StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Improvement of Academic Writing - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
This essay "The Improvement of Academic Writing" focuses on academic writing which is an important component in one’s learning, especially in higher education. The benefits of essay writing are numerous, and these benefits go beyond the school setting…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.2% of users find it useful
The Improvement of Academic Writing
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Improvement of Academic Writing"

HOW MY ACADEMIC WRITING HAS IMPROVED Affiliation Academic writing is an important component in one’s learning, especially in higher education. The benefits of essay writing are numerous, and these benefits go beyond the school setting. During the writing course, I have been exposed to various essay writing strategies and approaches that have significantly improved my writing skills. As a student, I have learnt that essay writing is part of the learning process and applies to all disciplines. By taking the writing course, I have improved in all subjects. The course has helped me understand readings better and develop the skills needed to put ideas in writing in a coherent and organized manner. Before taking the writing course, I was poor at introducing essays. On many occasions, it was difficult to capture the attention of the reader from the introductory paragraph, and this often made my essays difficult to understand. However, after taking the course, I have learnt how to write better introductions. I have learnt how to analyze and breakdown a question in order to write a good introduction that can be understood by the readers. In particular, this course has taught me how to write thesis statements. This is the backbone of any essay and therefore provides the readers with the foundation on which the essay will be based (Perutz, 2010). I have learnt how to take a point of view in the introduction and defend it throughout the essay. This is the essence of writing a thesis statement. This way, readers know what the essay is about. In order to write an effective introduction, I have learnt the importance of analyzing the main question or topic. This allows the writer to understand the various parts of the topic, and how they relate to one another (Rao, et al, 2007). As a result, one is able to come up with a stand regarding the topic, allowing him to write the introduction. Another important aspect of writing is the use of paragraphs. Through this course, I have learnt how to organize ideas into paragraphs, each supporting the main thesis. I have learnt that each paragraph has to start with a topic sentence that introduces the main point of that paragraph. This makes the reader know exactly what that paragraph is talking about (Russell, (n.d)). I have also improved how I transition from one paragraph to the next by using sentences at either the end of a paragraph or at the beginning of the next. This allows for the two paragraphs to be connected. In addition, through this course, I have improved on the use of examples and evidence in the paragraphs. These examples help in persuading the reader and enhance his understanding of the main point or the argument (Rao, et al, 2007). Furthermore, I have learnt that it is important to organize the paragraphs based on the strengths of the points being argued. In many cases, it is usually important to start with the strongest arguments in the opening body paragraphs and finishing with the weakest points. In my opinion, I believe that one of my strengths as a writer is the ability to research and find supporting material and evidence. Research is one of the critical elements of writing an effective essay since it gives the writer the chance to consult other sources in order to support the ideas in the essay (Te Kawa a Māui, 2011). By using the library and online databases, I know how to find articles and other publications that help in writing the essay. I have perfected this skill by embracing the habit of reading wildly and undertaking thorough researches in order to identify materials that are needed to complete my essay. This allows me to pick only those materials that are authentic (Greetham, 2001). For example, I always make sure that I look at the author and source of a material before using it in my essay. The ability to make short notes out of the materials I have gathered makes it easy to use the supporting ideas from the materials in the essay. Therefore, even with large volumes of materials, I have developed the habit of picking those materials that only relate to my topic, and taking short notes from these materials. In addition, I have familiarized myself with the relevant citation styles, and this allows me to cite the sources I use in my essay. One of my major weaknesses is revising and proofreading essays. This is an important aspect of writing since it helps in reducing surface errors in writing (Te Kawa a Māui, 2011). Unfortunately, I always feel tired or bored to go over the text I have written. In most cases, I go over what I have written without posing to ask whether it is exactly what was intended. Because of this problem, I always end up with grammatical and spelling mistakes in my work. On many occasions, I often rely on Microsoft word to highlight those words that are wrongly spelt or those that are used out of context. Unluckily, this does not weed out all the mistakes in the writing. In addition, due to poor proofreading and editing skills, I often end up overusing certain words and phrases. This also leaves some of my ideas vaguely presented, making it difficult for the reader to fully understand the point being made. In future, I need to improve on how to revise essays purposively in order to limit these mistakes. I have noticed that after taking this course, I have improved on how I revise and write my exams in all subjects. One of the important skills taught in this course is the ability to plan and organize ideas in a manner that is understandable to the reader (Perutz, 2010). This has been one of the strategies applied when revising and writing my exams, and this has led to an improvement in my studies. By learning writing skills, I also understand the value of time management. This is also a critical aspect of academic writing that allows the writer to present his ideas within the required time (Greetham, 2001). Generally, I have observed that the writing course has shaped me to become a better student who is not only organized but also time cautious. In conclusion, it is obvious that academic writing is an important aspect of learning. The writing course has been of great importance to me as a student. The skills taught in this course have enabled me become a better student. There are other key areas that I need to address in order to become a competent writer. In order for one to become a good writer, it is important to exercise patience and persistence in order to learn all the necessary skills. References Greetham, B. (2001). How to write better essays. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave. Perutz, V (2010). A Helpful Guide to Essay Writing! Retrieved on 24 March 2015 from http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/students/documents/2010/helpful-guide-to-essay-writing.pdf Rao, V., Chanock, K., & Krishan, L. (2007). A visual guide to essay writing. Broadway, N.S.W.: Association for Academic Language and Learning. Russell, J.S (n.d).The Virtues and Craft of Being a Good Writer. Retrieved 24 March 2015 from http://langara.bc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/philosophy/pdf/being-a-good-writer- john-russell.pdf Te Kawa a Māui (2011). Academic Writing Guide. The School of Māori Studies at Victoria University of Wellington Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Academic writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1”, n.d.)
Academic writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1684852-academic-writing
(Academic Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 1)
Academic Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 1. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1684852-academic-writing.
“Academic Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 1”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1684852-academic-writing.
  • Cited: 2 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Improvement of Academic Writing

