This document outlines 10 steps to becoming a successful academic writer. The steps include: preparing to research by organizing notes; understanding the assignment requirements; creating an action plan; conducting targeted research; stopping to review findings; outlining the paper; drafting; revising; proofreading; and reviewing feedback to improve future work. The goal is to provide a structured process for students to effectively research, write, and refine their academic assignments.

1. Becoming an academic writer
10 steps to assignment success

2. Step One
Prepare to research
 Open a research
folder – old envelope,
file, smart new
briefcase…
 Be prepared to put
notes from lectures,
seminars & reading in
folder

3. What is being asked?
Know the format:  Write out the whole
question
 Essay
 Underline all the key
 Report words.
 Presentation
 Look at the asking
words – describe,
 Seminar? analyse, evaluate,
discuss
If in doubt – ask your  Any other key words?
tutor Like “using examples”
or “illustrate with…”

4. Then:
 Analyse the question – all of it
 Have the overview – and fit the task to
the learning outcomes
 these will be in the module booklet or available
from module line via the university web site
 Be creative – use creative brainstorming
and notemaking strategies
 Don’t know how? Go to a Learning Development
Unit workshop and find out - also
 http:learning.unl.ac.uk/bssmquickstart

5. Action Plan
Tip: research one
word from the
Why? question at a time
Where?
When?
What?

6. Step Two
Follow the action plan –undertake
targeted research and active reading
 Make pattern notes
 Write on one side of the paper only
 Build paragraph patterns
 Put notes in folder – write
bibliography on the outside

7. Tip: index cards
Index cards are useful –
and will save time
writing up a
bibliography at the
end
 Author
 Date
 Title
 Publisher
 Place of publication
 A few key points

8. Step Three – stop!
 Stop reading
 Review your
findings
 Re–read the
question
 What gaps are
there is your
research?

9. Step Four
 Plan the outline of essay, report,
presentation, whatever…….
 Use a study skills book to give you some
ideas or collect a hand out from the
Learning Development Unit
 Or self register on webCT for the online
Writing and Communication workshop
 See the IT helpdesk if you need assistance to
create a webCT account

10. Step Five
 Prepare the first draft….
 A rough draft has gaps and mistakes
 Leave gaps – do not search for the
right word – do not check spelling,
tenses,
(not this time)

11. Step Six
 Leave a time lag:
the brain will work
to close the gaps…
How about a night
out? Your action plan
should leave you some
time to enjoy
yourself…..

12. Step Seven
 Review
 Revise
 Edit
 Struggle to write!
 Settle on a final
draft

13. Step Eight
Get a friend,
Proof read colleague,
Look for one type of to read over
mistake at a time your work,
or read it
Think SPAG from back to front,
Spelling bottom to top
Punctuation to spot errors
And
Grammar

14. Step Nine
 Finished!
 Take a copy AND keep
a copy
 Hand work in or before
the deadline
 Check you have
correctly completed
the coursework
documentation (module
code, tutors name)
 Leave time to queue at
the assessment unit
and get a receipt

15. Step TEN and most
important!
Review your progress
 Tutor feedback –
read it, review it,
plan what you will
do with it!
 SWOT – then see a
learning
development tutor!
 Ask if you can swap
and read other
peoples work

16. Useful web sites
http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/college-of-london/ldu/north-
http://learning.unl.ac.uk/bssmquickstart
WebCT: Writing & communicating at
university
WebCT: Write to learn