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Pittsburg State University
1701 South Broadway
Pittsburg KS 66762
Don Judd
WAC Coordinator
English
Phone: (620) 235-4697
Kathleen De Grave
Assistant WAC Coordinator
English
Phone: (620) 235-4705
Cynthia Woodburn
Assistant WAC Coordinator
Mathematics
Phone: (620) 235-4490
Bruce Shields
WAC Graduate Assistant
English
Phone: (620) 235-4686
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How can I become a better writer?
Improving Your Writing
The most important step in improving your writing is having the desire to do
so. That desire will lead you to
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Identify your own weaknesses, so you can focus on them
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Find models of the kind of writing you want to achieve
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Actively learn the rules of writing by owning or
accessing a handbook
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Practice the elements of good writing every time you sit down to write
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Go to the
Writing Center
for focused discussions on your writing
Remember that good writing takes time. It is unlikely that you can sit down
and write an effective essay in one draft. Allow yourself time to
brood on your topic
, do the necessary
background research
, and rewrite your essay as the
idea comes clearer.
Writing is a discovery process. Your
first draft (a "zero draft")
should be energized by your ideas, without reigning itself in for matters of
correctness or logic. This is the seed of your essay.
As you rethink your ideas and
gather more facts
, rewrite the essay with your
audience
and purpose in mind. Make the logical connections and throw out what doesn't
work. A first draft and
two revisions
would be best.
Only at the end do you edit the essay for
mechanical correctness
and for matters of style. Until this point your sentences will have been
changing as your ideas develop. Many of the surface errors will clear up as
you become more sure of what you want to say.
If possible,
find someone to read your essay
in one of its later drafts. And
make use of the
Writing Center.
If your teacher allows you to come in for a
conference
on the essay, by all means do so.
Following is a list of many of the elements that go into a well-constructed
essay. Once you have determined what you want to focus on, follow the link to
the handbook or website that deals with it. Bring any questions to the Writing
Center. (Most of the following links are to university Websites from Colorado
State University (CSU), University of Wisconsin -- Madison (UW), and Duke
University
(Duke). You might want
to browse in these Websites for more information.)
For answers to specific questions in grammar and spelling (such as compliment
vs. complement and lie vs. lay), it is best to buy a handbook (you should have
one from your first composition course). The grammar check and spelling check
functions on the computer can help, but they are not always right.
Knowing your audience
(CSU)
Discovering an original idea
(CSU)
Creating a strong thesis - 1
(CSU)
Creating a strong thesis - 2
(UW)
Writing different types of papers - 1
(UW)
Writing different types of papers - 2
(CSU)
Developing an argument
(CSU)
Giving evidence
(CSU)
Avoiding errors in logic (PSU)
Constructing effective Introductions
(Duke)
Constructing effective Conclusions
(UW)
Developing your essay
(CSU)
Organizing your essay
(CSU)
Writing strong sentences
(UW)
Using effective transitions
(UW)
Avoiding common errors in spelling and grammar
(UW)
Using Graphs and tables
(CSU)
Proofreading and editing your essay
(CSU)
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