5 Tips to Ace First-Year Writing or College Composition Courses

Think a college writing course should be a piece of cake? Don’t be caught by surprise when your freshman composition course or first-year writing course demands more from you. Because a premium is placed on great writing skills and being able to diplomatically communicate in the workplace (with colleagues, clients, customers, etc.), this course is not the one you want to slide through. Actually, they are hard to slide through with multiple revisions and semester-long projects. 

Here’s what to do to succeed:

1)      Make at least one substantial revision to every draft of an essay or research paper you write before the final draft.

A substantial revision means that you change the writing on the level of thought/idea. A substantial revision shows that you have thought more, and more clearly, about your own ideas. You may have to take your ideas further and/or you may need to clarify them more along the way. Need help? Ideally, your instructor has included some kind of written feedback for you on previous drafts. Usually that feedback will be on how to strengthen your arguments in a substantial way. If you turn in a revision that does not address the feedback your instructors gave you, you are defeating the purpose of receiving critical feedback. He or she might even wonder why you turned the paper back in with only minor differences.

Think of it this way: Outside of the classroom, if you ignore your editor’s recommendations, you probably won’t be published—not because you are not an awesome person, but because the writing is simply not good enough or interesting enough.

2)      You still need to fix those typos. 

Just because your composition teacher didn’t correct all your grammar mistakes, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Your composition teacher noticed them, but he or she had more substantial comments to make. (And they might still deduct points for poor spelling/grammar.) Correcting grammar doesn’t really help students improve their writing, so composition teachers focus on bigger concerns. But keep in mind the rest of the world will still judge you by your spelling errors. It’s unfair, but true.

Think of it this way: You write a perfect blurb for your client selling the next celebrity perfume. Then you realize you used the wrong “your.” It no longer matters how clever the copy was; that mistake is all anyone will see and remember you by.

3)      Participate in class. 

This is the easiest thing that you can do. Be a positive participant in class, and your composition teacher will very likely take notice. When students participate, more students get engaged in the class and learn. Just think how boring a silent room is for everyone. When a student answers a question, asks a question, or makes an observation, it teaches the other students as well. Why? Writing is about thinking. Talking about writing can improve talking, thinking, and writing. I call students who participate in class “good class citizens.” Many times these students have the qualities of a leader. You don't have to be an extrovert. Just contribute a thought or two here and there. When you participate in class, not only you will enjoy the class more, your fellow students and teacher will appreciate your contributions. Often, a student’s participation is reflected in a participation grade and can raise a final grade.

Think of it this way: Employers value people who not only know how to do their jobs well, but who can communicate with others about ideas confidently, concisely, and nicely.

4) Read the writing prompt (preferably out loud), then write, write, write. 

Make sure you read through the writing assignment. You think you read it, but read it again. It is best to read it out loud. You will be startled at how many people misread an assignment, and to top it off, it is hard not to feel miffed when you see you missed points for writing an excellent essay on rooftop farming because you didn't read that you had to use a documentary to back up or refute an argument. 

On the flip side, don’t be a perfectionist. You will likely have opportunities to turn in revisions of your work. Check with your instructor on his or her revision policy. A rough draft of your essay on rooftop farming without the documentary on time is better than a flawless paper turned in late or not at all. You will save yourself a lot of freshman grief if you learn this: Perfectionism kills good writing. 

Think of it this way: Read your assignments like you would a legal contract. The details matter.

5)      There’s nothing you can do; your composition teacher has it in for you. 

Well, I suppose anything is possible, but it is highly unlikely. From a purely pragmatic point of view, no one benefits from a student doing poorly in a course. Is it possible your writing can be improved? Is it possible your ideas on paper are not as clear as they are in your mind? Are you sure you aren’t just expecting an A because you have always gotten A’s?

Save yourself from unnecessary fretting. Go to your instructor’s office hours and get feedback directly from your instructor. Tell him or her your concerns. Your instructor chose to teach composition courses to students like you and wants you to succeed. Your instructor might even wonder why more students don’t take advantage of office hours—time set aside every week to answer your questions! 

You can also visiting the campus writing center. Writing tutors can look at your writing and writing assignment with a fresh set of eyes. They are not grading your work (no pressure!), they are great readers, and they can also help you take your writing to the next level. Consult with your instructor and writing tutors—you will be surprised (and perhaps even relieved) that there are specific ways to improve your writing.

Think of it this way: Outside of the classroom, it is much better to get feedback from your boss or colleagues on the direction of a project along the way rather than assume you are doing everything right or have no room for improvement. 

Shannon Mullally has a doctorate in Creative Writing and is a M.F.K. Fisher expert and fan. Find Shannon on twitter @SMMullally.