Introduction Good writing is essential for success in many areas of life. Whethe

Introduction
Good writing is essential for success in many areas of life. Whether you are writing a report for school, a proposal for work, or a letter to a friend, clear and concise writing will help you communicate your ideas effectively. In this unit, we will further cover topics such as grammar and mechanics, style, organization, clarity, conciseness, sentence variety, coordination and subordination, parallelism, writing process, readability, and flow to build on what you have learned in unit 1.
Let’s first get into what each of these topics entail in brief. Grammar refers to the rules of language use, while mechanics refers to the use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. It is important to use correct grammar and mechanics in your writing to convey ideas clearly. You can also use different sentence lengths and varieties to make your writing engaging. While coordination and subordination techniques will help to make your writing concise and clear. Parallelism is yet another technique that makes your writing easier to read. Usage of transitional words allows your reader to follow your train of thought.
As you engage in the readings provided in this unit, you will gain deeper understanding of these topics. When you are equipped with knowledge of the principles of effective writing, you will be able to provide feedback and write with clarity any message besides being able to analyze various types of written communication.
Reading Assignment
Please follow these instructions for the reading assignments.Read the provided resources carefully to gain a thorough understanding of the topic.
Watch the relevant videos to supplement your learning and gain additional insights.
Engage with the H5p activity to apply and reinforce your understanding of the concepts discussed (Wherever applicable).
While reading the learning resource and watching the videos, ask yourself the following questions:
What are the basic principles of good writing?
What are the basic grammar and punctuation rules?
How to write a clear, organized, and effective message or idea?
How to give peer feedback?
Note:
The topics of the units are grouped as below:
– Grammar and mechanics, style, organization, clarity, and conciseness, and punctuation are discussed under “Grammar Mechanics.”
– Sentence variety, coordination and subordination, readability and flow in writing, and parallelism are discussed under “Refining your writing.”
– “Peer feedback” provides an overview of giving and receiving feedback from classmates or colleagues.
Grammar MechanicsRead:Note: The readings below focus more on the grammar aspects of writing, which serve as one of the foundations of writing.
1. Cramer, E., & Quibell, A. (2022). Communication essentials for college. BCcampus. Licensed under CC BY-NC – 4 .0
Read Chapter 11: Writing Basics: What makes a good sentence?11.1 (Sentence writing),
11.2 (Subject-Verb agreement),
11.3 (Verb tense),
11.4 (Capitalization),
11.5 (Pronouns),
11.6 (Adjectives and Adverbs),
11.7 (Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers),
11.8 (Writing Basics: End-of-chapter exercises)
These chapter sections summarize the basics of grammar and mechanics including sentence structure, tenses, and much more along with an end of chapter exercises.
Read Chapter 12: Punctuation12.1 (Commas),
12.2 (Semicolons),
12.3 (Quotes),
12.4 (Apostrophes),
12.5 (Punctuation: Exercises)
Read Section 13.2 – Spelling in chapter 13: Working with words: Which word is right?
These chapter sections summarize various punctuation and spelling usages and rules.
2. University of Minnesota. (2015). Writing for success.
Read Chapter 3: You can access the below subtopics either from the content page or by using the next and previous tab on the webpage.
3.3 (Colons),
3.6 (Parentheses),
3.7 (Dashes),
3.8 (Hyphens)
These chapter sections summarize various punctuation usages and rules.
Note: Refer ‘Solutions to end of the chapters exercises’, to review your answers to the end of the chapter questions.
Watch:1. Become a Writer Today. (2022, June 26). Top 9 grammar tips every writer needs to know! [Video]. YouTube.
In this video Brain shares 9 grammar tips that can help any writer
Refining your writingRead:1. Cramer, E., & Quibell, A. (2022). Communication essentials for college. BCcampus. Licensed under CC BY-NC – 4 .0
Read Chapter 14: Refining your writing: How do I improve my writing technique14.1 (Sentence variety),
14.2 (Coordination and subordination),
14.3 (Parallelism)
These chapter sections summarize techniques for sentence variety, parallelism, coordination and subordination and exercises to practice writing.
2. Conestoga College. (2021, December 17). Improving flow. In Editing strategies. Student Success – Library & Learning Services.
This article summarizes the readability and flow of writing.
Watch:1. Abrosymova, K. (2021, December 8). How to improve your writing flow [Video]. YouTube.
Writers often make the mistake of jumping between ideas that disrupts the flow in their writing without realizing it. This video will help you understand this issue better and learn how to improve it. You can also read the article How to improve your writing flow from the website.
2. Spaans, K. (2020, May 24). Parallel structure – English lesson [Video]. YouTube.
The video introduces you to the concept called ‘parallel structure’ or ‘parallelism’.
Engage:Test your understanding on the concept of parallelism. Complete the below exercise.
Peer Feedback – An overviewRead:1. Biala, E. (2021, October 13). Why is giving peer feedback important? Openlearning.
This article will help you understand the importance of peer feedback.
2. KU Leuven. (2022, March 8). Peer feedback. Retrieved June 6, 2023, from https://www.kuleuven.be/english/education/teaching-tips/feedback/peer-feedback
This article gives an overview on peer feedback and summarizes tips for peer feedback.
Discussion Forum
In this assignment, you will acquire skills to analyze various aspects of effective writing. For this discussion assignment, we will explore various aspects of effective writing by analyzing the abstract from a research article of your choice from the library (Please navigate to Online Library for details on how to access the UoPeople library and use the various available resources).
The abstract should not be more than 500 words. Please choose three questions from the list below and provide thoughtful responses to each. Engage in a respectful and constructive discussion with your classmates, sharing your insights, examples, and personal experiences.
What are the benefits of using sentence variety in writing? How do coordination and subordination contribute to the structure and coherence of sentences and paragraphs?
Why is parallelism important in writing? How does it contribute to clarity and impact?
What factors contribute to the readability and flow of written communication in the article you chose?
Following the APA standard, use references and in-text citations for the textbook and any other sources. Refer to the UoPeople APA Tutorials in the LRC for help with APA citations.
Your instructor will grade you based on the Discussion Forum Unit 2 Rubric.
NOTE: Your instructor will be assessing your posts/responses for this discussion.
Assignment Activity
In this assignment, you will acquire the skills to express your message or idea using the principles of writing effectively and provide peer feedback.
Explain any two examples of effective writing principles that you have encountered in the workplace or university.
Analyze the importance of effective writing principles in the workplace, using the examples mentioned above.
What are three challenges that people face when trying to write effectively in a professional setting? How can these challenges be overcome? Give clear and detailed examples of how these challenges can be overcome.
Identify three challenges that you personally face when providing feedback to your peers.
Assignment submission:
Minimum of 500 words and not more than 750 words.
Use APA citations and have a reference list if you use ideas from the readings or other sources.
Click here for the APA Style – Common Reference Examples Guide
This assignment will be assessed by your instructor using the rubric available on the assignment page located on the course homepage.