The Four C’s of Good Writing
Brenham Writing Room
Created by D. Herring
What are the Four C’s?
Good Writing Is . . .
–
–
–
–
Concise
Credible
Clear
Correct
What is Concise Writing?
Concise writing has a clear point and includes
only information absolutely necessary to
communicate that point.
– Clear points are communicated through the thesis
statement and topic sentences.
Concise writing does not include an irrelevant or
unnecessary information.
Concise writing leads to Unity, in which all ideas
are connected and related.
What is Credible Writing?
Credible writing is writing that is
believable.
Credible writing is achieved through
providing proof for what you say.
– Proof is provided through Support, which is
your examples and details.
What is Clear Writing?
Clear writing contains signals to the reader
about which points are most important and
how all points fit together to form a whole.
Clear writing is achieved primarily through
the use of Transitions.
What is Correct Writing?
Correct writing is just as it sounds, correct.
Correct writing is free of errors in spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
Why are the Four C’s Important?
Understanding and adhering to the Four C’s
is important because
– In college, the more concise, credible, clear,
and correct your writing is, the more successful
you will be.
– The same holds true in the workplace; your
writing indicates to your boss, your co-workers,
and others your communication skills and
competency. You will be judged based on your
writing ability, especially correct writing!