Want an “A” Paper? English Prof Says You Should Follow These Important Writing Tips!

[@drwhitneykosters]

Need help with more scholarly writing, research, and rhetoric? Visit my playlist on these subjects here: kzbin.info/aero/PLrhV674J9MHrcYvh6Gwn5Z4K4kb31Fijo&si=4Kl7kcrlNvIRPKU8

[@danyaslife96]

These specific tips allows me to understand essential points to highlight in my writing and how to improve the structure of my essays. The tips provide a clear path of how to produce effective work that is clear and direct. I like how specific elements are highlighted to help students produce an organized essay. After taking Ap English language my writing style completely transformed and this video served as a great reminder as to what I need to do to get a top score on my essays.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it helped!

[@mug7546]

I constantly struggle with adjusting the PoV of my writing, and so being reminded to avoid the personal I and second person really assists in helping to get my points across. It makes the argument seem more friendly rather than an academic work to be taken seriously.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Great point!

[@celestepacheco18]

This lecture had lots of important information that can help me improve my writing! I took AP English Composition in high school and we went through pretty much all of these tips, but it is nice hearing them again as a refresher. I have wrote many essays regearding STEM topics, but this lecture helped me understand what to do and what not to do when writing essays about any type of literature. Thank you Dr. Whitney!

[@drwhitneykosters]

It's always good to have a refresher! I'm glad these tips helped!

[@CassandraOchoa-d6o]

The advice given about not retelling the plot just reminds me about my problem with repetitiveness. Considering if what I am saying or have stated "serve as evidence or as context" will definitely help me cut down on repetitiveness. If it doesn't provide a new aspect to a topic or subject or if doesn't really support the essay, then it is safe to say that it can be taken out. Additionally, the advice given about the generalities in the introduction paragraph will also help me as I tend to compose sentences or phrases that are not as strong as they should be in an introduction paragraph that is already somewhat lengthy.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad this helped! Yes, repetitiveness is a problem for many people!

[@HovikGhukasyan]

Thank you for the lecture! Your writing tips were insightful and easy to understand. Having clarity in our writing is definitely of utmost importance.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@denise1577]

These suggestions have been super helpful! I constantly struggle with repetitive writing and these tips helped me avoid that in a recent paper. I am an English major and have wrote many papers and this has helped me avoid making this mistake for future instances.

[@drwhitneykosters]

I’m glad it helped!

[@Elk1112]

Thank you so much for this lecture. It helped me learn new material as well as refresh some old material. I know I’m still not perfect and never will be but this has helped me vastly improve. In summary of this lecture: * Write about literature in present tense * Don’t retell plot * Avoid generalities in the introduction * Avoid first and second person tenses (I and you statements) * Avoid absolutely terms (ex. Always, never) and use qualifiers instead (more, a little, many). * Avoid clichés, jargon, and slang * Don’t use words like “this” alone. Rather, define what “this” is. Ex. This issue, this upset. * Read your writing out loud back to yourself and/or to others to check how sentences sound, and to check for mistakes, whether it be spelling or grammar. * Include quotes in your writing and explain them in detail. * DO NOT use contractions in academic writing (instead of don’t, say do not). * Proofread * Answer the “so what” question. Ex. What does this text for feminism? Why? So what is the importance? For me in particular, I need to really work on the so what question and the not retelling plot. I find it really difficult to do explain the story without telling some of the plot to make sense of the quotes I am explaining. I then use this for the so what question, but often I do not answer it fully enough, even if I think I have. With all of that said, I am curious for those that want to share, which is/are your hardest of these rules? If you found a way to really understand and prosper at these rules, how did you do it? Was it trial and error or did it just click at some point?

[@drwhitneykosters]

Love that you asked questions in your comment. And, to be honest, as someone who has graded tens of thousands of essays, writers struggle a lot with sharing too much irrelevant plot.

[@reneemartinez5415]

These are all very important tips and reminders. It is clear and concise. Especially when after getting used to commenting about things on social media, it is a pretty big leap into formal academic writing. I appreciate how you are affirming and support us as readers who have important insights; and by offering us a strong toolset here, you help set us up for success accessing academic discourse. I am appreciative.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Oh, yes! What a great point. Today, people are at a disadvantage since we are so accustomed to writing in abbreviations, emojis, acronyms, and slang.

[@gagiktekeian7279]

One of the tips given in your lecture, which was reading what you have written out loud, was very helpful. This is because we usually don’t catch our mistakes when we write, so reading it out loud helps us correct our “fallacies” that we may have accidentally skipped.

