Lesson Structure:   Efficient Writing AWR102

There are 6 lessons:

1. Introduction
   • Scope of writing -where is writing used?
   • What is effective writing
   • Good writing is direct
   • Good writing is objective
   • Variety is good in writing
   • Understanding human communication
   • The communication process
   • Types of communication (verbal, non verbal, etc)
   • Communication channels
   • Communicating efficiently
   • Writing for a purpose
   • Understand your reader
   • Content
2. Basic Writing Skills
   • Parts of speech
   • Types of nouns -proper, common, collective
   • Purals
   • Possessive nouns and pronouns
   • Types of verbs: regular, irregular etc.
   • Adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions
   • Common gramatical errors: comma splices, fragmented sentences, dangling modifiers, etc
   • Sentence construction
   • Types of sentence: declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, etc
   • Sentance structure
   • Constructing sentances
   • Combining sentances
   • Expanding basic sentances
   • Adding modifying words, phrases or clauses.
   • Linking words or phrases
3. Clear Wording
   • Introduction
   • Common causes of confusion: homphones, malopropropisms, etc
   • Ambiguity
   • Making meanings clear: Illustrative context, glossing, etc
   • Informative language
   • Persuasive language
   • Imaginative language
   • Other types of language: colloquial, formal, informal, etc
   • Simplicity
   • Building a paragraph
   • General guidelines for effective writing
4. Concise Wording
   • Conciseness
   • Circumlocution
   • Condensing your writing
   • Common problemscontributing to lack of conciseness
   • Active and passive voice
   • Condensing text: how to Precis
5. Punctuation and Accuracy
   • Punctuation purpose
   • Semi colon, colon, dash, comma
   • Spelling
   • American or English spelling?
6. Planning what you write
   • Business formats
   • Business letters
   • Planning what you write
   • Writing a media release
   • Writing an answer or an essay
   • Academic writing, verbs, quotations
   • Unpack the question
   • Research
   • Referencing

Learning Goals: Efficient Writing AWR102

• Define the nature and scope of writing.
• Discuss the way written sentences and paragraphs are properly structured.
• Develop an increased capacity to write clearly.
• Develop improved conciseness in writing.
• Develop and improve punctuation skills.
• Apply basic writing skills more efficiently in a range of situations.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the Academy, marked by the Academy’s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

This course is taught by:

Lee Raye

M.A. (hons) Celtic Studies, (the University of Aberdeen); M.St. Celtic Studies, (the University of Oxford)

Lee is a PhD candidate at Cardiff University with degrees from Aberdeen and Oxford. He has written two books, digitalised another and written several academic papers. He has been interviewed by National Geographic and presented papers at eight different national and international conferences. Lee’s native language is English and, if asked, he is always happy to help students with their English spelling and grammar. He is also a keen proponent of the digital revolution and dreams of a world where all books are available instantly to be read, searched or treasured. Although he mainly writes non-fiction, he loves Victorian literature as well as modern fiction and poetry of all kinds. His academic knowledge of medieval events, cultures and the history of Britain’s environment make him especially qualified to help students interested in writing sci-fi and fantasy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?

A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.