Writing is a crucial skill for university freshmen to acquire in order to succeed in their academic career and beyond. Writing is “not an innate trait humans are born possessing” (Rose 59), but a long journey that starts with a lot of flaws. It is not an essay task to learn, but it can be improved by mastering the writing process, like cheat codes in a videogame. The writing process comprises several important aspects, including prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. This essay will explore these aspects and explain why they are vital for university freshmen to learn.

The first essential aspect of the writing process is prewriting. Prewriting is the process of generating ideas and planning the structure of an essay. Students need to learn this skill because it helps them to organize their thoughts, develop a thesis statement, and create an outline for their essay. Prewriting techniques such as freewriting, brainstorming, and clustering enable students to explore their ideas and generate new insights. Understand the audience targeted in order to “compose a text—of words or of words and other elements—shaped by and in response to context.” (Yancey 64).

The second important aspect of the writing process that students need to learn is drafting. Drafting is the process of writing the first draft of an essay. This skill helps putting ideas into words and create a structure for an essay. Drafting also enables students to experiment with different writing styles and approaches to find the most effective way to convey their ideas.  By drafting, students can identify any gaps or weaknesses in their argument and make necessary revisions. Practicing it is essential, it is the base to gain fluidity in putting the context thought into words and getting familiar with it “like a swimmer becoming familiar with the water” (Yancey 64)

The third important aspect of the writing process is revising. Revising involves re-reading the essay and making changes to improve the content, organization, and style. This skill helps and is essential to refine their ideas, eliminate redundancies, and clarify their argument. By revising, students can ensure that their essay is cohesive and coherent, and that their argument is strong and convincing. Understand that “writing is not perfectible”, and that it is not a skill that can be perfect and “right the first time” (Downs 66). They need to find where the errors are and think in a way to change the structure of words for them to appear more in correlation to the context. Judge the paper as if they were their own audience and clarify to themselves if the message is well transmitted.

The final important aspect of the writing process that young writers need to learn is editing. Editing involves checking the essay for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting errors. University freshmen need to learn this skill because it helps them to produce a polished and professional-looking essay that is free from errors. When editing, students need to modify the text to fit “what we thought we were writing and with what it is we thought we wanted to say and to share.” (Yancey 64). Produce a piece that is transformed from a text with a unclear message, to a “result of a great deal of failure” (Brooke/Carr 62) . 

In conclusion, writing is a crucial skill that university freshmen need to polish with patience in order to succeed in college and beyond. By mastering prewriting, drafting, revising editing, students will not only become better writers, but also better critical thinkers and communicators, which are tools that will benefit any writer in any field.

Students often misunderstand and abuse plagiarism in academics due to a lack of awareness, misguided intentions, and pressure to excel academically.

One way students have a lack of awareness regarding plagiarism is their limited understanding of what it actually entails. Many students may be unaware of the various forms of plagiarism, such as failing to properly cite sources, directly copying and pasting text without attribution, or even recycling their own previous work without acknowledgment. Additionally, students may not be familiar with the specific citation styles required by their academic institutions, leading to unintentional plagiarism. Without a clear understanding of these concepts, students may inadvertently commit acts of plagiarism, thinking they are simply using available resources or expressing their ideas. This lack of awareness highlights the need for comprehensive education on plagiarism, emphasizing the importance of academic integrity and proper citation practices.

Another aspect of this lack of awareness is the unfamiliarity with specific citation styles required by their academic institutions. Different citation styles, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago, have specific guidelines for citing sources, and students may not have been adequately educated on how to use them. Consequently, they might unintentionally neglect to provide proper citations or incorrectly format them, leading to instances of plagiarism.

As a result of this lack of awareness, students may mistakenly believe they are simply utilizing available resources or expressing their own ideas when, in fact, they are engaging in plagiarism. They might not fully comprehend the importance of giving credit to original authors and acknowledging the sources that contribute to their own work. This lack of awareness can have severe consequences for their academic and professional careers if not addressed early on.

Students often fail to realize that writing their own work and avoiding plagiarism is critical to their growth as writers. Engaging in the writing process, conducting research, and synthesizing ideas are essential skills that develop over time. By plagiarizing, students miss out on the opportunity to hone these skills and develop their own voice and style as writers. They forget or ignore that “Writing also functions as a means of displaying our identities” (Roozen 51), and that writing is a skill that builds up a person’s identity. Additionally, plagiarism undermines the very purpose of academic writing, which is to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and original research. In contrast, creating original work requires students to think critically and express their own ideas in a clear and concise manner. This process is crucial for developing the essential skills necessary for academic and professional success, including critical thinking, analysis, and communication.

When students engage in the process of writing without resorting to plagiarism, they are presented with valuable opportunities for personal and intellectual growth. Writing allows students to explore their own thoughts, ideas, and perspectives on a given topic. It encourages them to dig deeper, conduct research, and critically analyze information from various sources. Understanding that “even printed texts require attention"(Vasudevan 142) is a bigger reason to avoid using AI to generate student’s texts. Each text requires the human touch that only the personality of the personality of the author can give to it. By independently formulating their arguments and constructing coherent narratives, students enhance their ability to think critically and express themselves effectively.

Moreover, when students generate their own work, they become active participants in the learning process. They develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter as they delve into research, evaluate different viewpoints, and synthesize information into their own unique perspective. This active engagement fosters intellectual curiosity and expands their knowledge base, enabling them to become well-rounded learners. By avoiding plagiarism, students also cultivate a sense of academic integrity and ethical responsibility. They learn to value originality, honesty, and respect for intellectual property. The immense pressure exerted by schools in terms of homework and academic workload can often lead students to feel overwhelmed and tempted to resort to plagiarism in their work. The constant demand for assignments, essays, and projects within tight deadlines creates a high-stress environment where students may seek shortcuts to complete their tasks. The fear of not meeting expectations, achieving high grades, or keeping up with their peers can intensify this temptation. Additionally, students may perceive plagiarism as a convenient way to save time, effort, and assess the fact “that expectations for referencing vary widely” (Mott-Smith 247), especially when faced with multiple assignments simultaneously. The desire to meet the expectations set by the educational system, combined with the strain of managing various academic commitments, can push students to consider plagiarism as a means of coping with the workload.

In conclusion, students often misunderstand and abuse plagiarism in academics due to a lack of awareness, misguided intentions, and pressure to excel academically. To address this issue, educational institutions should prioritize comprehensive education on plagiarism, fostering an environment that values originality and critical thinking, and implementing support systems to help students manage academic pressure effectively.