Writing

A Series of Seven Modules for Adult Studentsby Virginia Nilsson, Ph.D.

The more I study,The n10re I know.The more I know,The more I forget.The more I forget,The less I know.So why study?"

Anonymous

Improve Your Study Skills: A Series of Seven Modules for Adult Students 1 Getting Started 2 Time Management 3 Reading to Remember 4 Note Taking 5 Writing 6 Surviving the Slumps 7 Exams For information about these publications, contact: Counselling Services Athabasca University 1 University Drive Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3 Canada counselling@athabascau.ca Cover Design: Mark Dunsire Every effort has been taken to ensure that these materials comply with the requirements of copyright clearances and appropriate credits. Athabasca University will attempt to incorporate in future printings any corrections which are communicated to it. The inclusion of any material in this publication is strictly in accord with the consents obtained and Athabasca University does not authorize or license any further reproduction or use without the consent of the copyright holder. © Athabasca University 1988 Revised 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999 All rights reserved Printed in Canada

The Modules at a Glance

Module 1Getting Started

for 1~()~;r-SIPC(llnaarv Education

Set ObjectivesIdentify Your ResourcesStructure Your Study SpaceDetermine Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Study

SkillsDecide on the Order in Which to Study the ModulesWhere to Find More Information About Skills

Module 2Time Management

What Time Management MeansHow Time Management Can Help YouSet Your PrioritiesSchedule Your TimeTest Your Time ScheduleReward YourselfWhere to Find More Inforn1ation About Time

Module 3Reading to Remember

Different Types and Purposes of ReadingYour Own Reading HabitsHow to Read More Effectively

OverviewingSQ3RLearning Pyramids

Improve Your Reading SpeedWhere to Find More Information About Reading

Module 4Note Taking

Outlining

Module 5Writing

WritingWhat to WritePutting Pen to PaperGetting Feedback on Your Writing

Your WorkEvaluating Your Work

Identify Strengths and Weaknesses of Your SkillsWhere to Find More Information About Writing

Module 6Surviving the Slumps

Recognize ProblemsIdentify CausesSearch for SolutionsWhere to Find More Information About and Help

with Dealing with Problems

Module 7Exams

Before the Exan1Is it Harder to Learn When You're Older?Factors Which Influence LearningWhat to Do in Preparation for an Exam

During the ExamGood Exam-taking Strategies and Behaviour

After the ExamWhat to Do When You FailWhere to Find More Inforn1ation and

Preface

The first edition of Your Skills: AV~V"'V~'-I~~iJ was written specifically for Athabasca students. While there aresome of and some problems which may be unique to home-studystudents and to to formal stud)', the series deals with skills andUL.L 1LA. 1.""'1--\.1."'. U from which all adult students can benefit by becoming better students.This second edition is aimed at "the adult independent learner.1f

The modular format of the series enables you to concentrate on anyone of sevenareas, or to work through the material in the order most beneficial to your particularneeds. Checklists and surveys providing diagnostic and prescriptive information,and exercises encouraging you to practise the skills and strategies presented make theseries interactive. As an adult student you are nluch more alone, working on youro\vn, unsupported by other students and teachers, than are traditionally aged collegeand university students. While we are not suggesting that this handbook can take theplace of fellow students and helpful and supportive teachers, the interactive nature ofthe material does facilitate learning and will help you to improve your studybehaviours. And the annotated bibliography at the end of each module tells youwhere you can find information complementary and supplementary to that in thehandbook.

Each module concludes with a summary and review section. When answering thequestions keep in mind the purpose of the series: to help and encourage you tobecome a better student by improving your study behaviours and honing your studyskills. You can use this section as a self-test of whether you have understood thematerial.

Introduction

Why an Adult Study Skills Series?You probably think you don't need to learn how to You've studied before.You've been to school. What's this series going to tell you that you don'tknow?

Of course, you have some useful study skills. But as an adult university student,you'll probably find that you could use some different or additional skills andtechniques now. You will need to apply goal- and priority-setting skills to use yourtime well. You'll be required to read advanced texts, search original documents, andreview scholarly material and intellectual presentations. You'll be expected toremember in detail what you read and to organize your learning to demonstrate yourmemory, understanding, problem-solving ability, and creativity for the purpose ofevaluation or testing. This kind of learning will demand skills you ll1ay not havedeveloped or didn't use in any previous schooling.

