Writing Skills for University Success from Coursera

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Syllabus

Getting Ready for Academic Writing

In this first week of the course, we’ll be going over some very basic aspects of academic writing. You’ll learn about the writing process—the steps skilled writers go through in planning, writing, and revising their work—and review the basics of writing clear, effective paragraphs. You’ll learn about academic writing style and how it differs from more informal writing. Finally, you’ll learn about the problem of plagiarism—using someone else’s words and letting the reader think that you’ve written them yourself—and some strategies for avoiding it in your own work. Being able to observe all these basic aspects of academic writing will help you meet your professors’ expectations for what academic writing should look like. So let’s get started!

Writing an Essay

This week you’ll hear about a very important type of academic writing—the essay. You’ll hear about what an essay is and what its expected parts are. You’ll learn about writing strong introduction paragraphs that catch the reader’s interest and state the topic of the essay. You’ll hear about different kinds of support to include in the body of the essay, and how to write a strong conclusion paragraph that brings the essay full circle by reminding the reader of your main idea. Finally, you’ll practice by reading and evaluating short essays to see how well they match the requirements of a good essay. Let’s begin!

Getting Ready to Write a Research Paper

This week you’ll learn about a longer type of writing assignment—a research paper. First, we’ll think about how to begin to write longer assignments by expanding the basic format of an academic essay. You’ll learn how to use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries to incorporate source material to make your essay longer and more persuasive. You’ll also hear about choosing an appropriate topic for a research paper and outlining the ideas you want to include in your paper. Finally, you’ll write a summary of an article and share your writing with classmates to get their opinion. So let’s get ready to write!

Writing a Research Paper

In this final week of the course, you’ll learn more about research papers, starting with how to write an good thesis statement. We’ll talk about finding and evaluating sources of information for your paper and identifying valid, scholarly sources that will strengthen your paper. You’ll see how to incorporate ideas from your sources into your paper and how to cite the source of facts or quoted words . You’ll learn some basic facts about common formats for research papers and works cited pages. Finally, you’ll practice by analyzing thesis statements and deciding which meet the criteria for good academic writing. Let’s get to it!

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces new learners to the fundamentals of academic writing

Covers advanced skills and knowledge, such as citing sources and formatting

Teaches students how to critically evaluate sources, develop sound arguments, and communicate ideas effectively

Suitable for learners of all skill levels

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Writing Skills for University Success with these activities:

Organize Your Course Materials

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Set yourself up for success by organizing your course materials.

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Gather your course materials.
Decide how you want to organize your materials.
Create a system for organizing your materials.

Review Your Notes

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Review your notes from previous writing courses.

Browse courses on Academic Writing

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Gather your notes from previous writing courses.
Read through your notes.
Identify any areas that you need to review.

Practice Writing

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Sharpen your writing skills by practicing.

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Choose a topic.
Write a draft.
Revise and edit your draft.

Five other activities

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The Elements of Style

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Refresh your understanding of the basic elements of style in academic writing.

View The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition on Amazon

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Read through the book.
Take notes and highlight any important passages.
Complete the exercises at the end of each chapter.
Write a summary of the book.

Sentence Completion Exercises

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Improve your grammar and sentence structure skills.

Browse courses on Grammar

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Find a set of sentence completion exercises.
Complete the exercises.
Check your answers.

APA Formatting Tutorial

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Familiarize yourself with the APA formatting style.

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Find an APA formatting tutorial.
Watch the tutorial.
Apply what you have learned to your own writing.

Peer Review Workshop

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Get feedback on your writing from your peers.

Browse courses on Writing

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Find a peer review group.
Submit your work to the group.
Provide feedback on the work of others.
Revise your work based on the feedback you receive.

Write a Research Proposal

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Develop your research skills by writing a research proposal.

Browse courses on Research

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Identify a research topic.
Develop a research question.
Write a literature review.
Design a research methodology.
Write a proposal.

