{"id":1672,"date":"2016-10-06T17:15:22","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T17:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/engcomp1-wmopen\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1672"},"modified":"2017-04-30T19:06:26","modified_gmt":"2017-04-30T19:06:26","slug":"writing-in-college","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-engcomp1-wmopen\/chapter\/writing-in-college\/","title":{"raw":"Writing in College","rendered":"Writing in College"},"content":{"raw":"<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul><li>identify common types of writing tasks given in a college class<\/li>\n \t<li>describe the purpose of writing tasks, and what an instructor might expect to see from your work<\/li>\n \t<li>recognize strategies for success on particular types of writing tasks<\/li>\n \t<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Define writing anxiety.&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:15105,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;14&quot;:[null,2,0],&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">define writing anxiety<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Consider this: a recent survey of employers conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that <strong>89 percent<\/strong> of employers say that colleges and universities should place more emphasis on \u201cthe ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.\u201d[footnote]<a href=\"http:\/\/www.aacu.org\/leap\/documents\/2009_EmployerSurvey.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Hart Research Associates. <em>Raising the Bar: Employers\u2019 Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn<\/em>. 20 Jan 2010, p. 9.<\/a>[\/footnote] It was the single-most favored skill in this survey. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">In addition, several of the other valued skills are grounded in written communication: <\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul><li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cCritical thinking and analytical reasoning skills\u201d (81 percent)<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe ability to analyze and solve complex problems\u201d (75 percent)<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe ability to locate, organize, and evaluate information from multiple sources\u201d (68 percent). <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><span class=\"s1\">This emphasis on communication probably reflects the changing reality of work in the professions. Employers also reported that employees will have to \u201ctake on more responsibilities,\u201d \u201cuse a broader set of skills,\u201d \u201cwork harder to coordinate with other departments,\u201d face \u201cmore complex\u201d challenges, and mobilize \u201chigher levels of learning and knowledge.\u201d[footnote] Ibid., p. 5.[\/footnote]<\/span>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you want\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s1\">to be a professional who interacts frequently with others, you have to be someone who can anticipate and solve complex problems and coordinate your work with others,[footnote]<a href=\"http:\/\/www.aacu.org\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/LEAP\/2013_EmployerSurvey.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Hart Research Associates. <em>It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success<\/em>. 10 Apr 2013.<\/a>[\/footnote] all of which depend on effective communication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The pay-off from improving your writing comes much sooner than graduation. Suppose you complete about 40 classes for a 120-credit bachelors\u2019 degree, and\u2014averaging across writing-intensive and non-writing-intensive courses\u2014you produce about 2,500 words of formal writing per class. Even with that low estimate, you\u2019ll write 100,000 words during\u00a0your college career. That\u2019s roughly\u00a0equivalent to a 330-page book.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Spending a few hours sharpening your writing skills will make those 100,000 words much easier and more rewarding to write. All of your professors care about good writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u00a0<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1031\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170621\/15483911602_23fe8ed6b8_z-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Black and white photo of a man writing in a notebook while outstretched on a couch\" width=\"501\" height=\"334\"\/><\/p>\n\n\n<hr\/><h2 class=\"p1\">What to Do With Essay Assignments<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Writing assignments can be as varied as the instructors who assign them. Some assignments are explicit about what exactly you\u2019ll need to do, in what order, and how it will be graded. Some assignments are very open-ended, leaving you to determine the best path toward answering the project. Most fall somewhere in the middle, containing details about some aspects but leaving other assumptions unstated. It\u2019s important to remember that your first resource for getting clarification about an assignment is your instructor\u2014she or he will be very willing to talk out ideas with you, to be sure you\u2019re prepared at each step to do well with the writing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Most writing in college will\u00a0be a direct response to class materials\u2014an assigned reading, a discussion in class, an experiment in a lab. Generally speaking, these writing tasks can be divided into three broad categories.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Summary Assignments<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Being asked to summarize a source is a common task\u00a0in many types of writing. It can also seem like a straightforward task: simply restate, in shorter form, what the source says. A lot of advanced skills are hidden in this seemingly simple assignment, however.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">An effective summary does the\u00a0following:<\/p>\n\n<ul><li class=\"p1\">reflects your accurate understanding of a source\u2019s thesis or purpose<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\">differentiates between major and minor ideas in a source<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\">demonstrates your ability to identify key phrases to quote<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\">demonstrates your ability to effectively paraphrase most of the source\u2019s ideas<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\">captures the tone, style, and distinguishing features of a source<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p1\">does not reflect your personal opinion about the source<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThat last point is often the most challenging: we are opinionated creatures, by nature, and it can be very difficult to keep our opinions from creeping into a summary, which is meant to be completely neutral.\n<p class=\"p1\">In college-level writing, assignments that are <em>only<\/em> summary are rare. That said, many types of writing tasks contain at least some element of summary, from a biology\u00a0report that explains what happened during a\u00a0chemical process, to an analysis essay that requires you to explain\u00a0what several prominent positions about gun control are,\u00a0as a component of\u00a0comparing them against one another.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Defined-Topic Assignments<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Many writing tasks will\u00a0ask you to address a particular topic or a narrow set of topic options. Even with the topic\u00a0identified, however,\u00a0it can sometimes be difficult to determine what aspects of the writing will be most important when it comes to grading.