You'll probably discover that some of your learning styles and strategies will have tochange simply because studying will have a different impact on you as an adult thanit did when you were younger. For example, research has shown that tasks ormethods involving significant time pressure are more difficult for adults than foryoung people. Although some degree of anxiety is desirable or even necessary in alearning situation, it has been shown that the optimal level of anxiety for adults islower than for younger people. And for older adults, tasks causing considerablemental or physical fatigue may be a problem. On the other hand, you can takeencouragement from the fact that most verbal skills are not influenced by age untilquite late in life.

How to Use This Series

This seven modules, each of which will assist you in developing orJe'-JeJeJeI.JeJeI.,... a different skill. The first module can help you started in your course andalso assist you in which other modules in this series might be helpful toyou. To make the best use of your time, it is suggested that you try the following

1. Read the __ '-'I.\.Je..l..',... Started" module.

2. the Study Skills Self-Assessment in "Getting Started" to determine if youhelp and in what areas.

3. Review each of the module summaries that follows the self-assessment and numberthem in order of need, based on the results of the self-assessment.

4. Go to the modules in the order you have listed them to study the methods that fityour requirements.

5. Do the exercises as you go.

6. Try new ideas one at a time.

7. Test the new methods you've learned by applying them.

8. And remember, always pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

An annotated bibliography in each module provides alternative approaches to thesame problems or emphasis and elaboration of the same methods. You can find theseor similar titles at your local public or school library or bookstore. They are alsoavailable on loan from the Athabasca University library.

Will It Work for You?

You may have taken courses some courses, or yoube only thinking about Whatever the some of the and

techniques in this series should you learn more Forexample, we'll show you how to pace provide information on' how to learnmore from your notes, and you some helpful on yourperformance on exams.

Of COllrse, nobody expects you to follow these guidelines to the letter. You will stillwant to do some things a certain way because that way works for you. This seriesprovides popular and proven methods that can help you make the most of your studyefforts. It's up to you to pick and choose what's best for you.

There are many factors which contribute to learning, only one of which is study skills.Just doing all of your course-related activities the way the series suggests does notensure that you will learn or be a successful student. Likewise, you can be asuccessful student, and you can learn, even if the self-assessments point out that yourstudy habits and behaviour are different from those of most successful students.

retired Professor of Psychology"'" L ..""'''''' Psychologist at Athabasca

Unlverslt"V was for many years a CharteredI"'C'," Tr"hr. I r"rl1 l::'f"" in the Province of Alberta and amember of the Psychologists' Association ofAlberta. Dr. Nilsson's extensive experience in adulteducation, in course development and courserloll","7£::l~T Inade her aware of the demands thatAthabasca University courses place on studentsand the problems students face in meeting thesedemands. Hearing the same questions andproblems from students over a period of yearsprompted her to write these study skills modulesas a to help students overcome commonstudy skills problems.

Dr. Nilsson earned advanced degrees inat Columbia University in New York

and at the University of Alberta, specializinglo,:\rn1nn-f-htJl"\1"''{T She resides on a

'''.'IlF"r",..., Alberta.

Module 5Writing

In This Module

A Step-by-Step Approach to WritingStep I-Research and organizeStep 2-Put pen to paperStep 3-0btain feedbackStep 4-ReviseStep 5-Evaluate

Test your Writing SkillsWriting Skills ChecklistWriting Skills Prescriptions

Summary and Review

Annotated Bibliography

Page

223445

679

11

12

1

2

Writing

Writing is a process. A good writer does not produce the finished essay newspaperarticle, short story poem, or novel in one or two copies. There are many steps to gothrough before the author can say "I have written."

Authors first have to know what they want to write. They have to put pen to paper.And before the work is considered finished there has to be plenty of organizing,revising, expanding, and deleting.

Before exploring your own writing strengths and weakTIesses with the Writing SkillsChecklist, let's examine this writing process.

A Step-by-Step Approach to Writing

Whatever you've been assigned, a paper, a project, an expository essay or an examquestion, you're probably staring at a blank space now. You are unable to beginbecause you're thinking about the end product instead of starting at the beginning ofthe basic process that can lead you to that product. There is no way anyone can comeup instantly with a topic, a set of ideas, statements, points that support the thesis, orready-made sentences to answer questions. These are all developed through the useof the step-by-step writing process.

Step I-Research and organize

Before beginning this step you should have a good idea of the form the assignmentrequires. Study the instructions and talk with your tutor or instructor. Make sure youunderstand the marking criteria which will be used to evaluate your work. Knowwhat your topic is. You can brainstorm topics and jot down major ideas to exploreeven if you don't know enough to write about them yet. A good idea of what it is youare going to write about and what point or points you will be trying to make will helpyou to recall and locate relevant research material quickly. If you haven't thoughtyour subject out, you may find yourself wasting a lot of time digging up material thatyou can't use and you may be short of ideas and data that you can use.

