Tips and Tricks

Writing Tips and Tricks

Use this website to get practice in writing: https://shorelight.com/student-stories/essay-writing-tips-for-international-students/

If you are an international student for whom writing may not be the first language, practice is key! This link highlights how to create an essay outline (including introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs), research tips, thesis statement assistance, and understanding essay prompts. It is a wonderful tool for absorbing different writing styles with which you may not be familiar, and one that we highly recommend!

Revise your paper by reading aloud!

If it doesn't sound right aloud, It is probably incorrect!

Ideas and Examples:

1) Read aloud to yourself, a peer, a parent, anyone!

Using a third party can help give you more insight into how to rework your writing.

2) Use voice to text applications

Sometimes hearing your paper read back to you can help highlight errors you might naturally gloss over.

Paloma

The more you write, the better you get at expressing your complicated thoughts.

Don't expect it to be perfect on the first try. Express your ideas and then refine them.

Creating multiple drafts of your works helps you lay out different ideas and create revision progress

example

https://writeandimprove.com/

The website gives you prompts ranging from beginner to intermediate to advanced, and you can time your writing to see how long you take to complete the prompts. The website gives you feedback on your writing as well, so you can know how to improve it. In addition, you can keep track of your progress if you create an account.

Writing Tips For International Student

Use this website to get practice in writing:

https://writeandimprove.com/

WRITE MORE EVERYDAY

The more you write, the better you get at expressing your complicated thoughts.

Don't expect it to be perfect on the first try. Express your ideas and then refine them.

WATCH SHOWS IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE WITH SUBTITLES

Have English subtitles and read the subtitles while watching the show.

This will help you see how sentences are worded differently in English, and will help your mind have an easier time with learning more English.

After watching the show, try to write a short summary about what the episode was about in English.

USE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/grammar

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/150-writing-resources/

BECOME A TRANSLATOR

Try translating a piece of writing into your native language. Pay attention to the structure of the story, new word choices and the way the author uses language transitions. Then apply these discoveries when writing for your school assignments.

Translating between English and your native language gives you a clearer sense of English and the proper way to use certain words, phrases and idioms.

ASK OTHERS TO PROOFREAD YOUR WRITING

Come and see the writing tutors at the Learning Center so we can help you proofread your writing.

By having someone else take a look at your writing, mistakes can be caught and learning can take place.

PATIENCE IS KEY

Writing can be a frustrating task, but remember that it is a process.

Start assignments early so that you have more time to finish them.

Do not try to rush your writing. Remember to take breaks often to unwind and give your mind a break.

Created by: Gurleen Chahal (Monthly Project March 2018)

This is a helpful website that can assist you with more tips and advice:

https://writingcooperative.com/how-to-improve-your-writing-skills-in-a-foreign-language-aa724b62993f

1. Look at mistakes as learning opportunities

2. Use grammar and spell checker to edit your writing

3. Think in the foreign language while you write

4. Become an AVID reader

5. Create your own phrasebook

6. Study the grammar

7. Learn how to write with style

8. Ask a native speaker to edit your writing

9. Practice practice practice!

10. Take a deep breath and realize it doesn't develop in one day