Tips For Effective Writing
The Penn State Berks Writing Center
I have to write a paper. Now what?
Considering Your Audience
 Who is my audience?
 Why should my audience
be interested in my topic?
Am I writing to
college students?
Considering Your Audience
 What will my audience already
know about my topic?
 What won’t my audience
know about my topic?
 What kind of writing will my
audience expect?
Am I writing to
my professors?
Considering Your Style or Genre
Am I writing a . . .
 Persuasive English Composition Essay
 Literary Analysis
 History Research Paper
 Business Research Report
 Chemistry Lab Report
 Psychology Internship Description
 Newspaper Article
 Short Story or Poem
Or am I writing
a text message?
Considering Your Purpose
What do I want my
writing to do?
 Inform
 Persuade/Argue
 Narrate
 Describe
 Analyze
 Examine/Investigate
 Respond
 Summarize
Do I want my
writing to anger?
Or maybe incite
a riot?
Or maybe something lighter,
like entertain and amuse?
Narrowing Your Topic
Choose a topic that isn’t too broad for your
assignment but will give you enough to write
about.
Oh no! I have to write about the lasting
impact of William Shakespeare’s plays over the
past 400 years?! What am I going to do?!
Let’s Look at an Example!
You’ve been given an assignment to write an article
for the Berks Collegian on the topic of social
networking on college campuses.
Where to begin?
Narrowing Your Topic
Too broad: Social networking on college campuses.
Still too broad: Facebook in college classrooms.
Just right: Facebook and teaching strategies in the
college classroom.
Brainstorming Ideas
Everyone brainstorms differently!
 Outlines
 Mapping
 Jotting ideas down
 Free writing
 Drawing or doodling
Don’t worry about format, grammar, or structure.
You can always go back and refine later.
Brainstorming Ideas
 Many students already use Facebook, so
professors can utilize that mode of
communication.
 Many departments and clubs at Berks use
Facebook.
 Facebook is easy to use and has many options for
privacy controls.
Developing an Initial Thesis
or Controlling Idea
Your thesis statement will depend on what kind of
paper you are writing.
 Analytical
 Expository
 Argumentative
It should be specific and will usually appear in the
introduction.
Be prepared to revise your thesis as you do research.
Developing a Thesis - Examples
 Not Specific: A lot of college students use
Facebook.
 Specific: Even though most college students use
Facebook as a primary mode of communication,
traditional forms of communication, such as face
to face interaction and phone calls, are not
becoming obsolete.
Developing a Thesis - Examples
 Not specific: Smoking should be
banned on the Berks campus.
 Specific: Smoking should be banned on the
Berks campus in order to promote a
healthier environment for all students, staff,
and faculty.
The Next Step – Research
Your research should be from credible sources.
 ProQuest
 Databases
 The CAT
 Reputable websites
and magazines
The Thun Library
Avoid websites like Wikipedia or others that do not
have authors, editors, and/or fact checkers.
After you’ve done research, go back and revise your
thesis to reflect what you’ve discovered.
Maintaining Organization in Your Paper
The body of your essay should prove the point or
claim that you are trying to make.
How can you prove your point to your audience?
 Logical reasoning
 Research
 Examples
Using Evidence
Evidence is the inclusion of specific information and
details that help support a position or argument.
Claim: Many students at Berks already use Facebook on a daily basis.
 A recent survey found that 95% of incoming freshman at Berks log in
to Facebook at least once a day.
 Freshman Bernard Allen says of Facebook, “I check my account like
thirty times a day. I can’t live without Facebook. One time, the power
went out for a few hours, and I went into total shock. Facebook is my
life.”
Bernard says . . .
Introducing Quotes
Always be sure to introduce a quote with the name
of the person who has said it and why he or she is
knowledgeable on the subject.
According to Professor Ivan Von Dinkleberg, a top researcher of
sociology at Vanadoo University, “Facebook is becoming a
popular mode of communication with every generation.
Businesses, organizations, and even colleges and universities are
using it to reach audiences. It won’t be long before professors
post class assignments to a Facebook page.”
s
Professor Von Dinkleberg
Revise, Revise, Revise!
Always be open to the revision process.
Revision is much more than editing or
proofreading; it allows you to make changes
to your writing to make it even stronger.
Remember: Writing is a process!
Image courtesy of http://wpluqaprimary.wordpress.com
Where To Go For Writing Help
The Penn State Berks
Writing Center
 Franco 141
 610-396-6407
 bk-writingcenter@psu.edu
 Make an appointment: berks.mywconline.com
 Visit our website: bk.psu.edu/StudentServices/WritingCenter.htm
 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/PennStateBerksWritingCenter
Additional Resources
Purdue University’s
Online Writing Lab
owl.english.purdue.edu
Hope to see you at the
Writing Center!