Once you have resource and data that seem relevant to the"1 ~''''''IJLJl'J~L or topic, it's time to determine the relative of it alL theinformation into an outline of what you are to theor ideas as and relevant data or information below eachin point form.

Topic: Home Computers

A. History of

1. 1980s

2. North America

3. types of

4. cost

B. Use of

1. communication

a) telephoning

b) bulletin boards

2. record keeping

3. games

4. art/ design

5. education

c. Impacton

1. society

2. individual who has one

a) time saver

b) time spender / waster

c) accuracy and completeness

3. individual without one

Step 2-Put pen to paper

Step 3-0btain feedback

It's only natural to feel threatened when someone else reads your writing. Afteryou are at yourself, certainly on a new topic suchas the one you've just So why shouldn't you feel a little insecure abouthow well you have done the job far? But of how threatened youfeel, obtaining constructive feedback on your work is a very important part of the

process. Another person's review of your work will tell you right now, beforeput any more time into it, whether you are succeeding in communicating your

and making your point. You can instruct your reader as to whether you wantfeedback on the organization, the logic of the argument, the grammar, the spelling, orthe punctuation. The Writing Skills Checklist can help you to pinpoint your ownweaknesses so you can specify the areas in which you are most interested in receivingfeedback. Make it clear that you aren't asking them to do the actual polishing, thatyou will do that later.

If you cannot obtain an outside opinion, or if you are writing an exam answer, youwill need to evaluate your work by asking yourself the following questions:

• Does what I have written address the topic or answer the question?

• Do my ideas make sense in the order they are in?

• Is each statement on topic and does it relate to the previous statement?

• Am I telling the reader what I intended?

• What areas did the Checklist highlight as weak? Look carefully for problems inthese areas.

Step 4-Revise

Now that you have your thoughts down on paper and have taken a hard look at theirorganization, relevance, and wording based on feedback from step three, you areready to begin polishing your work. It's always a good idea to go through your workonce for revisions on each of the following:

Content-Do you have a clear thesis statement? There should be enough informationto make your point. Is it all there? Are your points supported by data or facts? Arethey accurate? Do not lose sight of your purpose or get sidetracked. Keep yourpurpose in writing in mind at all times.

Organization-Your ideas should make sense in the order they appear. They shouldflow from one to the other. Your work should have an introduction, a bod)', and aconclusion.

aSS,lgIlmlent instructions. Don't write an essay",,",UU'J.MA.L'-_ a research paper. Remember your audience.

4

how

Step 5-Evaluate

Before your you reviewed the instructionsand talked to your tutor or instructor to determine the main criteria for evaluation ofyour You can be sure your work will for how well itcommunicates. Criteria this success include:thought, support of and technical and mechanical correctness.

5

1.

Test Your Writing Skills

_'-J~..LLlVjL"-""- the Writing Skills Checklist.

Use the Writing Skills Checklist to you determine whether, oryou need to work on your skills. Individual items are tobroader of the writing process. to the annotated bibliography,some sources of information about each item are identified. Remember, the Checklistwill only be useful to you if you are objective and honest in looking at yourself. It willreveal your strengths as well as your weaknesses.

2. Interpret your results.

Those skills diagnosed as 'DO NOT' are strong. They are good writing skills, skillswhich yOll have in common with good writers and good students.

Those skills diagnosed as 'DO' are weak. They are good skills which you have todevelop in order to improve your writing.

The prescription column directs you to particular books and sections in the annotatedbibliography where you can find help to develop your writing skills and strengthenyour weaknesses.

3. Fill your Writing Prescription.

After you have completed the Checklist remove the Writing Skills Prescription Sheetwhich follows the Checklist and transfer the results of your Checklist to it. In eachcategory jot down those specific skills which you have marked as weaknesses. You needto pay extra attention to these skills. Borrow or purchase some of the books prescribed.What you have on your Prescription Sheet is a personalized condensation of basic areasof writing skill to which you can refer as you begin work on improving your writing.

Writing Skills ChecklistRead each statement .... '"\'I"·at-" .. h:r and indicate whether you 'DO' or 'DO NOT' havetrouble with that skill. you don't understand statement means,then score it as 'DO' .

Writing Skill

Content

1. I have trouble o-a1na...·-:\r.. no- ideas about which to write. section 1;-~ /"'0. ~,,_.' ., section

2. I have trouble synthesizing or pulling together information sections 5 and 9from a number of different sources.

3. I have trouble critically assessing my writing and revising,restructuring, and rewriting where ideas are Levinpoorly organized, or where sllpportingevidence is

Organization

4.. I have trouble selecting and organizing material that will sections 41 and 43;develop or defend the thesis.

