Writing Guide

WRITING BETTER ASSIGNMENTS

IDEAS AND CONTENT   ORGANIZATION   VOICE   WORD CHOICE   SENTENCE STRUCTURE/FLUENCY   CONVENTIONS   EVALUATING YOUR WRITING SKILLS

IDEAS AND CONTENT

DEFINITION

The quality and completeness of ideas including focus, clarity, use of supporting details, anecdotes or examples.

Clear

Well focused

Interesting

Detailed, complete, rich

Written from experience

Unclear, muddled

Rambling

Lacking in purpose or theme; boring

Broad, general, vague

Not believable, implausible

• Ideas and content refer to what you have to say - it is the reason for your paper.  Everything else flows from this.

• If you can choose your own topic, choose something that is important to you and/or that you know a lot about.  If someone else chooses the topic for you, look for a way to connect it to your own experience so that you can use what you know.

• Ensure that the topic you choose is not too broad (big), e.g. "Animals in Africa".  Narrow it down to something more manageable, e.g. "Why Lions Hunt in Pairs".

• Avoid general statements, e.g. "Our trip was exciting."  Exciting HOW? Provide specific details that help the reader "picture" what is happening, e.g. "I chased two hungry bears away from our camping supplies by banging two pans together."

• Surprise your reader with what you know; avoid spending time on things that anyone can write.  For example, saying "Cooking in a restaurant can be hard work" is stating something even people who don't cook can figure out.  Instead, tell what goes on in the kitchen if an angry customer sends food back. THAT would be far more interesting to the reader!

ORGANIZATION

DEFINITION

The way details and events are woven together to create a theme, bring home a point or tell a story.

Good introduction

Good placement of details

Strong transitions

Starts somewhere; goes somewhere

Strong conclusion

Reader does not have to think about organization

Introduction boring, predictable

Details seem out of place

Transitions absent, weak or too obvious

Wanders aimlessly

Doesn't go anywhere

Drags on too long; no obvious organization

• Organization is what gives your writing direction and helps the reader to move through the ideas in a purposeful way.

• Begin with a strong lead to "hook" the reader. Don't settle for "Once upon a time..." or "My paper is about dogs."

• If you look at your whole piece of writing, it should carefully build to the most important moment or point you are wanting to make.

• The order of details is important too.   Ideas should help the reader understand at the right time how everything fits together and connects back to the main idea.

• Avoid trivial details (e.g. what color the hero's socks were); keep moving along and then, when you reach the end of the story, STOP! Avoid hackneyed conclusions such as "And I woke up to realize it was only a dream..." The last sentence should leave the reader with something to think about.

VOICE

DEFINITION

The sense of the writer behind the words - the YOU coming through the writing.

Individual, distinctive

Honest

Natural

Expressive

Unusual, unexpected

Appealing

Written to be read and enjoyed

Conventional, blends with others

Phony

Trite

Flat

Writer seems bored

Written to please others

Mechanical, lifeless

• Voice is the YOU coming through your writing, giving personality, flavor and style to make is as distinctively yours as your fingerprints. 

• Honesty is important in creating voice in your writing.  Say what you think and feel, rather than what you think someone else might want to hear.

• Think about your reader as you write; write as if that person is right there, talking to you.

• Be yourself.  You don't have to impress your readers; they will respond to your sincerity, honesty, enthusiasm and conviction .

WORD CHOICE

DEFINITION

The appropriateness and freshness of the words and phrases selected by the writer.

Precise language

Strong verbs

Specific concrete nouns

Strong imagery

Natural

Language vague, abstract

Mostly "is" and "are" verbs

Hard for the reader to picture anything

Conventional, too many clichés

Words used incorrectly or to impress

HINTS & HELP

• Develop WORD POWER! Cultivate a rich vocabulary of colorful and precise words that let you say what you want - not come close, but nail it right on the head.  If you're not sure where to begin learning new words, heed the advice of William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well : "Verbs are the most important of all your tools.  They push the sentence forward and give it momentum...."

