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Online resources can
improve writing skills
Communicating clearly and efficiently is critical for business and
college success. A recent survey of 257 forestry graduate employers
identified oral and written communication skills as two of the top three
criteria for new hires. These employers also noted that this was where the
largest gap between their expectations and the skill of their new hires
existed.
This is not surprising to any college teacher or professor who struggles to
read and understand poorly written papers on a daily basis. The causes are
many and complex, but one of the key problems has been overly large classes
and inadequate time for grading papers and helping students.
Many of my students say they have never had a paper carefully analyzed and
edited with suggestions for restructuring, improving language and
strengthening arguments. After I make these editorial suggestions I allow
students to rewrite and submit papers because this is the only way they can
become better writers. It takes practice and persistence.
At USIU we have also developed writing intensive courses across the
curriculum to improve writing skills (writing well is not important just for
English majors). These courses require a minimum number of writing assigned
for both in class and take home assignments. To assist students with limited
writing skills we opened a Writing Lab this year for intensive one-on-one
help. Students are willing to learn if they are given the chance, and the
help they need.
There are also many writing resources on-line that can help students and
employees become better writers. Here are some of the key web sites
recommended by Karin Rushing from the USIU Writing Lab and others that I
have found in my own research.
You're welcome to suggest other good online writing resources to me at bainbrid@usiu.edu.
David Bainbridge is the author of 7 books and more than 300 papers. He
credits his interest in writing to an exceptional high school English
teacher at El Camino High School in Sacramento.
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