NSE Writing Tips

THE WRITING PROCESS

Writers follow this process to think of ideas, plan their writing, and make sure they communicate clearly with their
audience. When writers spend time in each part of the process, they give themselves opportunities to succeed.
Additionally, successful writers seek advice and improve their work numerous times before they create a final product.
You can meet with the tutors in The Plaza tutoring center (room 231) at any time during the writing process.

1. Planning and Shaping

• Take time to make sure you understand the prompt.
• Brainstorm to create a visual representation of your ideas.
• Create an outline to organize your ideas in a logical order; this is a “guide map” for your writing.
• Draft a thesis statement. The thesis establishes the controlling idea of your essay in one or two
sentences. It typically goes at the end of the introduction. Every paragraph you write must connect to the
thesis, so it helps you stay focused and on topic.
2. Drafting
• Use your outline to start writing. This is your first attempt at writing your ideas.
• First drafts are often messy, so make sure to spend time revising and editing.
3. Revising
• Revision is about the ideas and the content in your paper: the focus, organization, and support.
• Try seeing your writing from a different perspective by joining peer-reviews and talking with tutors.
• Make sure your paper aligns with the prompt.
• Add, remove, and reorganize content to make your ideas and reasoning clearer.
4. Editing
• Editing is on a sentence level, addressing problems with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word choice.
• Read your work aloud slowly to notice errors, and ask someone else to read your writing aloud.
• Look for only one kind of error at a time.
• Check your work to make sure you have written complete sentences.
5. Publishing
• Produce your final copy.
• Review your writing at least one more time before turning it in.

HELPFUL REMINDERS
• You need a space after a comma, and after any end punctuation. These sentences are examples.
• At the end of a sentence, periods go inside the “quotation marks.” If you used an in-text citation, the period goes
after the quotation marks.
• Do not capitalize job titles except when they come immediately before the person's name or are used as part of
their name (usually replacing their first name). For example, Professor Valladares, Dr. Laurent.
• Do not capitalize fields of study unless they are languages, such as English.
• Do not capitalize bachelor’s/master’s degree but do capitalize Bachelor of Arts in engineering.
• Write out abbreviations the first time with the abbreviation: University of Central Florida (UCF)
• Use “a” before a word that starts with a consonant and “an” before a word that starts with a vowel.
• Use commas when listing items: I have an apple, a banana, and an orange.
• Use good with nouns and well with verbs: My grades are good. I want to do well in school.
• Make sure to know the difference between commonly misspelled words. For example: there, they’re, and their
have three different meanings! Over there, they are, and their books.
  Writing Progress Checklist
Thesis Statement  I looked at a dictionary to make sure that
 I have a thesis statement. any new words I use are used correctly.
 My thesis includes my topic.  I am using the correct version of any
 My thesis includes a claim. commonly mistaken word(s).
 My thesis includes supporting Quotations
ideas for the claim.  I have quotation marks around my
 The rest of my paper connects to my quote(s)
thesis statement.  I have introduced my quotes.
Paragraphs  I have explained my quotes.
 My paper is divided into multiple  I have punctuated my quotes correctly.
paragraphs.  I have cited my quote(s) correctly.
 I have an introductory paragraph.  I have a Works Cited, Bibliography, or
 I have several body paragraphs. References page.
 I have a conclusion. Formatting
 Each paragraph relates to only one idea.  I have written my paper in the proper
 Each paragraph has: format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
 A topic sentence  My margins are correct.
 Evidence and support  My paper has a title.
 A wrap-up sentence  My header includes all necessary
 The paragraph relates to the topic information.
sentence.  I have page numbers.
Transitions  My spacing is correct.
 I used transition phrases between  Any in-text citations are correct.
paragraphs. Special Instructions
 I used transition phrases within
paragraphs.  I wrote enough words to satisfy the
Grammar and Punctuation required word count.
 My paper is long enough to satisfy the
 Are verb tenses (past, present, or future)
required page count.
consistent throughout the paper?
 The paper I wrote matches the type of
 I have no fragments.
 I have no comma splices or fused paper I was asked to write.
sentences.
 I have used commas correctly.
 I have no errors in capitalization.
 My sentences end with correct
punctuation.

Uncommon and Regularly Confused Words

 I used spell check (F7 in MS Word) to
make sure that my words are spelled
correctly.

 I certify that I have read through my paper and checked all of the areas listed above.

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