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1001\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170625\/8416811863_758c0eea1d_z-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Young woman sitting on a green sofa with a statistics book next to her, reading another book with pencil in hand\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"\/>Often, the handout or other written text explaining the assignment\u2014what professors call the <strong><span class=\"s1\">assignment prompt<\/span><\/strong>\u2014will explain the purpose of the assignment, the required parameters (length, number and type of sources, referencing style, etc.), and the criteria for evaluation. Sometimes, though\u2014especially when you are new to a field\u2014you will encounter the baffling situation in which you comprehend every single sentence in the prompt but still have absolutely no idea how to approach the assignment. No one is doing anything wrong in a situation like that. It just means that further discussion of the assignment is in order. Below\u00a0are some tips:<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"ol1\"><li class=\"li2\"><strong>Focus on the <\/strong><span class=\"s1\"><strong>verbs<\/strong>. <\/span>Look for verbs like <em>compare, explain, justify, reflect<\/em>, or the all-purpose <em>analyze<\/em>. You\u2019re not just producing a paper as an artifact; you\u2019re conveying, in written communication, some intellectual work you have done. So the question is, what kind of thinking are you supposed to do to deepen your learning?<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Put the assignment in context<\/strong>. Many professors think in terms of <span class=\"s1\">assignment sequences. <\/span>For example, a social science professor may ask you to write about a controversial issue three times: first, arguing for one side of the debate; second, arguing for another; and finally, from a more comprehensive and nuanced perspective, incorporating text produced in the first two assignments. A sequence like that is designed to help you think through a complex issue.\u00a0If the assignment isn\u2019t part of a sequence, think about where it falls in the span of the course (early, midterm, or toward the end), and how it relates to readings and other assignments. For example, if you see that a paper comes at the end of a three-week unit on the role of the Internet in organizational behavior, then your professor likely wants you to synthesize that material in your own way.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Try a free-write<\/strong>. A free-write is when you just write, without stopping, for a set period of time. That doesn\u2019t sound very \u201cfree\u201d; it actually sounds kind of coerced, right? The \u201cfree\u201d part is <i>what <\/i>you write\u2014it can be whatever comes to mind.<span class=\"s1\">Professional writers use free-writing <\/span>to get started on a challenging (or distasteful) writing task or to overcome writer\u2019s block or a powerful urge to procrastinate. The\u00a0idea is that if you just make yourself write, you can\u2019t help but produce some kind of useful nugget. Thus, even if the first eight sentences of your free write are all variations on \u201cI don\u2019t understand this\u201d or \u201cI\u2019d really rather be doing something else,\u201d eventually you\u2019ll write something like \u201cI guess the main point of this is...,\u201d and\u2014booyah!\u2014you\u2019re off and running.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Ask for clarification<\/strong>. Even the most carefully\u00a0crafted assignments may need some verbal clarification, especially if you\u2019re new to a\u00a0course or field.\u00a0Try to convey to your instructor that you want to learn and you\u2019re ready to work, and not just looking for advice on how to get an A.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Although the topic may be defined,\u00a0you can\u2019t just grind out four or five pages of discussion, explanation, or analysis. It may seem strange, but even when you\u2019re asked to \u201cshow how\u201d or \u201cillustrate,\u201d you\u2019re still being asked to make an argument. You must shape and focus that discussion or analysis so that it supports a <b>claim <\/b>that you discovered and formulated and that all of your discussion and explanation develops and supports.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Defined-topic writing assignments are used primarily to identify your familiarity with the subject matter.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Undefined-Topic Assignments<\/h3>\nAnother writing assignment you\u2019ll potentially encounter is one in which\u00a0the topic may be only broadly identified\u00a0(\u201cwater conservation\u201d in an ecology course, for instance, or \u201cthe Dust Bowl\u201d in a U.S. History course), or even completely open (\u201ccompose an argumentative research essay on a subject of your choice\u201d).\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1004\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170627\/8938620135_876a91494f_z-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Sketch of a book with a magnifying glass over text, then a close up of the magnifying glass, over the phrase &quot;every word&quot; then a series of overlapping boxes like a web page layout\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\"\/>Where defined-topic essays demonstrate your knowledge of the <em>content<\/em>, undefined-topic assignments are used to demonstrate your <em>skills\u2014<\/em>your ability to perform academic research, to synthesize ideas, and to apply the various stages of the writing process.\n<p class=\"p1\">The first hurdle with this type of task is to find a focus that interests you. Don\u2019t just pick something you feel will be \u201ceasy to write about\u201d\u2014that almost always turns out to be a false assumption. Instead, you\u2019ll get the most value out of, and find it easier to work on, a topic that intrigues you personally in some way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The same getting-started ideas described for\u00a0defined-topic assignments will help with these kinds of projects, too. \u00a0You can also try talking with your instructor or a writing tutor (at your college\u2019s writing center) to help brainstorm ideas and make sure you\u2019re on track. You want to feel confident that you\u2019ve got a clear idea of what it means to be successful in the writing and not\u00a0waste time working in a direction that won\u2019t be\u00a0fruitful.<\/p>\n\n\n<hr\/><h2 class=\"p1\">Strategies for Writing Success<\/h2>\nThe secret to strong writing, no matter what kind of assignment you've been given, is to apply your personalized version of the <strong>writing process<\/strong> to the task. \u00a0We'll discuss the writing process in greater depth elsewhere\u00a0in this course.\n\nFor now, here are some \"quick-start\" guides for how to approach writing with confidence.\n<h3><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1022\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170629\/5760476367_77ce16bf12_z-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of computer keyboard with blurry fingers\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\"\/>Summaries<\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Start with a Clear Identification of the Work<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This automatically lets your readers know your intentions and that you're covering the work of another author.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Clearly identify (in the present tense) the background information needed for your summary: the type of work, title, author, and main point. Example: <i>In the featured article \"Five Kinds of Learning,\" the author, Holland Oates, justifies his opinion on the hot topic of learning styles -- and adds a few himself.