[@silviakoshkarian4279]

Thank you professor. I often forget to write text in the present tense, or will sometimes start off strong writing in the present then some how shift to speaking in past tense. It's been a constant struggle but I have worked on it over and over again to remember to stay in the present. And thinking of stories being written in the present tense truly does continue to give it that timeless feeling. Yes, a story can be written in a specific time period but when we speak about it, it is like the story is happening in current times. Our perceptions of the stories and the discussions we have about them is what gives them the true meanings and purposes. An author may write with intention, but it is the reader who puts the final interpretations to the story, and everyone may have different insights.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Yes! It’s very true.

[@marichristol]

Hello, Dr. Kosters. I appreciate you creating this video because it is helping me know what exactly is expected in our writing for this class! One of my favorite tips that I heard here is to read your writing to yourself as well as have a peer read it. Something I also do as I’m writing a paper, etc., is to have my laptop read it to me; this helps me fix any mistakes then and there instead of waiting until the very end. As a sociology grad student, something that I have continuously worked on is contextualizing quotes in my writing. It is important to explain why you included a quote because your readers may have different interpretations than you. Thank you again for posting this lecture! - Marissa T.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Yes! Context is everything! It’s so, so important.

[@davidholland1095]

This video helped so much! As you emphasizedd on avoiding repetitiveness and ensuring every sentence serves a clear purpose, really resonated with me. I also appreciate the advice on making stronger introductions and addressing the 'so what?' question in conclusions. As someone who tends to overuse generalities, this lecture was a helpful reminder to be concise and intentional.

[@Liorwain]

Each tip is practical and easy to understand, making them invaluable tools for anyone looking to improve their academic writing skills. I'll definitely keep these in mind for my next paper. thanks

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing.

[@laurenpadilla5202]

This video gives me more confidence for this class! Thank you so much for making these videos. :)

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad to hear that!

[@tej1130]

Many of these tips I already knew, but continue to make their way into my essays. Reinforcing these tips on how to write a good paper is definitely helpful and appreciated. I especially found the tips about answering the “so what?” question to help with writing conclusions to be very helpful. When you brought up not repeating the same information that was in the introduction or body paragraph I was taken aback. I have always been taught by teachers that the best way to write a conclusion was to repeat what you said in your intro in a different way. Now that I have been introduced to a new way to write a conclusion without repeating/writing new information I will now start to input the “so what?” Tip into my writing. Thank You!

[@drwhitneykosters]

That’s awesome!

[@brendaduran9563]

I hadn’t even thought of writing about literary texts in the present tense. That was something I was completely unaware of, I’ll definitely remember that the next time I’m writing an essay.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing.

[@2718aj]

After watching this video I feel a lot more prepared writing my essay. I think this helps explain and break down an essays in simpler terms

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad to hear that!

[@d_theone730]

One of my favorite guidance I received here was to read your writing to yourself as well as have a peer read it. When you mentioned not repeating the same information that was in the introduction, it caught me off guard because I was taught by teachers that the best approach to write a conclusion was to repeat what you said in your introduction.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@dallis8827]

Thank you for this video. It touches on some of the issues that I often face when writing. In the past, I have seen a comment that I need to be clearer in my essay. I did not understand what that meant but hearing your advice on the appropriate use of ‘this’ has helped me out. I often use it in a floating manner, and I now understand how that leaves much to open interpretation. Another takeaway is how to write a conclusion. Instead of paraphrasing what my paper is about, I will be striving to answer the ‘so what?’ question. I think this will sum it all up nicely while communicating the relevance of my paper to the reader.

[@drwhitneykosters]

That’s great to hear! Yes, that question for the conclusion is really useful and, in the end, saves you time!

[@erinarnold9974]

Hi Dr. Kosters , this was a very informative lecture and it has helped give me a better understanding on not using "I" on personal essays . A lot of your tips were all brain refreshers , and one that also stood out to me was re reading my work out loud to a family member/friend to make sure things sound clear and not repetitive .

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@A-Dash315]

Thank you so much for these tips professor! My favoirte tip was to reading my writing aloud to myself because i found it to be really helpful in making me realise if my essays sounded as good and coherent vocally as they did on paper and helped me apply some needed changes to them. Also as always proofreading is the most important tip for any writer. Remember to proofread everyone, it will save your grade!

[@drwhitneykosters]

Yes! Proofreading is so crucial but often so neglected.

[@ashleygharbi]

This lecture provided so many good and important tips! For example reading out loud or to someone else is a great tip to ensure your writing is correct and clear. I usually always re-read my writing to one of my family members as it helps make sure there are no mistakes in the writing and everything flows well together. Additionally the tip to ask so what is so important as it provides clarification on the purpose of the writing and the significance. It even allows the writer to think more deeply about their work. Overall, these tips are very helpful and I have been using them in my work and I have seen a great improvement.

[@drwhitneykosters]

I hope these tips help in the future.

