Engaging Writing: What Does It Mean to Engage Your Reader

Last updated 4/19/2016

 

Visual: Walden logo at bottom of screen along with notepad and pencil background.

Audio: Guitar music.

 

Visual: “Walden University Writing Center. Your writing, grammar, and APA experts” appears in center of screen. Background changes to another notebook on a table, with a person sitting behind it, and a bright orange box. “Engaging Writing— What Does it Mean to Engage Your Reader?” appears in center of screen in a orange box. Slide changes a mostly gray slide with a blue box in the center. In the blue box is the following:

“Engage Your Reader

Engage: “to hold the attention of”

“to attract and hold by influence or power”

“to induce to participate”

The image of the person at the table from the first slide is used here on the bottom left-hand corner as well.

Audio: So first off, we just want to talk about the word “engage.” What does the word “engage” even mean? And, according to Merriam-Webster here, it’s to really grab the attention, hold the attention of, attract or hold by influence or power. And to induce or participate.

I know a lot of times when we talk about writing in an academic sense, we talk about it as a conversation, because really, writing is a form of communication, and communication goes two ways. So you want to be able to invite your readers to participate with you in this academic journey, whether that’s a course paper or a dissertation.

Audio: Guitar music

 

Visual: “Walden University Writing Center. Questions? E-mail writingsupport@mail.waldenu.edu” appears in the center of the screen.