before you develop the ability to write, at least sufficiently, you must first have been able to read, too. Writing, as you know, involves a lot of research, 99% of the time, into things you don’t know and may even know, as well. 2. Because It Sharpens Creativity and Imagination Levels Research confirms all of us are naturally creative. When you write, certain areas of your brain are activated, especially what is referred to as the “frontal cortex”; the part of the brain popularly known to be the seat of creativity. However, without any effort to actively demonstrate this inherent creativity we have, especially with writing, it would remain stifled and almost impossible to develop over time. 4. Because It is Vital to Academic Success Writing, without any doubt, is a significant part of your academics. Writing is vital to your academic success, in that it is identified as one of the most important requirements a student must satisfy to be able to earn excellent grades and also a good degree, at the end of it all. 5. Because It Increases the Level of Confidence One of the least important reasons writing is important to students is because it can increase their level of confidence and even their sense of achievement, too. You can’t deny it, completing your essays and the other writing tasks you have gives a strange feeling of fulfillment that you have been able to successfully exploit your literary skills. What Is Effective Written Communication? The purpose of written communication is to capture your reader’s attention and get your point across clearly. Ultimately, when you communicate in writing, you are helping the reader understand your perspective on a topic. There are certain qualities all effective written communication shares, and if you add these elements to your writing, your work will be more powerful. The Five Cs of Effective Written Communication Connection - Good written communication forms a connection between the reader and the writer. Clarity - Effective written communication is clear and easy to understand. Cause - The cause or reason for writing needs to be clear to both the writer and the reader, including any specific actions you need from your audience. Conciseness - Good written communication sticks to the point and doesn’t meander around or include lots of extraneous information. Correctness - To be effective, the written communication should use the correct tone, inoffensive language, and appropriate grammar. How to Make Your Writing Communication Effectively 1. Know Your Goal and State It Clearly - Do you want the reader to do something for you, or are you merely passing along information? Do you want a response from the reader, or do you want him to take action? 2. Use the Correct Tone for Your Purpose - Tone can help your writing be more effective. Certain forms of communication, like memorandums and proposals, need a formal tone. 3. Keep Language Simple - Do not overuse clichés, jargon, and expressions or try to impress with big words. This can make the reader work harder, and you want to make it easy to understand what you’re saying. How to Make Your Writing Communication Effectively 4. Stay on Topic and Keep It Concise Effective written communication stays on topic. Avoid information that is not relevant. Clarity is key. Less is more when it comes to length. 5. Use Active Voice Using an active voice will strengthen your writing. It’s easier to understand sentences that are written in the active voice 6. Have Someone Proofread Your Writing Good grammar and punctuation are very important. It is a good idea to have someone else proofread your writing before you send it.  Thank you for Participating Actively