<\/i><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Summarize the Piece as a Whole<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Omit nothing important and strive for overall coherence through appropriate transitions. Write using \"summarizing language.\" Your reader needs to be reminded that this is not your own work. Use phrases like <i>the article claims,<\/i> <i>the author suggests, etc.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Present the material in a neutral fashion.\u00a0Your opinions, ideas, and interpretations should be left in your brain -- don't put them into your summary. Be conscious of choosing your words. Only include what was in the original work.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Be concise. This is a summary -- it should be much shorter than the original piece. If you're working on an article, give yourself a target length of 1\/4 the original article.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Conclude with a Final Statement<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This is not a statement of your own point of view, however; it should reflect the significance of the book or article from the author's standpoint.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Without rewriting the article, summarize what the author wanted to get across. Be careful not to evaluate in the conclusion or insert any of your own assumptions or opinions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><img class=\"alignright wp-image-1024 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170631\/15687953474_2aee55b93e_z-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Photo looking down on a group of students around a table, with several open laptops in front of them\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"\/><h3>Informative and Persuasive Essay\u00a0Assignments<\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Brainstorm<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\">Write down topic\u00a0ideas. \u00a0If you have been assigned a particular topic or focus, it still might be possible to narrow it down, or personalize it to your own interests. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If you have been given an open-ended essay assignment,\u00a0<span class=\"s2\">the topic should be something that allows you to enjoy working with the writing process. Select a topic that you'll want to think about, read about, and write about for several weeks, without getting bored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Research<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you're writing about a subject you're not an expert on and want to make sure you are presenting the topic or information realistically, look up the information or seek out an expert to ask questions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Search for information online. Type your topic into a search engine and sift through the top 10 or 20 results.<\/span>\n<ul class=\"ul2\"><li class=\"li1\"><b\/><span class=\"s1\"><b>Note<\/b>: Be cautious about information you retrieve online, especially if you are writing a research paper or an article that relies on factual information. Internet sources can be unreliable. Published books, or works found in a journal, have to undergo a much more thorough vetting process before they reach publication, and are therefore safer to use as sources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check out a library. Yes, believe it or not, there <i>is<\/i> still information to be found in a library that hasn't made its way to the Web. For an even greater breadth of resources, try a college or university library.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Write a Rough Draft<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It doesn't matter how many spelling errors or weak adjectives you have in it. This copy is just jotting down those random uncategorized thoughts. Write down anything you think of that you want included in your writing, and worry about organizing everything where it belongs later.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>If You're Having Trouble,\u00a0Try F<\/b><span class=\"s2\"><b>reewriting<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Set a timer and write continuously until that time is up. You won't have time to worry about errors and mistakes if you're rushing to get the words out.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Edit for Your Second Draft<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Review the rough draft and begin to put what you've written in the order you'll want it in. Clean up misspellings, grammatical errors and weak writing such as repetitive words. Flesh out the plot and start thinking of anything you want to cut out.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Edit ruthlessly. If it doesn't fit in with the overall thesis, if it's unnecessary, or if you don't like what you've written, cut it out.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check for coherency. Do all parts of the essay\u00a0make sense together? If so, continue. If not, consider revising whatever doesn't fit in.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check for necessity. Do all parts of the essay\u00a0contribute? Does each section give necessary background, advance the argument, address counterarguments, or show potential resolutions?<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check for anything missing. Do the topic\u00a0sub-points flow smoothly into one another, or are there some logical gaps?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Keep Rewriting until You're Ready for a Second Opinion<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This is an important step, as other people will see what you actually wrote, and not just what you <i>think<\/i> you wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Get feedback from people\u00a0whose opinion you respect and trust, and who either read a lot or write themselves.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Ask them to be honest and thorough. Only honest feedback, even if it's a wholesale criticism of your entire story, can make you a better writer.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">If they need some guidance, give them the same questions you've been asking yourself.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">This is particularly critical if any aspect of your essay\u00a0revolves around a technical area in which you're not an expert. Make sure at least one of your readers is an expert in that area.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Join a writer's group in your area or online to share your writing, read others' writing, and provide mutual feedback.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Evaluate the Response You Received<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">You don't have to like or agree with everything that's said to you about your work. On the other hand, if you get the same comment from more than one person, you should probably take it very seriously. Strike a balance between keeping aspects that you want and making changes based on input you trust.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"ul1\"><li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Re-read the essay\u00a0with your readers' comments in the back of your head. Note any gaps, places that need to be cut, or areas needing revision.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Re-write using the insights gained from your readers and from your own subsequent critical reading.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><hr\/><h2>Writing Through Fear<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Writing is an activity that can cause occasional anxiety for anyone, even professional writers.