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STUDY SKILLS BROCHURE SLC/06/2006CRICOS Registered Provider: The Flinders University of South AustraliaCRICOS Provider Number: 00114A

WRITING CHECKLIST

IMPROVING YOUR WRITING

Here is a checklist of points which can improve your writing ability.

Clarify the details of your assignment if there is anything you are not sure about.This may mean consulting dictionaries, looking at general texts, asking your lectureror discussing the topic with friends.

Think of writing as a process and get started on an assignment early in the semesterby making a realistic time schedule for accomplishing the three steps of planning,

writing and revising.

PLANNING Do some brainstorming about your topic as part of the planing process. Remember

that spending some time planning your paper will save you time and agony in writingit.

Organise your ideas into several "areas" for consideration in your essay. Researchwith the purpose of collecting material for each of these areas.

WRITING Try to write that first draft without editing and agonizing over every sentence. The

first draft is your opportunity to get your ideas on paper so that you can see howthey are starting to shape up. Do not worry about grammar and punctuation whileyou create - leave that for the revising stage.

Remember to put aside your first draft for at least a full day after writing it, beforeyou begin revising. The longer you can leave it before revising, the more objectiveyou can be about it and the more effective you will be in detecting problems.

REVISING Put some time, effort and thought into the revising process. Remember that

'revising' does not mean 'recopying'. Most professional writers do several drafts ofany piece of writing.

Proofread your final draft carefully before submitting, even if it was typed by aprofessional. Most lecturers would prefer to see you correct a typo with a pen thanto assume you were careless enough not to catch it. Do not trust the spell checkeron your computer to find everything.

STUDENTLearning

CentreFLINDERS UNIVERSITY

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STUDY SKILLS BROCHURE SLC/06/2006CRICOS Registered Provider: The Flinders University of South AustraliaCRICOS Provider Number: 00114A

When your paper is evaluated and returned, read the comments thoroughly. Askthe marker to explain what he or she meant by a particular note if you don'tunderstand.

Try to pick one or two consistent errors on each paper, and aim to improve orcorrect them on your next paper (see Student Learning Centre grammarbrochures). If you can recognise and eliminate even one type of problem each time,you are well on your way to becoming a more effective writer.

Based on a handout from ACUE Adelaide University.

STUDENT LEARNING CENTRESTUDENT CENTRE, LEVEL ONE

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