Strategies for Becoming an Effective Academic Writer

Option 1: Strategies for Becoming an Effective Academic Writer

Address the following questions in 200 to 300 words:

1 Consider how the writing process you read about in this class differs from the process you have used in the past. What specifically have you done in the past compared to what you have read about this week?

In the past I was taught that as long as you write a paper and it has a beginning, middle, and end that it was a complete paper with the conclusion. Reading the information that I have gotten from this class is really teaching me a lot about the writing process. I have learned that you cannot just write a paper and think that it will be alright. I have also learned that during the writing process that you have to think about things first before you even begin to write anything. Like who are you writing to, what message is you trying to get across to the reader, and how are you going to get your point across to different readers and age groups, then you can start your writing process. Once you have started your process you then have to come up with your steps prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, then last is wrap up. All of this is kind of new to me so it is very excitng to learn these new things. I will learn the new way and utilize that information with my previous knowledge to produce an outstanding paper.That way, I will have more confidence and faith in my writing.

2 Which step in the writing process is easiest for you to complete? Why is it easier?

The step that is easiest to me to complete is prewriting and drafting. I say them both because when it comes to prewriting it is like theres no limit to what you have to write. When it comes to writing down ideas and putting them all on one sheet of paper. You really do not need a scientist to know what to write, as long as you know what topic you are writing about and who you are writing to. I say drafting also because after you have written down numerous ideas from prewriting, you can use as many papers as you need to get it right. That is why I love drafting because when it comes to mistakes you do not have to worry because that is not the actual paper that you are turning in and you have plenty of times to mess up on drafting. That is the time that you have to correct your information before you have to write the actual paper to get a grade. So it it important to prewrite and draft before completing the other steps.

3 Which step in the writing process is the most difficult for you to complete? Why is it difficult?

The most difficult process for me to complete is wrap up and I say this because you have went through the whole process then it leaves you with the reviewing part and making sure eveything is in order for your teacher or the reader to read. Then the questions that run through my mind before I turn in the assignment or story is; Did I do it right? What if when I went back over my work I missed something? Will the person that is reading the information like what I have wrote about? What grade am I going to get? All these are things that runs through my head as I do the wrap up part of my writing and it is like that because I feel like I have never gotten the proper training on how to write anything. I really do not think that it is the most difficult part but it just seems that way to me because of the lack of understanding that I have on how to write and the writing process.

4 What are three specific strategies you might use to overcome these obstacles to become a more effective academic writer?

The three strategies that I am going to use to overcome the obstacles to become a more effective academic writer is first making sure that I ask myself the 5ws and 1h before I write. I will make sure that i'm answering these specific questions to the best of my ability and knowledge. I will jot down my ideas and make sure that I write about a topic that I'm pretty familiar with already. I will use those ideas to ensure that my paper catches the attention of the reader and answers the questions that the reader may have about that specific subject. I will also stop second guessing myslef and my opinions that I may have about my own paper. I will use the revising strategy better because of my new found knowledge of how to do it. I also plan to use the editing strategy to help with my wrap up step. Writing a paper will become easy after I get a full understanding on the basic steps I need to write a successful and detailed paper.