Van Nostrand

5. I have trouble preparing an outline to show my ideas in a Leggett, section 41and

Structure and Style

6. I have trouble supporting my opinions or conclusions, Sullivanincluding the appropriate use of evidence.

7. I have trouble formulating a thesis statement. Leggett, section 41;Norton, section 21;Sullivan

8. I have trouble varying my vocabulary and sentences for Baker, sections 7 and 8;different audiences and purposes. Levin,

Partridge

Paragraphs

9. I have trouble with sectionmain idea

10. I trouble

11. I

Diagnosis Writing Skill Prescription

Sentence Structure

trouble section

13. I have trouble sentences that are not onlycorrect, but also logical and

coherent. Norton

have trouble writing sentences with precise andappropriate words, distinguishing betweenliteral and figurative uses of language, andavoiding ineffective jargon or cliches.

Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

15. I have trouble using a dictionar~ thesaurus, and writer's Leggett, section 36;manual. Partridge

16. I have trouble following the conventions of standard written Baker, sections 10 and 11;English (relatively free from such errors as Leggett,fragmented or run-together sentences, faulty Messenger,agreement, and improper pronoun reference) Nortonand of mechanics (capitalization, spelling, andpunctuation).

17. I have trouble proofreading my writing for mechanical errorsand omissions of form, and making the necess-ary corrections.

Documentation

18. I have trouble presenting my own ideas as related to, but Messenger, section 71clearly distinguished from, the ideas of others.

19. I have trouble distinguishing between plagiarism and Messenger, section 71documentation.

20. I have trouble providing adequate documentation in the Leggett, section 45;form of end notes, footnotes, or Messenger, section 72

references.

Writing Skills Prescription Sheet

Content A written must "Y'VC\C'o"t.... f-

r\ ....(·.,.'::\...,~l'7'lnrr idea or thesis statement, ..",v,,",,r1#10

supporting evidence or and maintainfocus on the topic.Baker, --/00."'_...• ,

Organization Written work must have an '-J1-/'I.-.LL.I..LLk

or introduction, a body of development, supportevidence, and a conclusion.Baker, Van Nostrand

Structure and Style You must know whether youare writing a paragraph, a research paper, apersonal essa)T, or an expository essay; and youmust know your audience.Baker, Leggett, Messenger,

Paragraphs Usually a paragraph is one part of alarger written work. It is a group of sentencessupporting a topic sentence or central idea and mustdisplay unity and coherence.Baker, Leggett, Messenger, Sullivan

Sentence Structure Make sure every sentence iscomplete, makes sense, and is constructed properlyaccording to your writer's manual.Baker, --/'0.-,,---., l\les:sel1S!e1r, IJ,(7'Y/-1f">fnf1"n

Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Becomeaware of your abilities and present writing habits toknow when to use your dictionary and writer'smanual. Be aware of grammar, spelling, andpunctuation when reading your own work andother material.Leggett, Messenger, Norton

Documentation Find out the requirements forreferencing and documentation for individualassignments. Never present another's ideas orwords as your own. Give credit when credit is due.

S.W. 6th New York: Crowell, 1991.

and Melinda G. Kramer. Prentice-Hall Ha1vzaVOOK..... Y'\r'rIOT.A.Tr'l.r\rt Cliffs: 1991.

Gerald. ShortJobanovich,1986.

n·~~'1·~1nC'1"''1rI1/' 3rd ed., New York: Harcourt,

IVl(~SSt~n~~er,W. E. andJan de Bruyn. The Canadian Writer's Handbook. Scarborough,Ontario: Prentice-Hall, 1986.

Norton, Sarah and Brian Green. The Bare J... Cf'nvti"·.,nlf' Form liB". ~. 0"" ••~". Writing Skills.Toronto: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1991.

Partridge, Eric. UsagePenguin, 1973.

r1 rll.l .... /JIVV A Guide to Good English. Harmondsworth:

Sullivan, Kathleen E. Paragraph Practice-Writing the Paragraph and the ShortComposition. 5th ed., New York: Macmillan, 1984.

Van Nostrand, A. D. Functional Writing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978.

Summary and Review

The objectives of this module are to you yourunderstanding of the writing process, and to help youand weaknesses.