Career center

Learners who complete Writing Skills for University Success will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Writer

Writing is a key skill for Writers, as it is required for crafting compelling and informative content. This course can help build a foundation in writing skills, providing strategies for developing clear and concise writing, organizing ideas effectively, and avoiding plagiarism, all of which are essential for success in writing-intensive roles.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer

Journalist

Journalists rely on strong writing skills to effectively report on news and current events. This course can help Journalists enhance their writing abilities by providing guidance on writing in different academic formats, choosing appropriate topics, and citing sources correctly. These skills can be applied directly to the writing of articles, news stories, and other journalistic pieces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Editor

Editors need to be proficient in writing and editing, as their role involves reviewing, revising, and improving written content. This course can provide Editors with a deeper understanding of writing principles, including essay structure, research methods, and academic writing style. By developing these skills, Editors can enhance their ability to evaluate and refine written work effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Marketing Specialist

Clear writing is crucial for Marketing Specialists, as they need to create compelling marketing materials and communicate effectively with clients. This course can assist Marketing Specialists in honing their writing skills, providing guidance on writing different types of content, choosing appropriate sources, and citing information accurately. These skills can help them produce high-quality marketing materials that resonate with their target audience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Specialist

Public Relations Specialist

Writing is a key element of Public Relations, as it is used to craft press releases, speeches, and other communication materials. This course can be beneficial for Public Relations Specialists, providing them with a framework for writing effectively in different academic formats, organizing ideas logically, and avoiding plagiarism. These skills can help them create compelling content that effectively represents their clients and conveys their messages to the public.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Technical Writer

Technical Writers need to be able to clearly and concisely convey complex technical information. This course can help Technical Writers develop these skills, providing guidance on writing in different academic formats, organizing ideas effectively, and citing sources correctly. By honing their writing abilities, Technical Writers can create user manuals, technical reports, and other documentation that is easy to understand and follow.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Grant Writer

Grant Writers rely on strong writing skills to create compelling and persuasive grant proposals. This course can provide Grant Writers with a foundation in writing skills, including essay structure, research methods, and academic writing style. By developing these skills, Grant Writers can enhance their ability to write grant proposals that effectively convey the value and impact of their projects.

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UX Writer

UX Writers need to be able to write clear and concise content that guides users through digital interfaces. This course can provide UX Writers with a foundation in writing principles, including essay structure, research methods, and academic writing style. By developing these skills, UX Writers can create user-friendly interfaces that enhance the overall user experience.

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Speechwriter

Speechwriters need to be able to write speeches that are both informative and engaging. This course can provide Speechwriters with a foundation in writing skills, including essay structure, research methods, and academic writing style. By developing these skills, Speechwriters can create speeches that effectively convey their messages and connect with their audiences.

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Content Writer

Content Writers need to be able to write compelling and informative content for various platforms. This course can provide Content Writers with a foundation in writing skills, including essay structure, research methods, and academic writing style. By developing these skills, Content Writers can create high-quality content that engages readers and achieves desired outcomes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer

Copywriter

Copywriters need to be able to write persuasive and engaging copy for marketing and advertising materials. This course can provide Copywriters with a foundation in writing skills, including essay structure, research methods, and academic writing style. By developing these skills, Copywriters can create compelling copy that effectively communicates their messages and drives desired actions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Creative Writer

Creative Writers need to be able to write imaginative and engaging stories, poems, and other works of fiction. This course may be useful to Creative Writers by providing guidance on writing in different academic formats, developing unique writing styles, and avoiding plagiarism. These skills can help Creative Writers refine their craft and produce compelling works that resonate with readers.

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Novelist

Novelists need to be able to write compelling and immersive novels that entertain and engage readers. This course may be useful to Novelists by providing guidance on writing in different academic formats, developing unique writing styles, and avoiding plagiarism. These skills can help Novelists craft captivating stories that transport readers to new worlds and leave a lasting impression.

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Playwright

Playwrights need to be able to write compelling and engaging plays that captivate audiences. This course may be useful to Playwrights by providing guidance on writing in different academic formats, developing unique writing styles, and avoiding plagiarism. These skills can help Playwrights create thought-provoking and entertaining plays that resonate with audiences.

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Poet

Poets need to be able to write creative and evocative poems that explore themes and emotions. This course may be useful to Poets by providing guidance on writing in different academic formats, developing unique writing styles, and avoiding plagiarism. These skills can help Poets refine their craft and create poems that resonate with readers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Poet