Tutor profile: Alette S.

Why is writing an important skill to learn and practice?

Writing as a skill is important because all contemporary communication centers around the written word. Writing does not happen only in essays and in school, but at home and at all levels in all occupations. Clear communication of ideas is a bedrock of the computerized society because most of the communication does not happen face-to-face. Clear writing is needed from the simple note written at home to reports written in the workplace through to the complex business agreements and contracts and beyond. Writing is integral to a functioning modern society.

What is the most important consideration for good study skills?

Motivation is most important. For a student to gain the momentum to become a good student and studier, that student must first determine why he/she needs to study the topic and discover or create a relevancy for the information. if the student cannot determine the WIIFM (What's in it for me) about the information, he/she will not maintain a productive momentum to complete the task of studying with any useful amount of retention of the information.

What is the best way to learn how to write well?

The first thing to realize is that writing constitutes one side of a conversation about a particular topic. The writer must first be aware of the audience and, then, consciously establish authority to discuss the topic with that audience. Consideration of the audience determines the language used, the type of discussion, the length of the discussion, and the direction of the discussion -- the ability of the writer to make the topic relatable, understandable, and relevant for the audience. Authority to discuss the topic is established by how the writer writes and how much the writer knows about the topic (the level of expertise).