Five writers: which one are you?
ExL@DCU
 |
|
| Previous ¦ Next | |
Five Writers: Which one are you?: IntroductionWhile essay writing is not the only form of writing at universities it is the form that students seem to find particularly difficult. The variety of writing that you will have to do depends largely on your programme of study. In many modular programmes you may take inter-disciplinary modules which draw on a range of perspectives from both the natural and social sciences, as well as from the humanities. Or, you may be following vocational and professional programmes e.g. nursing or business studies where you might find you are likely to have to write a variety of discipline-specific ‘reports’. Within any one programme there may be different kinds of assessment from the traditional essay. Examples include report writing, summaries, articles, reviews, collaborative writing, dissertations and electronic writing. The units included in the ‘Writing’ section of this resource (of which this is the introductory unit) are general guides and the techniques suggested will help students make a coherent response in written assignments. While they specifically relate to essay writing, many of the strategies described are transferable to other types of writing.It is very important to remember that writing essays and other assignments is about much more than getting good grades. As you write you are making meaning and creating links between your learning from writing, from reading of various texts, and from other activities and events. Writing is therefore fundamentally about learning. As you learn to write in a particular way for a particular subject you are learning how to make sense of that subject. Each academic discipline has its own specific ways of writing and of organising knowledge and over time you will gain an understanding of the particular conventions of your discipline. Ideally, then, all learning skills, including writing skills, should be developed within the parameters of your discipline(s). Learning objectivesAt the end of this unit you will be able to:
|