\u00a0The following essay about writing anxiety, by Hillary Wentworth, from the Walden Writing Center, offers insight about how to handle issues surrounding writer's block.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I suppose fall is the perfect time to discuss fear. The leaves are falling, the nights are getting longer, and the kids are preparing ghoulish costumes and tricks for Halloween.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-998\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170633\/8342472924_ff02ac6033_z-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Spooky gnarled tree backlit with moonlight\" width=\"386\" height=\"291\"\/>So here\u2019s my scary story: A few weeks ago, I sat down at my computer to revise an essay draft for an upcoming deadline. This is old hat for me; it\u2019s what I do in my personal life as a creative writer, and it\u2019s what I do in my professional life as a Walden Writing Center instructor. As I was skimming through it, though, a feeling of dread settled in my stomach, I began to sweat, and my pulse raced. I was having full-on panic. About my writing. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This had never happened to me before. Sure, I have been disappointed in my writing, frustrated that I couldn\u2019t get an idea perfectly on paper, but not completely fear-stricken. I Xed out of the Word document and watched <i>Orange Is the New Black<\/i> on Netflix because I couldn\u2019t look at the essay anymore. My mind was too clouded for anything productive to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The experience got me thinking about the role that fear plays in the writing process. Sometimes fear can be a great motivator. It might make us read many more articles than are truly necessary, just so we feel prepared enough to articulate a concept. It might make us stay up into the wee hours to proofread an assignment. But sometimes fear can lead to paralysis. Perhaps your anxiety doesn\u2019t manifest itself as panic at the computer; it could be that you worry about the assignment many days\u2014or even weeks\u2014before it is due.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">Here are some tips to help:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<ol><li class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Interrogate your fear<\/b>. Ask yourself why you are afraid. Is it because you fear failure, success, or judgment? Has it been a while since you\u2019ve written academically, and so this new style of writing is mysterious to you?<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p4\"><b>Write through it<\/b>. We all know the best way to work through a problem is to confront it. So sit at your desk, look at the screen, and write. You might not even write your assignment at first. Type anything\u2014a reflection on your day, why writing gives you anxiety, your favorite foods. Sitting there and typing will help you become more comfortable with the prospect of more.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p4\"><b>Give it a rest<\/b>. This was my approach. After realizing that I was having an adverse reaction, I called it quits for the day, which ultimately helped reset my brain.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p4\"><b>Find comfort in ritual and reward<\/b>. Getting comfortable with writing might involve establishing a ritual (a time of day, a place, a song, a warm-up activity, or even food or drink) to get yourself into the writing zone. If you accomplish a goal or write for a set amount of time, reward yourself.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p4\"><b>Remember that knowledge is power.<\/b> Sometimes the only way to assuage our fear is to know more. Perhaps you want to learn about the writing process to make it less intimidating. Check out the Writing Center\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/writingcenter.waldenu.edu\/Writing-Resources.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">website<\/span><\/a> for tips and tutorials that will increase your confidence. You can also always ask your instructor questions about the assignment.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p4\"><b>Break it down. <\/b>If you feel overwhelmed about the amount of pages or the vastness of the assignment, break it up into small chunks. For example, write one little section of the paper at a time.<\/li>\n \t<li class=\"p4\"><b>Buddy up. <\/b>Maybe you just need someone with whom to share your fears\u2014and your writing. Ask a classmate to be a study buddy or join an eCampus group.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The writing centers at the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/writingcenter.unc.edu\/handouts\/writing-anxiety\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/writing2.richmond.edu\/writing\/wweb\/writinganxiety.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">University of Richmond<\/span><\/a>, as well as the news site\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/advice\/2012\/10\/10\/essay-conquering-writing-anxiety\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">Inside Higher Ed<\/span><\/a>, also have helpful articles on writing anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<hr\/><h2 class=\"p1\">Self-Check<\/h2>\nhttps:\/\/assessments.lumenlearning.com\/assessments\/1245","rendered":"<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>identify common types of writing tasks given in a college class<\/li>\n<li>describe the purpose of writing tasks, and what an instructor might expect to see from your work<\/li>\n<li>recognize strategies for success on particular types of writing tasks<\/li>\n<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Define writing anxiety.&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:15105,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;14&quot;:[null,2,0],&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">define writing anxiety<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Consider this: a recent survey of employers conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that <strong>89 percent<\/strong> of employers say that colleges and universities should place more emphasis on \u201cthe ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Hart Research Associates. Raising the Bar: Employers\u2019 Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn. 20 Jan 2010, p. 9.\" id=\"return-footnote-1672-1\" href=\"#footnote-1672-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a> It was the single-most favored skill in this survey. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">In addition, several of the other valued skills are grounded in written communication: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cCritical thinking and analytical reasoning skills\u201d (81 percent)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe ability to analyze and solve complex problems\u201d (75 percent)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe ability to locate, organize, and evaluate information from multiple sources\u201d (68 percent). <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"s1\">This emphasis on communication probably reflects the changing reality of work in the professions. Employers also reported that employees will have to \u201ctake on more responsibilities,\u201d \u201cuse a broader set of skills,\u201d \u201cwork harder to coordinate with other departments,\u201d face \u201cmore complex\u201d challenges, and mobilize \u201chigher levels of learning and knowledge.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Ibid., p. 5.\" id=\"return-footnote-1672-2\" href=\"#footnote-1672-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you want\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s1\">to be a professional who interacts frequently with others, you have to be someone who can anticipate and solve complex problems and coordinate your work with others,<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Hart Research Associates. It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success. 