[@erickfereshetyan5317]

You have made your points very good, your suggestions are super helpful, the one about avoiding plot summary was something that I could relate to. I like putting a focus on clarity and professionalism in academic writing.

[@AmiTakahashi-rn8bh]

This lecture was a great helpful reminder when I started working on my essay! No matter how many times I have been taught to write the literature in the present tense, I somehow write it in the past tense. Another habit I have is using contractions such as, "can't" instead of saying "cannot" and this is probably due to texting! If you are about to start writing your essay, watch this video as a reminder to avoid making these mistakes. Thank you for an informative lecture.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing.

[@JacquelyneAvila]

Amazing tip at the beginning. Even though it may sound simple, keeping things in the present tense is great advice that surely helped me! Also really found it helpful to avoid using "you" because is pushes your ideas onto the audience. I also found your tip on expanding on quotes so important. If a quote is chosen, explain the importance of that quote to your reader! Great video.

[@joshuaosamor126]

One key thing I picked from this lecture is writing or discussing in present tense as it is very helpful. Avoiding the second person point of view has helped me during writing from projecting just my own ideas while writing short story’s.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Yes, and it helps remove that personalization when you want to avoid it!

[@MariamAtikian]

I really enjoyed watching this lecture on important writing tips. One of my favorite tips mentioned in this lecture includes tip number seven, to always strive for clarity. Without clarity, it is easy to unintentionally be vague, unclear, or ambiguous in scholarly writing. As stated in the lecture, without revealing what “this” indicates, the writing can be very unclear. I personally struggle with occasional unclear writing as I like to use the word “this” as a shortcut. After watching this lecture, I now understand how important it is to be clear in scholarly writing. I found this lecture to be very informative. Thank you.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing!

[@zackramirez7409]

This video helped me noticed a lot of my errors in writings from classes I've had while doing present writings as well, such as constantly applying "I" and using personal use throughout essays. I try to use general language instead of thinking the audience has gone through the experience if I am doing a writing for a character. Going into detail and describing what I am implying has helped as well In academic writing I believe I struggle with proofreading and looking over every small detail, but it is very important as I've had grammatical errors. Thank you Dr. Kosters!

[@elenafarhanifar9841]

Amazing video Dr. Kosters. I am so glad I took your class this semester and have learned way more than I could imagine from your class. One thing I always tend to do in my essays is refer to things as this or that and I just assume that the reader would know what I'm talking about but your lecture made me realize how confusing that can be. Thank you so much for all you have taught us and the short stories you introduced to us which are definitely life changing. It was a pleasure to be in your class.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thank you! I’m so glad to hear this!

[@juniorreyes6368]

This lecture was extremely helpful, not just for me but also for many students and individuals that need help writing. The composition and organization of the lecture was very clear and concise, in the sense that it was presented chronologically. One tip that truly stuck out for me or caught my attention was limiting the use of contractions. This tip is truly helpful and has helped me with writing papers for my other classes. Thank you once again.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it was useful.

[@christopherbrooks9465]

Thank you for the insightful tips.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@spencerpostgrad]

From our class lectures since the beginning, I learned that using words I am not very academic can strengthen my writing for critical analysis essays. The peer reviews prepared me to think analytically and be more focused in responding to the prompts for the first and final essay for English 103. Another tip is not to wait until the last minute to draft the essay for any course, and the video was thorough, and I will keep aspiring to be a better writer.

[@DTB7978]

All of these tips are great. I returned to school after a very long hiatus from teaching instruction. During that time I wrote many manuals, operation procedures, and medical device reports. These writings had their own structure and rules governing their publishing. When I reentered the learning environment I had forgotten completely about academic writing structure. Imagine my surprise when my first paper was returned with the comment, "You have no formatting!" I did not even understand what the professor was talking about. After an email exchange, it all came flooding back and I was able to not only laugh but use the moment as a lesson to my homeschooled children. I think formatting is the only tip missing in the video that is otherwise, pristine when addressing tips on academic writing.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Yes! Academic writing is definitely different than its counterparts. I think I left out formatting because there are so many different styles, but maybe I can do a video just on MLA. Thanks for sharing!

[@frankygarcia6147]

These writing tips are simplified and direct. The examples you use are helpful along with the 10 writing tips you provided. I began to read my writings aloud. Since reading aloud I have caught my mistakes like using absolute terms. Now that I know what qualifiers are, I have incorporated them in my writings. Although my writings are not yet professional and polished, they are much better than they were. Avoid using the personal I is a tip I remember from High School but was still using it. My ideas were more personal, and I found that challenging, these are great again, straight forward tips.

[@drwhitneykosters]

I hope this has saved you time, as that’s an important necessity when it comes to writing.

