Two things are visibly different in college from other learning institutions. First of all, the teachers aren’t strict, and secondly, there’s a chance that everything you knew before is a lie! Coming to this realization makes you feel somewhat inferior and that you have been deceiving yourself all through. It’s hard to adjust while in college as you will spend the most time trying to figure out the new environment and how you can fit in.
However, you don’t have to put much pressure on yourself. You should know that all those around you are also probably going through the same thing you are, no matter their physical appearance. According to writezillas.com, when it comes to essay writing, articles and other academic writing, you can use the following steps to make your writing better and feel in control.
1. Reading Ahead
Reading is not fun at all, especially if it has anything to do with classwork. However, if you wish to excel in your studies, there’s no other way around it than reading more and extensively. You can take your time and read at your convenience at any place and at any time. When you read, you gain access to the concepts, new vocabulary, and writing styles you can use in your writing. Reading helps to cultivate your writing and give you a general idea of how your essays ought to look like.
2. Have a general knowledge of the subject you’re writing about
It is important to read ahead but what’s more insightful is gathering information from reliable sources to support your topic. Figure out the points you’d like to address and emphasize what you will bring out on those points. Explore various examples or templates revolving around what you are writing on. Doing so allows you to find the different ways you can use to tackle a topic or find ways to write your paper.
3. Keep Your Audience in Mind
When you figure out what you’re writing about, get a clear idea of who you are addressing as the audience. When you know who your audience is, you can choose an appropriate approach to make sure you have communicated your point well. For instance, if your audience is a group of young children, you will avoid using difficult terms. It also applies if you are addressing parents or older adults. The goal is to communicate information to them and not showcase your mastery or prowess in the mastery of the language. Use a tone that lures the audience to be attentive in your writing and make them feel like part of it.
4. Do Not Be Afraid of New Genres or Second Drafts
Whenever you feel like your work in progress is insufficient, or the instructor asks you to draft another writing, don’t do it negatively. These don’t reflect that you’re a poor writer or you’re unknowledgeable; on the contrary, it means that you have room to improve. If you fear failing, you’ll not be able to communicate ideas and effectively write your essays. For that matter, do not fear that you’ll do bad and take everything in stride as much as you can. You have the liberty to explore new styles of writing and topics you can write about. If you did it once and it came out bad, learn from your mistakes, and focus on coming up with better work next time.
5. Keep It Simple
As previously mentioned, don’t try to sound like an expert in your writing when you are not. Use complex vocabulary at a minimum while avoiding jargon in your writing to captivate a larger audience. Do not pay so much attention to small issues; rather, focus on providing solutions to the problem at hand or answering a given prompt. It also helps to use grammar correcting apps and citation generators, which makes the process easier for you.
6. Avoid Clichés
Pressure often makes students derail when writing their essays. It’s particularly difficult for students to write a neat paper when they give it much thought on how to “properly” start their essay. Many students often confuse being unique and going of-topic when writing their essays or any academic paper. Starting off your writing with a quote is probably one of the biggest clichés and mistakes most students make. A student should always give a brief variety and present it before the instructor helps them stand out through their essays.
7. Write That Which Comes Easily
When drafting your writing, you are free to start from any point. If you have a challenge with the introduction, you have the alternative of skipping ahead and tackle the findings section first. You do not spend time thinking of what you wish to write about, and you will end up saving more time. It helps handle your work in portions as you can handle one block at a time and maximize your output without having to repeat yourself or do it over again. If you can, put the headings in place to write easily any time you feel like it.
8. Cite Your Work
While in college, you will need to back your writing with facts and findings. It is essential to do so as it boosts your writing’s authenticity without having to repeat yourself. There are many useful citation generators, including EasyBib and CitationMachine, and other software that come in handy when creating citations.
9. Read It Out Loud
When you finish writing your essay, read it out loud. It helps you have a different point of view. You have the option of using text to speech software when need be. Doing so enables one to correct any mistakes as it is easier to identify and fix sentences that sound wrong.
Conclusion
The above list has tips any college student can use to write confidently and fearlessly. For whatever reason, no student should ever doubt their writing abilities. These tips are sufficient enough to enable you to create a masterpiece essay while in college. Finally, practice more often to improve your writing.
