Tips for Better Writing
2024-12-04
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1From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.
2Today we continue our series of expert suggestions for academic writing.
3Our guest is Jennifer Ahern-Dodson, assistant professor of the Practice in Writing Studies at Duke University in North Carolina.
4Ms. Ahern-Dodson starts a conversation with both students and professors planning to write a paper or essay.
5She asks about their earlier writing experiences.
6Were they negative or positive?
7She advises that you are not alone if you have had problems with your writing.
8She says everyone struggles with writing.
9"Writing is hard. All writers struggle at some point.
10And even if writing has come easily for you, at some point in your work as a student, that eventually you're going to hit a roadblock.
11And so part of what I like to get folks thinking about is -- besides writing's hard for everybody - is to really take a moment to think about their past writing experiences.
12And when the writing is going well, what was happening? When the writing wasn't going well, what was happening?"
13She says most people's negative writing experiences happened because a very specific formula is required for a paper including an exact length.
14"And so they primarily focus on, and worry about, what the final product has to look like, like how many pages for a research essay?
15Or if it is in the second or third language, you know, punctuation and grammar, like whether it gets communicated in the right language.
16"And so focusing on the end makes it really hard to get started."
17Another problem can arise when the need to do well on a paper is extremely important.
18"...like a timed essay exam, or a college application essay, or a research paper that is at the end of the semester, and it's tied to the entire grade for the class.
19So worrying about what will happen if they don't do well - get bad grades, don't get into college -- creates, of course, significant anxiety. And that can make it harder to get the writing done."
20Then she and the people she's helping move to more positive projects.
21She says usually when writing comes easily, the writers feel they have something important to say.
22The teacher advises asking yourself questions.
23What personal understanding of the subject can you bring to your paper?
24Why is this subject important? For whom is it meaningful?
25Who will be reading it?
26"...Think about who your audience is, and what it is that you really want to say to them.
27And what that can do is help you switch from the final product and what it can look like (to) really more on what you have to offer, your particular perspective."
28She says that is an important change for all writers.
29And that's the VOA Learning English Education Report. Coming soon: Jennifer Ahern-Dodson talks about doing research, sitting down to write and sharing your writing with others.
30I'm Jeri Watson.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. 2Today we continue our series of expert suggestions for academic writing. Our guest is Jennifer Ahern-Dodson, assistant professor of the Practice in Writing Studies at Duke University in North Carolina. 3Ms. Ahern-Dodson starts a conversation with both students and professors planning to write a paper or essay. She asks about their earlier writing experiences. Were they negative or positive? 4She advises that you are not alone if you have had problems with your writing. She says everyone struggles with writing. 5"Writing is hard. All writers struggle at some point. And even if writing has come easily for you, at some point in your work as a student, that eventually you're going to hit a roadblock. And so part of what I like to get folks thinking about is -- besides writing's hard for everybody - is to really take a moment to think about their past writing experiences. And when the writing is going well, what was happening? When the writing wasn't going well, what was happening?" 6She says most people's negative writing experiences happened because a very specific formula is required for a paper including an exact length. 7"And so they primarily focus on, and worry about, what the final product has to look like, like how many pages for a research essay? Or if it is in the second or third language, you know, punctuation and grammar, like whether it gets communicated in the right language. 8"And so focusing on the end makes it really hard to get started." 9Another problem can arise when the need to do well on a paper is extremely important. 10"...like a timed essay exam, or a college application essay, or a research paper that is at the end of the semester, and it's tied to the entire grade for the class. So worrying about what will happen if they don't do well - get bad grades, don't get into college -- creates, of course, significant anxiety. And that can make it harder to get the writing done." 11Then she and the people she's helping move to more positive projects. She says usually when writing comes easily, the writers feel they have something important to say. 12The teacher advises asking yourself questions. What personal understanding of the subject can you bring to your paper? Why is this subject important? For whom is it meaningful? Who will be reading it? 13"...Think about who your audience is, and what it is that you really want to say to them. And what that can do is help you switch from the final product and what it can look like (to) really more on what you have to offer, your particular perspective." 14She says that is an important change for all writers. 15And that's the VOA Learning English Education Report. Coming soon: Jennifer Ahern-Dodson talks about doing research, sitting down to write and sharing your writing with others. 16I'm Jeri Watson. 17__________________________________________________ 18conversation - n. an informal talk involving two people or a group of people 19experiences - n. the processes of doing and seeing things and having things happen to you 20negative - adj. unpleasant, unproductive 21positive - n. pleasant, productive 22hit a roadblock - idiom, encountering a situation that blocks one's progress 23audience - n. the people who watch, read, or listen to something 24perspective - n. the way you view something; point of view 25In the comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar.