1. Writing Course 101
- NICOLE ELLIOTT-LABORAY

2. Welcome to the course!
How does one study writing?
In the slides that follow, I will provide you with some basic
suggestions for improving your writing and your
performance in the course (and future courses).
This will not be a discussion of specific grammar rules;
instead, I will describe effective study strategies.

3. When I say
the word
writing,
you…
A) Jump for Joy

4. When I say
the word
writing,
you…
B) Panic and Sob Uncontrollably

5. When I say
the word
writing,
you…
C) Say: “Okay, can do.”

6. Learning to write
effectively will help
you to achieve your
academic and
professional goals!

7. How can I improve my writing?
 1st Evaluate your writing determining strengths and
weaknesses.
 2nd Put aside time each week to study your writing
weaknesses.
 3rd Develop strategies for proofreading and revision.

8. Evaluate Writing
1st Evaluate your writing determining strengths
and weaknesses.
Use feedback, your instructor’s comments, to
create a list of weaknesses, mistakes most
frequently made.

9. Feedback
 Writing assignments will always be returned
with feedback, constructive criticism from the
instructor.
I will comment on the text’s content, style, and
mechanics.
I will mark 1-2 examples for 2-3 specific writing
weaknesses.

10. “I will mark 1-2
examples for 2-3
specific writing
weaknesses.”
Why not highlight all mistakes and
weaknesses, 100%?

11. Learning to Self Assess
I mark only 1-2 examples for each error type so students
may search their documents for additional examples. In
this way, students will practice identifying each mistake
type.
In each assignment, I will limit this to only 2-3 error types
as I do not want to overwhelm students with too much
feedback. Generally, I will mark the errors that create the
greatest amount of confusion for the reader.
“Students must increasingly learn to evaluate their
own writing. In the professional world, feedback may
be unavailable.”
- Nicole Elliott-Laboray

12. Independent Study
 2nd Put aside time each week to study your writing
weaknesses.
Each student will have unique strengths and
weaknesses.

13. • Focus
Content • Development
• Organization
• Tone
Style
• Word Choice
• Sentence
Structure
Students may
perform well in
• Grammar
Mechanics
• Format some areas and
struggle in
others.

14. Independent Study
After learning to identify weaknesses, students
must develop strategies to correct common errors
and improve writing style. Use class materials,
university resources, and the Web to study these
topics.
“Put aside 30 minutes twice a week to study these
topics. I am always available to answer question.
However, only through regular study and practice
will students overcome their own specific writing
challenges. This process helps students to replace
“bad” writing habits with improved practices.”
- Nicole Elliott-Laboray

15. Revision
 3rd Develop strategies for proofreading and revision.
Experienced writers are typically willing to spend
more time revising documents than inexperienced
writers.

16. Revision Strategies
•Read your text aloud.
•Have a friend read your text to you. Make note of any areas that sound
awkward and areas where the reader seems to trip over words.
•Allow plenty of time for revision. When possible, put the text aside overnight.
Return to revise the text the next day with “fresh eyes.”
•Read your text backwards starting from the last word.
•Proofread the text multiple times – 1st) focus on content, 2nd) writing style,
and 3rd) mechanics.
•Always make sure to review the instructions one final time before submitting
your work.

17. Revision
Significant Revision
Would this area benefit from more description? Should I reorder these
paragraphs? Do I need to rewrite my introduction? Does this paragraph
have a focus? Should I support this statement with a source?
Word and Sentence Level Revision
Does this word convey the correct meaning? Is this term too informal? Is
my tone negative? Is this a complete sentence? Does this statement
sound awkward? Will the reader understand this sentence?
“Have you ever spotted a grammatical error, a typo, or
misspelled word in an advertisement, newspaper, novel or
textbook? Look, you will find them. Documents are almost
never perfect. Make revision a significant part of your
writing process.”
- Nicole Elliott-Laboray

18. Practice is the key to success!
In the weeks that follow, please use my
feedback to guide your efforts. I will help
you to identify your writing issues and to
access any necessary study materials.
Please, do not hesitate to message me with
your questions and concerns.
Good luck with your studies!
Nicole