Laying Out A Plan of Organization is a must to produce a Good Writing. Not everyone works well from outlines, but you should start by drafting a strong introduction that forecasts your control idea and making notes about the main points you’ll cover in your writing. Then organize your notes into some kind of coherent order and choose a pattern of presentation: possibilities are comparison and contrast, assertion and support, cause and effect, or chronological order. Any pattern can be modified as you work but it’s good idea to have some plan to help you get started

You may well want to start with the useful strategy of drafting a thesis sentence, a single comprehensive statement that captures the essential content of your writing and tells your readers what to expect. Many instructors require writers to include thesis sentence in their first paragraph.

Some criteria for academic writing :

Academic writing is not all alike. Writers work in many different disciplines and the conventions for style, documentation and evidence vary from one field to another. So we can’t set clear – cut guidelines for writing college papers or presentations. Nevertheless, it’s possible to formulate general principles for academic writing, because we know that instructors do tend to reward certain characteristics in writing that is submitted to them. Laying Out A Plan of Organization is a must to produce a Good Writing.

Here are seven precepts that apply to writing in college:

If the assignment permits you to choose your topic, write on a subject that interests you even if it will require a fair around of work. It’s nearly always a mistake to choose a topic just because it looks easy. Too often writers bog down because they hate their topic.

Don’t overstate your case. If you make sweeping claims and big generalizations, you’ll quickly damage your credibility. Avoid terms like always, never and everybody known. Instead choose phrases like this suggests, it may be and it seems likely.

Support your claims. Professors are skeptical readers who expect writers to back their claims with evidence and reasons. They like to ask ‘what’s your evident?” and “How do you know this?”

Argue logically and avoid highly emotional language. Depend on the weight of facts and rational argument to make your case. Avoid sarcasm and extreme examples.

Choose a title that accurately reflects your content. Your tile introduces you and your ideas, so make sure it’s clear and forceful.

Cite your sources, either formally or informally. Although the assignment may not require formal documentation, let readers know where you got your information and what authorities you’re citing.

Make your work look good. Leave plenty of white space around your text, double – space, and avoid long paragraphs and dense – looking pages. Proofread carefully. See Chapter 11 on Document Design for more tips on looking good in print.