Reflective Exploration of Academic Writing Skills

Analyzing or evaluating one's academic writing skills has great significance in the background of today's higher education system as such assessments help in The Improvement of Academic Writing process in the future.... Each section in the report analyzes an important component of the essay written by me in order to establish the importance of academic writing skills in essay writing.... The possibilities of one's career development in today's academic scenario depend mainly on one's ability to write convincingly according to the requirements of academic writing....
11 Pages (2750 words) Essay

Reading and Writing Challenges and Improvements

As an international student, writing, reading and speaking in English has been quite a challenge for me.... With the help of my classes though, I have improved a lot, especially in my reading and writing skills.... I could say that compared to my initial works, my writing now is far better because the contents of my work give more meaningful expressions.... My reading and writing Challenges and Improvements As an international student, writing, reading and speaking in English has been quite a challenge for me....
3 Pages (750 words) Term Paper

Lessons Learned on Academic Writing

tmAPA and Styles academic writing is a result of in-depth research into already published sources, relevant references, logical interpretation and subjective summarization.... It is also important to keep the tone of the writing scholastic.... ontent is undoubtedly the most essential feature of writing, however, what makes the content presentable is grammar and mechanics.... The mechanics deal with the conventional rules of writing while grammar with the forms of words and how they relate to each other....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Writing for University Assessments

"writing for University Assessments" paper is written with the objective of proffering the features of an academic essay in which this aim is achieved.... As initially proffered, in writing for university assessments, a student's task is to communicate an understanding of a topic.... writing is a skill that can be honed over time.... It just takes a good grasp of the English language, an artistic flair, a degree of creativity and imagination, and a genuine interest in writing....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Writing assessment

I had been trying hard to improve my approach to academic writing, and I believe there had been some slow and steady signs that I could indeed achieve my goal in the future. ... However, I will make sure that the improvement I made with regard to the sources and logical arguments.... n my first writing assignments, I had quite a few problems in the development of idea.... Though there are no remarkable or drastic changes in the general way in which I write essays, I am glad to observe that I am now much more aware of what makes a real academic....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

My Writing Improvements, Challenges, and Goals

Reading out loud the sentences helps me to check and see if there are long sentences which I can break My writing Improvements, Challenges and Goals My writing Improvements, Challenges and Goals What improvements haveyou seen in your writing?... One improvement that I have noticed in my writing skills is that I am now more consistent with the use of the present and past tense of verbs.... hat are your challenges with writing?...
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Formulaic Language In Academic Writing

In higher institutions of learning, students carry out much of academic writing when doing assignments and research.... In this inventory letter 'Formulaic Language In academic writing' the author is going to give his writing experience showing the challenges he has faced and those that still confront him at present.... "A Function-First Approach To Identifying Formulaic Language In academic writing.... At present, writing plays a critical role in my life because I do a lot of it in completing assignments and writing of academic papers....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Why Do I Take My Time to Write about My Success in Improving as a Writer

He says if he was able to record an improvement in his writing ability, then they could do the same.... My writing experience is quite an interesting one to tell.... That anything he wrote belonged to people who lacked writing 'talent'.... I noted in my first article that from the first day I learned how to write, writing has been a pain for me.... Before taking this course, I did not know that where to start in writing a good essay....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us