The greater part of the college education includes research and writing. You need to do a sort of an investigation and describe the results in good English. Unfortunately, most students find this process very complicated and fail in completing it successfully. At school, we were taught vocabulary and grammar, but when it comes to combining them, we have no idea how it could be done. College level writing skills can be improved in different ways, but you first need to know what these skills are.
7 Must-Have College Writing Skills
- Building on what you already know: your vocabulary shouldn’t be all special. Start with what you were taught before and add a few new notions;
- Forming correct sentences: this is one of the most important skills. Any work should have simple and complex sentences. The structure should be approachable;
- Creating coherent paragraphs: a topic sentence should be followed by a few supporting ones, touching on key and linking words;
- Communicating in writing: the written topic should be well-discussed with teachers and classmates before being put on paper;
- Choosing topics: a student should learn how to choose a topic he/she is really enthusiastic about and the one that will get readers interested;
- Understanding the structures: there are many types of written works. Each one has its own structure. Before going to college, you need to learn how to build an essay, a review, a research paper, etc.;
- Understanding formal and informal writing: stay away from slang and contractions. Use idioms and phrasal verbs.
3 Must-Have Components of College Writing Skills
1. Grammar
You are to be able to construct sentences. Everyone has some basic grammar skills we use while talking, but when it comes to writing, we realize that they are never enough. Try to possess a much higher level of grammatical skills than a regular school requires.
2. Composition
You must be able to organize your vocabulary in a way to produce a great effect. Writing is always storytelling, whether it is a review or research paper.
3. Domain
Domain knowledge is really essential. A good writer acknowledges that it’s a must to know a reader and a model of storytelling that they like.
How to Improve Your Writing Skills?
Practice work wonders! The more you write, the better writer you become! But that’s not all. You also have to:
- brush up your spelling, writing, and grammar regularly;
- read more to be able to write better and improve your vocabulary;
- join some thematic clubs, workshops, and meetups;
- try to imitate those writers and researchers you like;
- analyze what you have written and look for mistakes;
- outline and edit your writing;
- make a topic research that is adequate;
- use some strong words;
- cut the chaff;
- avoid clichés.
It is easier than you think. Even now, being a high school student, you can practice more, make your school essays brighter, ask your teacher for advice and support if a college level is what you are aiming at. Good luck!