[@katherineemaria]

As I start up the new semester, I'm glad to have watched this video in its entirety! I take pride in my writing abilities, however, I still have a hard time writing in the present or using absolute terms like "always" and "never". Writing in the present and using qualifiers will help my writing improve for my next writing assignments and read as more credible and polished! Another bad habit is using vague wording in scholarly writing. I will make it a point to strive for clarity in my future assignments. Thank you, Dr. Kosters!

[@drwhitneykosters]

That’s wonderful! I wish you the best of luck in your writing!

[@Caster_Admiral]

I wish I had seeb this video in my freshman year of college! It's simple enough but many professors just make things difficult rather than getting to the point of helping you become a better writer.

[@drwhitneykosters]

I am glad it helped! I try my best to simplify things, though I’m still working on it!

[@ManehBalumyan]

One of the tips that was given in the lecture was to always read your writing out loud. I believe that sometimes when we write and read out loud to ourselves than in our minds, you could catch minor mistakes that were made. Certain words errors, or even grammar mistakes. ESPECIALLY punctuation. Reading it out loud gives you a better sense of how your writing will eventually be read. Another tip that I also agree with is including evidence and analysis. For me, I’ve usually struggled whenever it came to analysis since I never could put what I thought into words that were understandable. If what I even said makes sense lol. I believe with more practice I will eventually overcome that obstacle.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Yes! Practicing will always help!

[@kendrickpie5057]

These was good tips they help me with my final I had went back to this video

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it helped.

[@alyssalopez5823]

I admit to doing some of the things that were advised against, but as I wrote more English essays and challenged myself to write, I gradually improved as a writer and communicator. I used to especially utilize "I" and "you" statements, which is a poor habit I'm trying to stop. However, watching this video has tremendously improved my writing and helped me to think creatively.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it helped.

[@frolik8187]

First and foremost, thank you so much for the wonderful writing tips, Professor Kosters! I myself like writing and have my own writing style and feel like a rebel because I never write like how I am supposed to. I always write like how I want to, but after viewing your writing tips lecture, I can now add two important writing tips that I know will be extremely beneficial to me which are "writing about literature in the present tense" and "answering the 'so what?' question to write an effective conclusion." Writing in the present tense was eye-opening to me because I never considered the idea of my writing style perpetually existing in the moment. Usually, the suffixes in my words are all over the place since I would be writing so manically or passionately, but I feel that writing in the present tense keeps not only the writer sane but also their writing in perpetual fluidity, in a sort of flow state. From here on forth I will try to dedicate and keep my writing at the present tense level because I now see the importance in doing so! Thank you, Professor Kosters!

[@drwhitneykosters]

That’s awesome!

[@Aaron-Jason-Frost]

Ma'am, thank you for these videos so much! Both fun and educational. On the follow for more King stories, Shakespeare and some surprises.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Oh, thank you, Aaron! I really appreciate that feedback. Funny you say that. I just recorded a lecture on The Tempest! Will be posting soonish!

[@Aaron-Jason-Frost]

@@drwhitneykosters 🎉🎉🎉 thanks a bunch 😊

[@VallerieFlores]

I really enjoyed this lecture because it had a lot of important tips for improving my writing skills. I have learned so much from your lecture. I have had a habit of rewriting the plot in some of my previous texts and using the personal I. I think your lecture was very clear and informative. Overall, when it comes to writing any future assignments of mine, I will definitely rewatch this video as it has a lot of important information for becoming a better writer.

[@drwhitneykosters]

That’s great to hear!

[@Joannalopez11]

Thank you professor this was helpful to include in my paper

[@hilaengel]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for watching!

[@ComputerScienceEnthusiast]

Thank you very much! This was soo extremely helpful. Now I can "A"ce my final!!

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thank you for sharing this feedback and watching! I so appreciate it and hope you earn that A!

[@vickyperez3602]

This information was very helpful and some were reminders I needed because they easily slip my mind because the more I learn I make space for in my brain. It is importrant to follow grammar correctly and to sound more proficient, the words "I, you, am, don't and wasn't" should be avoided unless specified. There is always input to be fixed and a paper or project can be better regardless if it is already good enough.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ilikelettuce.258]

Watching this video made me realize how important it is to write in the present tense and concentrate on analysis rather than story retelling when discussing literature. Broad generalizations and the usage of the first and second person should be avoided in introductions in order to preserve a formal tone. Qualifiers like "often" or "sometimes" should be used in place of terms like "always" or "never" to soften statements. Aside from avoiding cliches, jargon, and slang, it's important to be explicit with your references (e.g., state "this issue" rather than just "this"). Reading your writing aloud will help you spot odd wording and grammatical or spelling mistakes. In academic writing, it's important to incorporate and fully explain quotes, and contractions should be avoided.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing.

[@drwhitneykosters]

Thanks for sharing.