10 Apr 2013.\" id=\"return-footnote-1672-3\" href=\"#footnote-1672-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a> all of which depend on effective communication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The pay-off from improving your writing comes much sooner than graduation. Suppose you complete about 40 classes for a 120-credit bachelors\u2019 degree, and\u2014averaging across writing-intensive and non-writing-intensive courses\u2014you produce about 2,500 words of formal writing per class. Even with that low estimate, you\u2019ll write 100,000 words during\u00a0your college career. That\u2019s roughly\u00a0equivalent to a 330-page book.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Spending a few hours sharpening your writing skills will make those 100,000 words much easier and more rewarding to write. All of your professors care about good writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1031\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170621\/15483911602_23fe8ed6b8_z-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Black and white photo of a man writing in a notebook while outstretched on a couch\" width=\"501\" height=\"334\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 class=\"p1\">What to Do With Essay Assignments<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Writing assignments can be as varied as the instructors who assign them. Some assignments are explicit about what exactly you\u2019ll need to do, in what order, and how it will be graded. Some assignments are very open-ended, leaving you to determine the best path toward answering the project. Most fall somewhere in the middle, containing details about some aspects but leaving other assumptions unstated. It\u2019s important to remember that your first resource for getting clarification about an assignment is your instructor\u2014she or he will be very willing to talk out ideas with you, to be sure you\u2019re prepared at each step to do well with the writing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Most writing in college will\u00a0be a direct response to class materials\u2014an assigned reading, a discussion in class, an experiment in a lab. Generally speaking, these writing tasks can be divided into three broad categories.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Summary Assignments<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Being asked to summarize a source is a common task\u00a0in many types of writing. It can also seem like a straightforward task: simply restate, in shorter form, what the source says. A lot of advanced skills are hidden in this seemingly simple assignment, however.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">An effective summary does the\u00a0following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\">reflects your accurate understanding of a source\u2019s thesis or purpose<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">differentiates between major and minor ideas in a source<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">demonstrates your ability to identify key phrases to quote<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">demonstrates your ability to effectively paraphrase most of the source\u2019s ideas<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">captures the tone, style, and distinguishing features of a source<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">does not reflect your personal opinion about the source<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That last point is often the most challenging: we are opinionated creatures, by nature, and it can be very difficult to keep our opinions from creeping into a summary, which is meant to be completely neutral.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In college-level writing, assignments that are <em>only<\/em> summary are rare. That said, many types of writing tasks contain at least some element of summary, from a biology\u00a0report that explains what happened during a\u00a0chemical process, to an analysis essay that requires you to explain\u00a0what several prominent positions about gun control are,\u00a0as a component of\u00a0comparing them against one another.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Defined-Topic Assignments<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Many writing tasks will\u00a0ask you to address a particular topic or a narrow set of topic options. Even with the topic\u00a0identified, however,\u00a0it can sometimes be difficult to determine what aspects of the writing will be most important when it comes to grading.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1001\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170625\/8416811863_758c0eea1d_z-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Young woman sitting on a green sofa with a statistics book next to her, reading another book with pencil in hand\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Often, the handout or other written text explaining the assignment\u2014what professors call the <strong><span class=\"s1\">assignment prompt<\/span><\/strong>\u2014will explain the purpose of the assignment, the required parameters (length, number and type of sources, referencing style, etc.), and the criteria for evaluation. Sometimes, though\u2014especially when you are new to a field\u2014you will encounter the baffling situation in which you comprehend every single sentence in the prompt but still have absolutely no idea how to approach the assignment. No one is doing anything wrong in a situation like that. It just means that further discussion of the assignment is in order. Below\u00a0are some tips:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"ol1\">\n<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Focus on the <\/strong><span class=\"s1\"><strong>verbs<\/strong>. <\/span>Look for verbs like <em>compare, explain, justify, reflect<\/em>, or the all-purpose <em>analyze<\/em>. You\u2019re not just producing a paper as an artifact; you\u2019re conveying, in written communication, some intellectual work you have done. So the question is, what kind of thinking are you supposed to do to deepen your learning?<\/li>\n<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Put the assignment in context<\/strong>. Many professors think in terms of <span class=\"s1\">assignment sequences. <\/span>For example, a social science professor may ask you to write about a controversial issue three times: first, arguing for one side of the debate; second, arguing for another; and finally, from a more comprehensive and nuanced perspective, incorporating text produced in the first two assignments. A sequence like that is designed to help you think through a complex issue.\u00a0If the assignment isn\u2019t part of a sequence, think about where it falls in the span of the course (early, midterm, or toward the end), and how it relates to readings and other assignments. For example, if you see that a paper comes at the end of a three-week unit on the role of the Internet in organizational behavior, then your professor likely wants you to synthesize that material in your own way.<\/li>\n<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Try a free-write<\/strong>. A free-write is when you just write, without stopping, for a set period of time. That doesn\u2019t sound very \u201cfree\u201d; it actually sounds kind of coerced, right? The \u201cfree\u201d part is <i>what <\/i>you write\u2014it can be whatever comes to mind.