Not a good writer? You can learn how to write well. Why is writing important? Colleges and universities are looking for a community of scholarly students. You will be required to write many papers and reports during your studies. I maintain that those students who learn to write well, get better grades. To succeed in a career, you need to communicate well. Think of it – even emails, takes a knowledge of grammar and language usage. (Remember to always reread an email for errors before you send it.) Getting into college depends on your writing ability. Required tests, such as the SATs and ACT, now require that you write an essay (http://satdude.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/sat-multiple-choice-writing-red-flags-part-1/). And of course, as I have pointed out in past blogs, you need these skills to write your college application essays – and there are a lot of them. What are the elements of a successful essay?
1. A great lead sentence and paragraph that really catches the readers attention. Think exciting and intriguing.
2. Transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
3. Organization – are the paragraphs in the correct order?
4. Use of quotes – never in the first or last sentence but as evidence in the body of the essay.
5. A conclusion that summarizes your ideas and looks at the bigger picture – what did you learn or what is the greater meaning from your experience.
6. Can you see it, feel it, smell it, and touch it?
7. Have you taken a unique approach to a topic, issue, or experience?
Keep in mind that writing well takes practice, so keep at it!