Whether you love writing or you hate it, it’s an essential part of college and post-college life. There will always be research articles, reports, or emails to write. Before you give into the temptation to quickly type a paper and submit it, check out some of these tips.
1. Read it out loud.
Even if you only look over your writing once and read it aloud, you’re more likely to hear your mistakes and to catch awkward wording. It also sometimes helps if you record yourself reading your work, take a break, and then listen to it. This way you’ll have a clear head and will be more receptive to making corrections.
2. Have a friend read it.
Sometimes we don’t see the holes in our writing no matter how many times we look at it. We already know what we want to say, but our sentences don’t always reflect that. When we read our work, our brains fill in the missing information or clarify things that would be confusing. Unfortunately, other people reading the paper can only go off what’s on the page. If you have someone else read your paper, they’ll be able to help you figure out if any part of your work is confusing.
3. Look for and eliminate repetition.
One thing that’s always good to edit for, besides grammar, is repetition. Whoever is reading your work will get annoyed if they read three sentences that essentially say the same thing. The best writing elaborates enough for the reader to understand, but is still concise. Avoid going off on tangents, repeating the same word in close proximity, or rephrasing earlier sentences to try and reach the page requirement.
4. Write a little bit every day.
The only way to improve at anything is by practicing. As a writer, I write at least one hour each day, and by keeping that habit, writing comes easier. It may seem like a hassle to write when you don’t necessarily have to, but it’ll help you avoid staring at the computer screen for hours as you try to think of how to start your senior research paper.
5. Read!
Reading and writing go hand in hand. If you want to write novels, read novels. If you have to write research papers, read research papers. This will be the easiest way to organically improve your writing. When you read, you’re learning how the author wrote the book or article, which, in turn, will help you learn how to format and write your own work.
With the end of the semester nearing, it’s the perfect time to employ some of these tips for your final papers and projects.