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Knowing where to even begin can sometimes be the hardest part of developing your writing skills. OASIS has a wide variety of resources and services to support you in your growth as a writer, however it is not uncommon to feel a little overwhelmed by the options. The following is a list of 10 writing tips that can support you as you begin your journey as an academic writer.

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Understand the Requirements of the Assignment

Before doing anything else, your first goal when starting a new writing assignment should always be to thoroughly understand what is expected of you. Be sure to consult the assignment prompt, the rubric, and any additional notes your instructor may have given before getting to work on your response. If you are unclear about anything, be sure to ask your instructor as early as possible to ensure you are on the right track from the very start.

For guidance when it comes to decoding assignment prompts, see Understanding the Assignment.

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Know What is Expected at Your Course Level

In addition to the specific requirements of any given assignment, you will also find that the level of writing expected of you will depend on where you are in your program. Earlier courses at the 1000 level will be opportunities for you to develop more basic writing skills, but as you move on to 2000, 3000, and 4000 level courses your writing will need to meet a higher standard.

To understand just how these standards change depending on your course level, see Academic Writing Expectations.

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Think About Writing as a Process

It can be easy to think of writing as a singular thing, something you do in one step. However, effective writing is most easily approached as a process that involves steps you take before you write a single word, methods to use while you are writing, and tools you can use to revise your paper after you’ve completed a draft. Understanding this process can make any writing project a little less stressful to complete

For more detailed guidance on what the writing process should look like for you, see Undergraduate Resources: Writing.

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Have an Argument in Mind from the Start

Most writing assignments you will need to complete will be about more than just reporting facts. Effective writing is centered on making a specific point, often called an argument, and backing it up with trusted outside sources. Make this argument clear at the start of any paper and be sure that every paragraph you write and every source you use in some way serves to fulfill this same purpose.

If you would like to learn more about how to center your paper around a particular argument, see Academic Arguments and consult Using Evidence for support in incorporating sources into your work.

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Strive for an Academic Tone in Your Writing

The tone you use when writing for an academic audience, like your instructor and your classmates, is going to look a little different than the tone you may use in other settings. This will take time to master but starting as early as possible to write clearly and concisely, avoid jargon and slang, and format your paper properly, will make the arguments you make in your writing more compelling.

To learn to develop a more academic tone in your writing, see Tone and to find a writing template to make some of the formatting easier see Writing Templates.

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Strengthen your Grammar and Sentence Structure Skills

Writing clearly starts at the sentence level. Ensuring that the grammar and punctuation of your sentences, as well as their structure and conciseness, all adhere to the conventions of Standard Academic English will make your points easier to follow and your writing more compelling to academic audiences.

For a refresher on grammar and sentence structure, see Grammar and Sentence Structure but also consider installing Grammarly, software provided by Walden to support you in your writing

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Structure Your Paragraphs Effectively

There are many different methods to building strong paragraphs, but one common model used at Walden is the MEAL Plan. Feel free to experiment with other ways to structure your paragraphs but the core elements remain the same: center your paragraphs around a central idea that serves your overall argument and use evidence to support that idea before transitioning into your next paragraph.

To learn more about how following the MEAL Plan can improve your paragraphs see MEAL Plan.

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Keep Academic Integrity in Mind

Academic integrity means always ensuring that all outside sources used in your writing are properly given credit and that all work presented as your own is fully and truly your own. Providing citations and references for all your evidence is useful both for the sake of the original authors who deserve credit, and for your reader who may want to learn more about the sources you used.

A great place to start when learning more about academic integrity in your writing is Writing with Integrity.

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Look for Feedback and Apply It

The point of every writing assignment is to learn and grow. You will often receive feedback from your instructor when your work has been graded so be sure to keep those notes in mind for future assignments. Another opportunity for feedback before an assignment is due, is OASIS’ paper review service, where you can receive asynchronous notes on your writing for any assignment.

To learn more about how you can get the most out of feedback, see Revising Based on Feedback. For more information on receiving a paper review, see Paper Reviews.

Familiarize Yourself with Useful Writing Resources

The previous 9 tips have each given you one or two resources found on the OASIS website that can help you with a range of writing topics. However, you are likely to encounter other questions at some point and it’s very likely OASIS can help you with those as well so familiarizing yourself with all the resources available to you on the OASIS website will surely come in handy some day.

For OASIS’ page on writing skills, see OASIS Writing Homepage or, if you’re looking for a more curated page for Undergraduate writing you may want to visit Undergraduate Writing Resources as well.