To help you summarize and review the material answer the

1. What are the five steps in the writing process?

2. Why is writing described as a process?

3. Do you agree that writing is a process? How does the idea of \vriting being a processhelp you in your writing?

4. Were you able to complete the Writing Skills Checklist and Prescription?

5. Have you obtained any of the resource material recommended?

6. What other services in the area skills "-t."- 'v "-oL'Vl-'oLoLL"-~,LI. would you like?

11

Annotated Bibliography for Writingh'th,I't"'rr.... ,..,.~h,T in this module material related to student success

'AT't""Ii'-'tY"l,rr Some of these 111aterials what this module hassu};~gestalternative r'\~1f'"'\....n."r"II"'\C\C'

The lists information on how you can Ut.A ..._ .......... '...., ...... ,

difficulties you may encounter in your studies and remedies for the difficulties.If you are or want to avoid them, have a look at oneor more of these books. They can help you define before you go on to the othermodules. This list is only a sampling of the library holdings. If what you are interested inon this list is not available the librarian can help you find something similar.

There are additional good titles on the 111arket so do not feel that you are limited tothese books. If you have access to a library or you can go on-line on your computer,you can find out what writing books are available. Most bookstores have sections ofreference or /I self-help" books, and you might find it useful to browse through them.

AUDWT. Athabasca University students can test their skills by means of the AUDWT.This test assesses a 400-word writing sample in areas such as content,paragraphs, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Call AU Student Services or anAU regional office for details about how to this test.

There are a number of other self-scoring diagnostic writing tests available in collegeand university libraries which can be helpful in assessing one's writing skills.

Baker, S. W. The Practical Stylist. 6th ed., New York: Crowell, 1991.

Baker's is a very readable manual which covers the complete range of compositionproblems. The table of contents, index, and make it easy to use, and thereare plenty of examples and exercises.

Buckley, J. (1991). Fit to Print. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Fit to Print is a brief to essay writing that covers the essentials withoutL/ ..... J'~L/'Jt.ALLLll~the point. It's a book to use an aid to because it

natural from to ....O,1''t C''t't'\; rr

and

York: 1-1,... ·V'rtr-. .........t-

and ~cr'nf'·l-c

'-L.... '-\..L'J JLL I n'v~,,.,.c .. t-,~ .."'\ and 'Cl ....nr.. 'r1"a...'t-

Levin's collection of used to illustrate ,:r~ ..·, .., .... o

' ... T.....·tt-' rr and or~;;aruzlatl()n,on...,t-n·nf'£:lO

1-''-.J..u 'L,AU.J.'LT.l.L. Each essay is introducedstudy and and u ..... ,.... ,....'-U ...... 'J..LLU

McWhorter, Kathleen T. Skills. New York: JL...J'\JJll.,......L.l.I......Jll.' 1998.

This is a serious academic to skills with of anddiagrams and a detailed table of contents, and ....aT.a.....a ..... f'L~C There is a sectionon preparing written and research papers.

Messenger, W. E. and Jan de Bruyn. The Canadian Writer's Harzdbook. "'--''- ......... ''-''J .... ''-' ..... I......l.I./Ontario: 1986.

This comprehensive manual is ............ ,'-" .... ,....".1.1. ...............

and levels of writing.access to just about all areas

Moore, Roberta, Barbara A. Baker, and Arnold H. Packer.Saddle NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1997.

Success. Upper

Aimed the adult sttldent, there are lots of exercises and open ended activities tobreak up the academic content of this book. A section called your way tothe top" even includes a chapter on electronic help for writers. It is laced withillustrations and cartoons, but has no references.

Norton, Sarah and Brian Green. The Bare I- cco1/1r1nlc Forln liB".Toronto: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1991.

Writing Skills.

Norton and Green's book contains explanations and but relies heavilyon exercises in spelling, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, andorganization. The answers to the exercises are

Partridge, Eric...... ..LL,., ......J..J.L,1973.

tiU;usa:lZe: A to Good A...J'~/"'~~k?I'~' Harmondsworth:

11I1Ir,f-"",...f-lIr"",,r and and .... ".".'Y-Yr-Y''''-'

It referenced and indexed.

I/\Jv~r~~/ffl" the and the Short.l.T"'~'~.l..l.L.l..l.,.l.~.l.L, 1984.

Sullivan is a self-directed workbook providing models of and exercises in writingthe topic sentence, thesis sentence, and short composition. Practice is"-'J.L .... '-f ...~ ... "" ...... "-' ...... , and is stressed.

Van 1'"..Ir'....,,''-''C'r.. "''...·''''':'1:r'LL:'..... ' A. D. Functional '/\JV''fr'f'1/ffl" Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978.

Functional assumes that the basic reading and writing skills are wellestablished, and teaches the writing process through open-ended exercises. Thisbook is good for paragraph construction, essay logic, and structure but does notcover fundamental grammar or sentence error problen1s.