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Writing & Communication : Planning & Structuring Your Writing
Planning & Structuring Your Writing (Module 1 of 4)
Planning is the first step in the writing process and forms the foundation of your work. It involves understanding the assignment, brainstorming ideas, and organizing your thoughts in a logical way before you begin writing. Most essays and written assignments in college are meant to inform, explain, or persuade. To achieve this, your writing should be organized into clear paragraphs that support your purpose. You'll often need to include ideas from other sources, which must be properly cited.
Top Tips
- Understand the assignment Carefully read the instructions, underline key words, and make sure you’re clear on what’s being asked, especially command words like 'discuss' or 'analyze'.
- Give yourself enough time You’ll need time to think, organize, write, and revise your work properly.
- Let ideas flow Don’t worry about whether your initial ideas are good. Write them down freely before organizing.
- Group and organize ideas Look for patterns or themes in your ideas and use an organizer that helps you plan clearly for your reader.
- Identify your main point Decide what central idea or argument you want to make.
- Think about the “why” Anticipate your reader’s questions and explain why your points matter.
- Focus on purpose and audience Keep in mind why you’re writing and who you’re writing for to stay focused and relevant.
- Use a clear structure Most assignments need an introduction, supporting paragraphs with topic sentences, and a conclusion.
- You don’t always have to use a quotation to make your pointYou can get the key point and express it in your own words (paraphrasing and/or summarizing).
- Support your points Make sure your arguments are backed by credible evidence, and cite all sources properly.
- Use appropriate tone and language Match your language to the academic context, keeping it clear, respectful, and purposeful.
Additional Resources
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Brainstorming Tips Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet to improve your brainstorming.
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Graphic Organizers Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet for help deciding which graphic organizer best suits your needs.
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Key Terms in Written Assignments Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet as a reference to help you understand the key terms in your written assignments.
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Key Terms and Structures - Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet to think about how you will structure your writing.
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Avoiding Plagiarism - Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet for help avoiding plagiarism.
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A Guide to Summarizing Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet to help you write summaries.
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Paraphrasing Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet for help paraphrasing information.
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Transitional Words and Phrases Opens in a new windowUse this list of transitional words and phrases as a reference for your writing.
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Types of Paragraphs: Reference Sheet Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet to help you structure your paragraphs.
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Using Quotations Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet to remember how and when to use quotations.
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Essay Planner Opens in a new windowUse this outline template to plan your essay.
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Creating an Effective Thesis Statement: Checklist - Opens in a new windowUse this checklist to ensure that you are writing a clear and effective thesis statement.
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Thesis Statement: Tip Sheet Opens in a new windowUse this tip sheet for help writing thesis statements.