Guide to Writing

Final Project Eng 214

1. Before you write
a. Know what the assignment is
It is very important to know what type of piece you have been assigned to write. This is a great time to think about what class the assignment is for and what type of assignment it is you have before you. For example, some classes require a very structured, formal, academic style of writing whereas some classes allow for more creative license in your writing.

b. Ask Questions
When looking at the assignment and prompt make sure you understand all aspects of the prompt. Many students make the mistake of skimming over questions in the prompt, thus receiving a lower graded because of laziness. Most writing assignments involve and question portion and a “why” portion. This “why” portion is arguably the most interesting part of your essay, be careful not to forget this as it is often what your professor is looking at most closely.

c. Actually Prepare, if Reading is Involved
When procrastinators of the world try to write papers that involve prior research, the writings tend to be disastrous. Keep in mind any information you must be familiar with before writing your piece, this way you are able to begin your writing immediately without needing to go back and do initial research, postponing the writing process.

2. What to write
a. Dissect the Prompt
Similar to “asking questions,” scour your writing prompt to dissect any hidden questions and look for segments of the writing that need to be addressed. Sometimes these segments are simply implied and not clearly spelled out.

B. Know Your Audience
This is probably the most important part of planning your essay. If you know that your assignment is going to be read by high school students everywhere, write in a language familiar to them. Also, if you know that this piece is for highly educated college professors; attempt to heighten the sense of academia in your essay.

C. Start Early
Ask any student, and they will tell you: we all procrastinate. But, if at all possible, get an early start! This will ensure that your work is of a higher caliber, and it will make the revision process go much more smoothly. When you have enough time to revise and rewrite, your work is simply better.

G. Is this Assignment Being graded or is it informal?
Many people may argue that this question shouldn’t be relevant, and that one should put forth the greatest amount of effort possible, graded or not. I agree, effort should be put into all assignments whether they’re to be graded or just for submission credit. However, the importance of this question lies in your ability to have fun with the piece. If an assignment is not being given a formal grade, if is possible to try different techniques than what you would use with your traditional assignments.

3. Who are you writing for?
a. What Class is it for?
Each paper written for each different class will need to capture not only the audience’s attention but also the feel of the course. It is important to match your paper with the material content of the assignment. A paper for an Accounting class will sound much differently than a paper for and English class or Art History class. If necessary, it is totally appropriate to ask the teacher what would suffice in your paper in terms of tone, elaboration and description.

B. What's Your General Sense of the Professor?
Let’s face it, when it comes down to it there is another human being grading and judging your work. This is where thinking about who is doing this grading comes into play. It is very important to lose yourself in your writings but it is arguably more important to be aware of how much of your personality finds it’s way into your assignment. For example, if you tend to be a very sarcastic, dark humored person you probably joke very often in a sullen tone. However, if your professor is an upbeat, bubbly person it is wise to stay away from the sarcasm and cynicism you most likely gravitate towards. The bottom line is to try to find a happy medium between expressing yourself and giving the professor what he or she may enjoy.

4. You've written, now what?
1. Read Your Paper ALOUD, Twice
It is pertinent to your revision process to not only read our paper but to read it out loud to yourself. This is a foolproof way to catch any silly errors or typos that you may have missed when skimming your writings. Immediately mark what you notice should be changed and take notes of what sentences should be moved or of what ideas should be added or subtracted. When you are through marking what you think should be fixed, go through your paper and read it again, I’ll be money you missed something.

2. Rewrite-Fix All Those Problems
Now that you’ve marked down what could possibly be changed, this is the time to go through your paper and actually change it. Don’t by shy about moving ideas around or potentially tossing entire paragraphs. This is the time when your writing really begins to form a cohesive essay.

5. Read again!
It may sound silly, but the more you read the more you will see what works and what's problematic. Read and read until you are finished with your product. Ensure there are no typos, grammatical errors, nor are there any incomplete sentences or thoughts. Now that you’re happy, turn it in! Don’t stress anymore, the work you’ve put in to your writing will carry you through the grading process. It will be evident to your professor that you labored over the assignment with a thoughtful heart and mind.