Writing Skill #LSRW #Part2 #Sem3 #ELT

Hello Learners,

Writing Skill is associated with Reading Skill. The more you read, the better you can write. Mostly when we think about writing, the general answer is that we write to express our ideas and thoughts. Apart from this, there are many things which should be taken into consideration. Let’s see it in detail

Think About Your Readers' Needs

Whatever you are writing, your aim should be to make your text as clear as possible – to present your ideas clearly and concisely and to avoid ambiguity or redundancy. Achieving this becomes easier the more you practise writing and begin to develop your confidence in your writing style.

If it is something you are still having problems with, try adopting these very basic rules as you write:

·        avoid excessively long sentences

·        do not use a difficult word where a simple one will do

·        use punctuation correctly to aid the sense of your writing

·        use paragraphs to break your text into logically self-contained units.

Remember Basic Rules for Good Written English

It is important that you pay attention to the basic rules for good written English - accurate spelling and correct use of grammar and punctuation.

Errors of spelling are best avoided by careful proof reading - and you should never rely simply on your word processor's spell check function. Proof reading is something you should allow time for as part of your structure for re-drafting your work - do not expect your supervisors to do your proof reading for you.

Grammar and punctuation can be more difficult to get right, particularly if English is not your first language. The following things must be taken care of:-

·        Sentence Structure

·        Using Paragraphs

·        Using Colons and Semi-Colons

·        Using Apostrophes

·        Using Commas

Write Regularly to Develop Confidence and Quality

Students should encouraged to start writing daily. Practice writing and develop your writing technique. Students who make a routine out of writing find it helps them to concentrate on their work and that this helps them feel more comfortable putting their thoughts into words. Critical Writing

One of the skills that regular writing will help you to develop is your ability to write critically - that is, to write in a way that is characterized by:

• ·        a clear and confident refusal to accept the conclusions of other writers without evaluating the arguments and evidence that they provide
• ·        a balanced presentation of reasons why the conclusions of other writers may be accepted or may need to be treated with caution
• ·        a clear presentation of your own evidence and argument, leading to your conclusion
• ·        a recognition of the limitations in your own evidence, argument, and conclusion

Academic Conventions

Whatever discipline you belong to, there will be certain conventions of academic writing - for example, specific modes of phrasing, specific terminology, recognized acronyms/abbreviations, etc. It is important that you make yourself familiar with these and the best way to do this is through reading theses, articles, and other texts.

Have a Structure for Drafting and Re-Drafting

To start with, your writing will be very much a work in progress. It is important to remember in the early stages of your writing that you are working on a draft, not the finished text. Keep writing even if you know that you can do better - leave the improvements until you come to write the next draft. This will give you time to reflect and think more carefully about anything that you might need to change.

Instead of re-drafting as you go, why not look to make drafting a process with formal stages and different questions to be addressed at each stage:

·        1st Re-Draft - Editing for Academic Accuracy

·        2nd Re-Draft - Reducing Errors

·        3rd Re-Draft - Editing for Consistency

·        4th Re-Draft - Signposting and Linking

·        5th Re-Draft - Proof Reading

 Get Feedback on Your Writing and Use It

Getting feedback on as your writing should be a part of your work plan and your strategy for managing your writing.

Your supervisors will comment on the content of your work, but if you would find it helpful to also be given feedback on your writing style and what you could do to develop your writing, let your supervisors know that this is something you would appreciate their comments on.

Alongside your supervisors, your friends - particularly fellow classmates - are a useful source of feedback and can offer general advice on tone, phrasing, and structure as well as suggestions on how you might improve your writing.

Be Realistic About What You Can Achieve

It is natural to be anxious about the quality of your work, but do not let this stop you writing or allow yourself to be caught in the trap of repeatedly revising the same section. Being realistic as to what to expect from your writing will avoid wasting time through worrying rather than getting on with your writing.

Handwriting

It is also an important part of Writing Skill. What you write should be visible to all and can read and understand what you have written. Many times we find this as problem in communication. Handwriting should be proper, with visible fonts. This can be developed by practice.

Works Cited:-
Student Learning Development. "Improving your reading skills." 2009. University of Leicester. 20 8 2018.<https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/doctoralcollege/training/eresources/study-guides/thesis/developing>.