4: The Writing Process (Boylan et al)

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Communication skills, including writing, are some of the most important soft skills (employable skills that have more to do with emotional IQ such as common sense, communication, problem-solving, and collaboration) that students learn when they are in college because most professions require high competency in written communication, which can be a chance for one to shine or to falter. With emails, memos, letters, texts, and even Tweets, most people spend a fair amount of time at work communicating via the written word. Whether you are messaging a colleague, writing to your manager, creating the company newsletter, or writing a press release to the media, your writing skills can boost or hinder your career easily, even if you do not have a “writing” profession. Basically, writing skills make a difference in how you are perceived in college and in the workplace. That is the reason it is important to be sure you are following expected guidelines, always using the steps of the writing process, and making sure that all of your writing is coherent, concise, credible, and correct.

4.1: What is the Writing Process?
No matter what type of writing you are doing, academic writing, professional writing, or personal writing, it can be made easier by using the writing process. The writing process consists of the different stages that a writer follows to produce a good piece of writing.
4.2: What is Prewriting?
Prewriting describes all of the thinking and planning that precedes the actual writing of a paper. Much careful thought needs to be given to the assignment in general at the beginning of prewriting before focusing on your topic.
4.3: What is a Thesis Statement?
Once the topic has been narrowed to a workable subject, then determine what you are going to say about it; you need to come up with your controlling or main idea. A thesis is the main idea of an essay.
4.4: How to Organize and Arrange?
Clustering (also called idea mapping) is a way of visually arranging ideas. Begin clustering by writing the topic in the center of a sheet of paper. Circle the topic, and then surround it with words and phrases that identify the major points to be discussed in the paper.
4.5: How to Write a Rough Draft?
Make the Writing Process Work for You! What makes the writing process beneficial to writers is that it encourages alternatives to standard practices and motivates you to develop your best ideas.
4.6: What is Revising?
Once a rough draft is created, take some time to step away from the essay to get a newer and better perspective. Then begin revising.
4.7: What is Done During Editing, Proofreading, and Formatting?
A brief overview of these three steps.
4.8: What are Other Types of Academic Writing?
There are many different types of writing that you will be asked to create during your academic and professional careers. Always be clear what your boss or professor expects in an assignment before you begin writing.