<span class=\"s1\">Professional writers use free-writing <\/span>to get started on a challenging (or distasteful) writing task or to overcome writer\u2019s block or a powerful urge to procrastinate. The\u00a0idea is that if you just make yourself write, you can\u2019t help but produce some kind of useful nugget. Thus, even if the first eight sentences of your free write are all variations on \u201cI don\u2019t understand this\u201d or \u201cI\u2019d really rather be doing something else,\u201d eventually you\u2019ll write something like \u201cI guess the main point of this is&#8230;,\u201d and\u2014booyah!\u2014you\u2019re off and running.<\/li>\n<li class=\"li2\"><strong>Ask for clarification<\/strong>. Even the most carefully\u00a0crafted assignments may need some verbal clarification, especially if you\u2019re new to a\u00a0course or field.\u00a0Try to convey to your instructor that you want to learn and you\u2019re ready to work, and not just looking for advice on how to get an A.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Although the topic may be defined,\u00a0you can\u2019t just grind out four or five pages of discussion, explanation, or analysis. It may seem strange, but even when you\u2019re asked to \u201cshow how\u201d or \u201cillustrate,\u201d you\u2019re still being asked to make an argument. You must shape and focus that discussion or analysis so that it supports a <b>claim <\/b>that you discovered and formulated and that all of your discussion and explanation develops and supports.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Defined-topic writing assignments are used primarily to identify your familiarity with the subject matter.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Undefined-Topic Assignments<\/h3>\n<p>Another writing assignment you\u2019ll potentially encounter is one in which\u00a0the topic may be only broadly identified\u00a0(\u201cwater conservation\u201d in an ecology course, for instance, or \u201cthe Dust Bowl\u201d in a U.S. History course), or even completely open (\u201ccompose an argumentative research essay on a subject of your choice\u201d).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1004\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170627\/8938620135_876a91494f_z-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Sketch of a book with a magnifying glass over text, then a close up of the magnifying glass, over the phrase &quot;every word&quot; then a series of overlapping boxes like a web page layout\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>Where defined-topic essays demonstrate your knowledge of the <em>content<\/em>, undefined-topic assignments are used to demonstrate your <em>skills\u2014<\/em>your ability to perform academic research, to synthesize ideas, and to apply the various stages of the writing process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The first hurdle with this type of task is to find a focus that interests you. Don\u2019t just pick something you feel will be \u201ceasy to write about\u201d\u2014that almost always turns out to be a false assumption. Instead, you\u2019ll get the most value out of, and find it easier to work on, a topic that intrigues you personally in some way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The same getting-started ideas described for\u00a0defined-topic assignments will help with these kinds of projects, too. \u00a0You can also try talking with your instructor or a writing tutor (at your college\u2019s writing center) to help brainstorm ideas and make sure you\u2019re on track. You want to feel confident that you\u2019ve got a clear idea of what it means to be successful in the writing and not\u00a0waste time working in a direction that won\u2019t be\u00a0fruitful.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 class=\"p1\">Strategies for Writing Success<\/h2>\n<p>The secret to strong writing, no matter what kind of assignment you&#8217;ve been given, is to apply your personalized version of the <strong>writing process<\/strong> to the task. \u00a0We&#8217;ll discuss the writing process in greater depth elsewhere\u00a0in this course.<\/p>\n<p>For now, here are some &#8220;quick-start&#8221; guides for how to approach writing with confidence.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1022\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170629\/5760476367_77ce16bf12_z-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of computer keyboard with blurry fingers\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/>Summaries<\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Start with a Clear Identification of the Work<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This automatically lets your readers know your intentions and that you&#8217;re covering the work of another author.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Clearly identify (in the present tense) the background information needed for your summary: the type of work, title, author, and main point. Example: <i>In the featured article &#8220;Five Kinds of Learning,&#8221; the author, Holland Oates, justifies his opinion on the hot topic of learning styles &#8212; and adds a few himself.<\/i><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Summarize the Piece as a Whole<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Omit nothing important and strive for overall coherence through appropriate transitions. Write using &#8220;summarizing language.&#8221; Your reader needs to be reminded that this is not your own work. Use phrases like <i>the article claims,<\/i> <i>the author suggests, etc.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Present the material in a neutral fashion.\u00a0Your opinions, ideas, and interpretations should be left in your brain &#8212; don&#8217;t put them into your summary. Be conscious of choosing your words. Only include what was in the original work.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Be concise. This is a summary &#8212; it should be much shorter than the original piece. If you&#8217;re working on an article, give yourself a target length of 1\/4 the original article.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Conclude with a Final Statement<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This is not a statement of your own point of view, however; it should reflect the significance of the book or article from the author&#8217;s standpoint.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Without rewriting the article, summarize what the author wanted to get across. Be careful not to evaluate in the conclusion or insert any of your own assumptions or opinions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1024 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170631\/15687953474_2aee55b93e_z-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Photo looking down on a group of students around a table, with several open laptops in front of them\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Informative and Persuasive Essay\u00a0Assignments<\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Brainstorm<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\">Write down topic\u00a0ideas. \u00a0If you have been assigned a particular topic or focus, it still might be possible to narrow it down, or personalize it to your own interests. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If you have been given an open-ended essay assignment,\u00a0<span class=\"s2\">the topic should be something that allows you to enjoy working with the writing process. Select a topic that you&#8217;ll want to think about, read about, and write about for several weeks, without getting bored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Research<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you&#8217;re writing about a subject you&#8217;re not an expert on and want to make sure you are presenting the topic or information realistically, look up the information or seek out an expert to ask questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Search for information online. Type your topic into a search engine and sift through the top 10 or 20 results.