Helpsheet

GOOD WRITING
PLANNING & DRAFTING YOUR FIRST PAPER

Use this sheet to help you:
• understand the 5 main steps of writing • preparing and planning to write an essay or report

5 minute self test
Consider the following questions before reading the helpsheet: • What are the five typical stages involved in completing an assignment or report? • What are directive words? Name three commonly used directive words used by lecturers in setting assignment questions? • How is “brainstorming” used in assignment preparation? • What’s the difference between a mind map, concept map and spider diagram and how can they be used in assignment preparation? • List some words and phrases commonly used in sequencing paragraphs in assignment writing? • How does one write an argument in an assignment? • What do you need to consider when editing an assignment? • What’s referencing?

© The University of Melbourne 2010. These materials were produced by the Teaching and Learning Unit, University of Melbourne. The University of Sydney has reproduced these materials under licence from the University of Melbourne.

Helpsheet

GOOD WRITING

Good writing is writing that effectively conveys to another person what is in a writer’s mind. In any profession, writing is very important, even in the professions that are not traditionally associated with writing, you will have to communicate with colleagues and clients. The value of writing is that putting something down on paper forces you to clarify your ideas and then allows you to evaluate them. Academic writing by students is written for a specific audience, usually your lecturers, to show that you understand the materials that have been presented to you. A piece of writing allows you to demonstrate what you have learnt. You have to show the person marking your work that: • you understand the key concepts and