VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic
Learning Styles and Approaches to Writing
VARK: Visual Approaches to Writing
Prewriting
 Highlight important portions of the assignment sheet or rubric.
 Use a visual approach, like a web.
 If you are used to using a different approach, such as an outline, then try integrating color
to code your ideas.
 When reading resources, develop a color-coding system using highlighters or sticky notes
for each component.
Drafting
 Keep a copy of your prewriting close.
 If you are writing a research paper, use color to distinguish sources.
 Type papers for different courses in different fonts or colors (remember to change back to
black before turning it in!).
 Leave white space in your paper whenever you feel like you need to add more.
 Envision yourself writing a successful paper.
Global Revisions
 Highlight your thesis, topic sentences, and transitions.
 Use a different color-coding system to identify parts of paragraphs that do not seem to fit
or that do not seem relevant to your argument.
 Without your original prewrite close, try to draw a web or make a colored outline based
on your draft and make sure it looks like it flows.
Surface Revisions
 Highlight or underline sentences using a color-coding system depending on what error
you are dealing with.
 Circle words that do not seem to convey your meaning.
 Identify subjects and verbs with two different colors to check for fragments.
 Highlight pronouns and antecedents to check agreement.
 Highlight each portion of a citation in a different color to make sure they are all there.
Adapted From:
Fleming, N. (2010). Visual study strategies. Retrieved from http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=visual
Fleming, N. (2006). Understanding a visual preference. In Teaching and learning styles: VARK
strategies (2nd ed., pp. 75-86). Christchurch, New Zealand: Microfilm Ltd.
SALT Center (2008). Learning styles and the writing process. Retrieved from
http://www.salt.arizona.edu/tutoringFiles/handouts/Learning%20Styles%20and%20the%
20Writing%20Process.pdf
The CMU Writing Center
Compiled by Amanda M. May
Updated January 21, 2011
VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic
Learning Styles and Approaches to Writing
VARK: Aural Approaches to Writing
Prewriting
 Read the assignment sheet or rubric aloud before beginning.
 Discuss your ideas with a teacher, fellow student, writing consultant, or family member.
 Dictate your outline into a tape player.
 Do a verbal free write.
Drafting
 Keep a copy of your prewriting close.
 Read your prewriting section by section if you didn’t get to dictate it, and read it aloud.
 Ask yourself questions about the topic.
 Dictate your draft into a tape player or to the computer.
 Tell yourself you’ll do fine. 
Global Revisions
 Read the paper aloud or have someone else read it to you.
 Talk each section of the paper out.
 Ask yourself (or someone else) questions about the organization.
 Pretend you are reading it for the first time and continue asking yourself questions about
your topics.
 Read just your thesis and topic sentences aloud. Hear whether or not ideas are in the right
order.
Surface Revisions
 Read punctuation aloud.
 Read paraphrasing aloud, then read the original passage to make sure they don’t sound
too similar.
 Verbally identify subjects and verbs to check for fragments.
 Listen for more than one sentence in a sentence (i.e. run-ons and comma splices).
 Tell yourself what information your citations need to provide, and then read them aloud.
Adapted From:
Fleming, N. (2010). Aural study strategies. Retrieved from http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=aural
Fleming, N. (2006). Understanding an auditory preference. In Teaching and learning styles:
VARK strategies (2nd ed., pp. 87-92). Christchurch, New Zealand: Microfilm Ltd.
SALT Center (2008). Learning styles and the writing process. Retrieved from
http://www.salt.arizona.edu/tutoringFiles/handouts/Learning%20Styles%20and%20the%
20Writing%20Process.pdf
The CMU Writing Center
Compiled by Amanda M. May
Updated January 21, 2011
VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic
Learning Styles and Approaches to Writing
VARK: Read/Write Approaches to Writing
Prewriting
 Read and underline important parts of the rubric or assignment sheet.
 Freewrite, make lists, or write outlines.
 Rewrite your outline before beginning. Read it to ensure it makes sense.
 Paraphrase and create citations before beginning the draft.
Drafting
 Keep a copy of your prewriting close.
 Reread your assignment sheet or rubric.
 Reread your prewriting.
 Focus only on writing the ideas.
 Write yourself an encouraging memo and read it whenever you feel overwhelmed. 
Global Revisions
 Set your paper aside for a day before reading it.
 Reread your paper by paragraph. Underline portions that don’t seem to fit.
 Read your thesis, then each topic sentence, to check for coherent order of ideas.
 Underline or highlight any sentences or passages that do not seem to fit. Then, reread the
surrounding sentences or paragraphs without rereading the portion in question.
Surface Revisions
 Look up questionable word choices in the dictionary.
 Consult handbooks, OWLs, and tip sheets for grammar rules.
 Write commonly recurring errors on a separate sheet of paper.
 Underline subjects, verbs, and pronouns. Reread sentences that seem to lack agreement.
 Check written examples of citations if you aren’t sure.
Adapted From:
Fleming, N. (2010). Read/write study strategies. Retrieved from http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=readwrite
Fleming, N. (2006). Understanding a read/write preference. In Teaching and learning styles:
VARK strategies (2nd ed., pp. 93-100). Christchurch, New Zealand: Microfilm Ltd.
The CMU Writing Center
Compiled by Amanda M. May
Updated January 21, 2011
VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic
Learning Styles and Approaches to Writing
VARK: Kinesthetic Approaches to Writing
Prewriting
 Read the assignment sheet sitting in different positions.
 Write main topics on index cards or Post-It notes and move them around.
 Chew a particular flavor of gum or move a particular object while brainstorming.
 Sort the paper copies of your sources by relevance or type.
Drafting
 Keep a copy of your prewriting close.
 Shift your body position each time you finish a paragraph.
 Move a different object, such as a ring or a stress ball, while you are drafting each section
of your paper.
 Take short breaks to walk and reevaluate your draft thus far.
 Imagine yourself writing an effective paper (compliments of Michelle). 
Global Revisions
 Print a copy of the draft.
 Cut out the pieces or move them around.
 Cut out your thesis and topic sentences and arrange them in order.
 Cut out sentences or passages that should be moved or eliminated.
 Drag and drop to make revisions.
Surface Revisions
 Isolate passages that seem to need attention by using two sheets of paper.
 Move your pencil along each word.
 Place one finger on the subject and verb, or on the pronoun and antecedent when
checking for agreement.
 Write the parts of citations on index cards and rearrange them to make sure they are in
the right order.
Adapted From:
Fleming, N. (2010). Kinesthetic study strategies. Retrieved from http://www.varklearn.com/english/page.asp?p=kinesthetic
Fleming, N. (2006). Teaching and learning styles: VARK strategies (2nd ed., pp. 100-107).
Christchurch, New Zealand: Microfilm Ltd.
SALT Center (2008). Learning styles and the writing process. Retrieved from
http://www.salt.arizona.edu/tutoringFiles/handouts/Learning%20Styles%20and%20the%
20Writing%20Process.pdf
The CMU Writing Center
Compiled by Amanda M. May
Updated January 21, 2011