• Keep the vocabulary natural.  A thesaurus can be useful, but use it sparingly and with thought to ensure that what you're saying "makes sense".

• Choose words to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind.  For example, don't say: "The dog was big and mean."   Say: "A hundred pounds of snarling yellow fur launched itself from the porch, straining at a rope thin as spaghetti."

SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND FLUENCY

DEFINITION

The overall sound and rhythm of the word patterns.

Fluid

Musical, poetic in sound

Easy to read aloud

Interesting word patterns

Good phrasing

Varied sentence length and structure

Awkward

Jarring word patterns

Difficult to read aloud

Short, choppy sentences

Long, rambling sentences

Repetitious patterns

• Sentences should be clear; they should make sense. Every word should work hard to ensure that sentences are powerful, full of punch.   Cut the deadwood. For example, don't say: "At this point in time, we feel we are about ready to begin to fight."  More effectively, and more to the point: "Now we're ready to fight."

• Notice how your sentences begin. Avoid being repetitive and boring.  "We went to the beach.  We saw seagulls. We went home." YAWN! Vary the openings and combine very short sentences, e.g. "Despite being overrun with pesky seagulls, we had fun at the beach."

• Don't let sentences drift on too long either.   If a sentence feels cumbersome and out of control,  change it to two sentences.

• Read your work aloud and listen to the rhythm and flow of words. Fluency should match the mood and content, e.g. long and flowing where the piece is descriptive and thoughtful; short and snappy where you need to make a point.

CONVENTIONS

DEFINITION

Language rules - grammar and usage, punctuation, spelling, capitalization and paragraphing - that make your text correct and easy for others to read.

• By following language rules and ensuring that your writing is as error-free as possible, you help readers understand your message and relieve them from having to waste energy mentally editing.  They can pay attention to your clever ideas, creative organization, unique voice, vibrant word choice and lyrical fluency.

• Learn to use word-processing tools such as "Spell Check" and "Thesaurus".

• Develop a proofreader's eye. Check everything and then check again, reading slowly and with care.

Based on holistic scoring rubric used to score student compositions for the Minnesota Basic Skills Writing Test.

  [4]: EXCELLENT

The composition is

• related to the assigned topic.

• has a central idea that is clearly expressed.

• is well developed with supporting details.

• has a beginning, middle and an end.

• demonstrates a control of language that enhances the overall quality of the response.

• may have errors in sentence formation, word usage and mechanics, but they do not detract from the overall quality of the composition.

  [3]: ADEQUATE - PASSING SCORE

The composition

• is related to the assigned topic.

• has a central idea that is clearly expressed.

• has some supporting details and sufficient development.

• has a beginning, a middle and an end.

• may present minor obstacles for the reader in moving from idea to idea.

• may have errors in sentence formation, word usage and mechanics, but they do not substantially detract from the overall quality of the composition.

  [2]: LESS THAN ADEQUATE - DOES NOT PASS

The composition

• is related to the assigned topic.

• may be somewhat focused.

• may lack a beginning, middle and an end.

• may present obstacles for the reader in moving from idea to idea.

• may contain errors in sentence formation, word usage and mechanics that are frequent enough to detract from the overall quality of the composition.

  [1]: VERY INADEQUATE - DOES NOT PASS

The composition

• is related to the assigned topic.

• is very difficult to follow.

• may lack a coherent focus.

• is disorganized.

• may contain errors in sentence formation, word usage and mechanics that are frequent enough to detract from the overall quality of the composition.

  [0]: POOR; CAN'T BE EVALUATED

The composition

• is not related to the topic (off topic).  (OT)

• is not readable because it is wholly illegible or incoherent.  (UR)

• is written largely or entirely in a language other than English.  (NE)

• contains an insufficient amount of writing to evaluate.  (IN)

• is non-existent.  (BL)