<\/span>\n<ul class=\"ul2\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><b><span class=\"s1\"><b>Note<\/b>: Be cautious about information you retrieve online, especially if you are writing a research paper or an article that relies on factual information. Internet sources can be unreliable. Published books, or works found in a journal, have to undergo a much more thorough vetting process before they reach publication, and are therefore safer to use as sources.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check out a library. Yes, believe it or not, there <i>is<\/i> still information to be found in a library that hasn&#8217;t made its way to the Web. For an even greater breadth of resources, try a college or university library.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Write a Rough Draft<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It doesn&#8217;t matter how many spelling errors or weak adjectives you have in it. This copy is just jotting down those random uncategorized thoughts. Write down anything you think of that you want included in your writing, and worry about organizing everything where it belongs later.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>If You&#8217;re Having Trouble,\u00a0Try F<\/b><span class=\"s2\"><b>reewriting<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Set a timer and write continuously until that time is up. You won&#8217;t have time to worry about errors and mistakes if you&#8217;re rushing to get the words out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Edit for Your Second Draft<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Review the rough draft and begin to put what you&#8217;ve written in the order you&#8217;ll want it in. Clean up misspellings, grammatical errors and weak writing such as repetitive words. Flesh out the plot and start thinking of anything you want to cut out.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Edit ruthlessly. If it doesn&#8217;t fit in with the overall thesis, if it&#8217;s unnecessary, or if you don&#8217;t like what you&#8217;ve written, cut it out.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check for coherency. Do all parts of the essay\u00a0make sense together? If so, continue. If not, consider revising whatever doesn&#8217;t fit in.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check for necessity. Do all parts of the essay\u00a0contribute? Does each section give necessary background, advance the argument, address counterarguments, or show potential resolutions?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Check for anything missing. Do the topic\u00a0sub-points flow smoothly into one another, or are there some logical gaps?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Keep Rewriting until You&#8217;re Ready for a Second Opinion<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This is an important step, as other people will see what you actually wrote, and not just what you <i>think<\/i> you wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Get feedback from people\u00a0whose opinion you respect and trust, and who either read a lot or write themselves.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Ask them to be honest and thorough. Only honest feedback, even if it&#8217;s a wholesale criticism of your entire story, can make you a better writer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">If they need some guidance, give them the same questions you&#8217;ve been asking yourself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">This is particularly critical if any aspect of your essay\u00a0revolves around a technical area in which you&#8217;re not an expert. Make sure at least one of your readers is an expert in that area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Join a writer&#8217;s group in your area or online to share your writing, read others&#8217; writing, and provide mutual feedback.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Evaluate the Response You Received<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">You don&#8217;t have to like or agree with everything that&#8217;s said to you about your work. On the other hand, if you get the same comment from more than one person, you should probably take it very seriously. Strike a balance between keeping aspects that you want and making changes based on input you trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Re-read the essay\u00a0with your readers&#8217; comments in the back of your head. Note any gaps, places that need to be cut, or areas needing revision.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Re-write using the insights gained from your readers and from your own subsequent critical reading.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Writing Through Fear<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Writing is an activity that can cause occasional anxiety for anyone, even professional writers.\u00a0The following essay about writing anxiety, by Hillary Wentworth, from the Walden Writing Center, offers insight about how to handle issues surrounding writer&#8217;s block.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I suppose fall is the perfect time to discuss fear. The leaves are falling, the nights are getting longer, and the kids are preparing ghoulish costumes and tricks for Halloween.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-998\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2016\/10\/06170633\/8342472924_ff02ac6033_z-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Spooky gnarled tree backlit with moonlight\" width=\"386\" height=\"291\" \/>So here\u2019s my scary story: A few weeks ago, I sat down at my computer to revise an essay draft for an upcoming deadline. This is old hat for me; it\u2019s what I do in my personal life as a creative writer, and it\u2019s what I do in my professional life as a Walden Writing Center instructor. As I was skimming through it, though, a feeling of dread settled in my stomach, I began to sweat, and my pulse raced. I was having full-on panic. About my writing. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This had never happened to me before. Sure, I have been disappointed in my writing, frustrated that I couldn\u2019t get an idea perfectly on paper, but not completely fear-stricken. I Xed out of the Word document and watched <i>Orange Is the New Black<\/i> on Netflix because I couldn\u2019t look at the essay anymore. My mind was too clouded for anything productive to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The experience got me thinking about the role that fear plays in the writing process. Sometimes fear can be a great motivator. It might make us read many more articles than are truly necessary, just so we feel prepared enough to articulate a concept. It might make us stay up into the wee hours to proofread an assignment. But sometimes fear can lead to paralysis. Perhaps your anxiety doesn\u2019t manifest itself as panic at the computer; it could be that you worry about the assignment many days\u2014or even weeks\u2014before it is due.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">Here are some tips to help:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Interrogate your fear<\/b>. Ask yourself why you are afraid. Is it because you fear failure, success, or judgment? Has it been a while since you\u2019ve written academically, and so this new style of writing is mysterious to you?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p4\"><b>Write through it<\/b>. We all know the best way to work through a problem is to confront it. So sit at your desk, look at the screen, and write. You might not even write your assignment at first. Type anything\u2014a reflection on your day, why writing gives you anxiety, your favorite foods. Sitting there and typing will help you become more comfortable with the prospect of more.