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Overview
Overview
Writing is a journey with many stops, and we're here to help you from first thought to final draft. Writing is not an easy process for anyone, academic writing is especially challenging. We have gathered the following resources to help familiarize you with the writing context and process at the college level.
These resources will help you with your pre-writing/planning and understanding what to do before you begin your paper, including different ways to brainstorm and outline. You will also find resources about items to consider when you start writing the essay, and we discuss your post-writing options for evaluating your writing, such as self-editing techniques. Lastly, we provide you with information about how/where to seek out opportunities to get feedback about your writing--an important step to take throughout the process.
Pre-Writing
Pre-Writing
Some people like to start writing immediately, but others might find it hard to start writing. Pre-writing includes things you can do before you write the paper to help you understand the prompt, generate ideas, or organize your thoughts. If you are not sure where to start, then let this section help you out.
Outlining
Outlining
Ideas can go in many different directions, but if we randomly write every idea down on paper, then we don't stay focused on our topic (the prompt). Before writing your paper, outlining can help us organize our many ideas while keeping the goal in mind. Some say that writing is much easier once the ideas are written and organized.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Analyzing
Your Prompt
Analyzing
Your Prompt
Sometimes reading a prompt once is not enough to understand it, or we sometimes get so caught up in our many ideas that we forget what we were writing. Try some of these strategies to help make answering the prompt easier.
Writing Center Resource
External Resources
Brainstorming
Brainstorming
Storms usually refer to thunder, wind, and chaos. But, brainstorms are a good thing! Letting your brain be free to come up with any/all ideas is a great way to give yourself options. Let's use the energy from a storm's chaos to create your ideas.
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Crafting a Thesis
Crafting a Thesis
"So, what is your thesis?" is something you may often hear from your professor or writing tutor. The thesis is important because it the main argument of your paper and helps guide the reader to what your paper will be about. Here are some resources to help you form your thesis. Remember, however, that you can write your thesis any time during your writing process. As you develop your essay, it will probably need to be edited and refined.
Writing Center Resource
External Resources
Visual Mapping
Visual Mapping
Some people find a wall or list of words to be confusing or daunting. Instead of using walls of words, let's draw your ideas out. Visual mapping or graphic organizers can help you see how your ideas are organized or related. Let the resources below help you create a great map.
Writing Center Resource
External Resources
Creating a
Research Matrix
Creating a
Research Matrix
You might find that you have found a stack of research papers you want to include in your literature review or use in your research paper. You may feel overwhelmed and wonder how to proceed with all of them. Let the research matrix help you! The research matrix will help you identify how ideas in research are related to one another. The resources here will have you creating a helpful matrix.
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During Your Writing
During Your Writing
So, you finished all the heavy brainstorming and planning. You're now prepared to start writing your paper. As you write, there are items you can pay attention to, such as the type of writing, the parts of your essay, and your tone.
Types of Writing
Types of Writing
As you write, focusing on what exactly you are writing will help you stay on track. For instance, you would not write a fictional short story like you would a business memo. The type of writing will determine how the piece is written. Try to understand what type of assignment you are working on and how it is structured and formatted. These resources will have you on track in no time.
Writing Center Resources
Parts of Essays
Parts of Essays
As you write, you might consider how a paragraph fits into your paper. You might also consider what information should be placed in what section of the essay. Would it fit better in the introduction, body, or conclusion? Each part of your paper has a specific purpose, and the resources below will help you sort them out.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Writing Tone
Writing Tone
"What's up, professor?" is something you would rarely send to your professor or put in your personal statement because it is too casual. Different tones are used in different types of writing. The resources below will help you understand how you sound to your reader.
For more information on academic language, check out our page here.
External Resources
Post-Writing
Post-Writing
Now the writing is done, but there are additional steps to take before you turn in your paper. You want to check for any mistakes and see if it makes sense. It is rare that a paper is perfect right after writing it. All writers take time to look over their papers because too many mistakes can make it hard to read. This section includes steps you can take to improve your writing after it is written.
Editing
Editing
After you've written your paper, it will likely still need some revisions. When you edit, look for any problems that impact clarity. This means reading sentences or paragraphs with a big picture perspective. You want to ensure, for instance, that all your main ideas link back to your thesis. These resources can help you during the editing process.
Writing Center Resources
External Resources
Proofreading
Proofreading
Proofreading will help you fix minor, sentence-level issues in your writing. Sometimes a small mistake like a misspelling or a missed comma can change your intended meaning or look unprofessional. The resources here can help you develop some useful proofreading strategies.
Writing Center Resource
External Resources
Reading Aloud
Reading Aloud
Here at the Writing Center, we have students read their papers aloud because hearing it can often help them identify mistakes. However, you don't need to be working with a tutor to read your paper aloud--it's a good strategy to use on your own as you are editing and proofreading your work. Here are some resources on how you can read your paper aloud.
External Resources
Getting Feedback
Getting Feedback
At any point in the writing process, it's a good idea to get feedback from someone else. Since you are close to your own writing, it's easier to overlook issues with clarity and coherence. Something that is clear to you might not be clear to your reader. There are a few different types of resources you can use to seek feedback--from your professor to writing tutors to your peers--and they are each valuable. Read on to discover more details about how to engage in getting feedback about your writing.
Ask Your Professor
Ask Your Professor
If you have a question about the paper's idea, format, or relevance to your argument, your professor is a great resource. Because they will grade your paper, they are a great source to answer your questions. However, you'll want to keep the emails to them professional. Remember, your professor has many students contacting them, so providing all relevant information can help them answer your questions more easily. Also make sure not to ask something that is already clear in the syllabus or the prompt sheet. Use some of the practices outlined in the resources below when you decide to reach out to your professor.
Writing Center Resource
External Resources
Visit the SJSU Writing Center
Visit the SJSU Writing Center
As you are working on your writing--during all phases of the writing process--you might want help from a tutor. The SJSU Writing Center is here to assist you from first thought to final draft. We do not edit papers, but we provide so much more! The resources below are the main resources we offer to SJSU students. From a quick question to an intensive one-on-one session, we are here to help.
Writing Center Resources
Engage in a
Peer Review
Engage in a
Peer Review
Getting a second or third perspective can help you improve your writing. As you proofread and edit your paper, your ideas are clear to you. So, getting a peer who has not read your paper before can give you a different perspective. Try to do a peer review as described in the resources here.
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