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p4\"><b>Give it a rest<\/b>. This was my approach. After realizing that I was having an adverse reaction, I called it quits for the day, which ultimately helped reset my brain.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p4\"><b>Find comfort in ritual and reward<\/b>. Getting comfortable with writing might involve establishing a ritual (a time of day, a place, a song, a warm-up activity, or even food or drink) to get yourself into the writing zone. If you accomplish a goal or write for a set amount of time, reward yourself.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p4\"><b>Remember that knowledge is power.<\/b> Sometimes the only way to assuage our fear is to know more. Perhaps you want to learn about the writing process to make it less intimidating. Check out the Writing Center\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/writingcenter.waldenu.edu\/Writing-Resources.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">website<\/span><\/a> for tips and tutorials that will increase your confidence. You can also always ask your instructor questions about the assignment.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p4\"><b>Break it down. <\/b>If you feel overwhelmed about the amount of pages or the vastness of the assignment, break it up into small chunks. For example, write one little section of the paper at a time.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p4\"><b>Buddy up. <\/b>Maybe you just need someone with whom to share your fears\u2014and your writing. Ask a classmate to be a study buddy or join an eCampus group.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The writing centers at the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/writingcenter.unc.edu\/handouts\/writing-anxiety\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/writing2.richmond.edu\/writing\/wweb\/writinganxiety.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">University of Richmond<\/span><\/a>, as well as the news site\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/advice\/2012\/10\/10\/essay-conquering-writing-anxiety\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"s2\">Inside Higher Ed<\/span><\/a>, also have helpful articles on writing anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 class=\"p1\">Self-Check<\/h2>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"lumen_assessment_1245\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assessments.lumenlearning.com\/assessments\/load?assessment_id=1245&#38;embed=1&#38;external_user_id=&#38;external_context_id=&#38;iframe_resize_id=lumen_assessment_1245\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:400px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1672\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Outcome: Writing in College. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Self-Check. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Amy Guptill. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: SUNY Open Textbooks. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/textbooks.opensuny.org\/writing-in-college-from-competence-to-excellence\/\">http:\/\/textbooks.opensuny.org\/writing-in-college-from-competence-to-excellence\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of man writing. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Matt Zhang. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/pAg6t9\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/pAg6t9<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives <\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Writing Strategies. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/lumencollegesuccess\/chapter\/writing-strategies\/\">https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/lumencollegesuccess\/chapter\/writing-strategies\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of woman reading. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Aaron Osborne. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/dPLmVV\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/dPLmVV<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of sketches of magnifying glass. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Matt Cornock. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/eBSLmg\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/eBSLmg<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>How to Write a Summary. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: WikiHow. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Write-a-Summary\">http:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Write-a-Summary<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>How to Write. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: WikiHow. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Write\">http:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Write<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of typing. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Kiran Foster. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/9M2WW4\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/9M2WW4<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of students at table. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Leo Hidalgo. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/pUhS1s\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/pUhS1s<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Writing Through Fear. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Hillary Wentworth. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Walden Writing Center. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com\/2013\/10\/writing-through-fear.html\">http:\/\/waldenwritingcenter.blogspot.com\/2013\/10\/writing-through-fear.html<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives <\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of tree. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Broo_am (Andy B). <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/dHcmy5\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/dHcmy5<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives <\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-1672-1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aacu.org\/leap\/documents\/2009_EmployerSurvey.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Hart Research Associates. <em>Raising the Bar: Employers\u2019 Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn<\/em>. 20 Jan 2010, p. 9.<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-1672-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1672-2\"> Ibid., p. 5. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1672-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1672-3\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aacu.org\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/LEAP\/2013_EmployerSurvey.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Hart Research Associates. <em>It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success<\/em>. 10 Apr 2013.<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-1672-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":19,"menu_order":5,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence\",\"author\":\"Amy Guptill\",\"organization\":\"SUNY Open Textbooks\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/textbooks.opensuny.org\/writing-in-college-from-competence-to-excellence\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Image of man writing\",\"author\":\"Matt Zhang\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/pAg6t9\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-nd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Outcome: Writing in College\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Lumen 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