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Conclusion (and Lesson)

Conclusion and Lesson

We will be writing using contemporary writing approaches, as popular trends in writing have changed over the years.

Here are four things to keep in mind before moving forward.

First, please remember to use MLA formatting. That means no cover sheets!  Indent the first lines of each paragraph! Please consider the “MLA Heading” diagram below.

Second, try to use formal, objective, third-person phrasing (unless the assignment is calling for a personal response):

  • The essay considers…
  • Many experts suggest that…
  • The readings appear to agree that…
  • Based on the research, Smith concludes, “This is what professional writing is like today.”

Third-person writing, like the examples above, generally sounds more objective, direct, trustworthy, and hopefully, clearer. Clarity is the highest priority in writing.

Third, there is a move away from introducing whatever was about to be said, to just saying it, instead.

  • Then: Next, we will consider the first point of our essay, as we discuss what you surely have already noticed, no doubt, as to the remarkable ability of many avian creatures to soar into the skies in magical and wondrous flight…!
  • Now: Most birds can fly. 

Fourth, paragraphs have also gotten shorter. This is mostly driven by our writing appearing online. Long paragraphs are difficult to read on a small screen. Look at articles online; two- or three-sentence paragraphs are often the norm.

Or, look over this lesson. Notice how it is written.

Did you notice how brief the paragraphs are? How many sentences are in each paragraph? Did that help make the lesson easy to read and follow?

When I started teaching, a student asked me what my pet peeve was. I didn’t have one then. I do now.

Very long paragraphs are a signal that a student rushed through an assignment, without much planning or organization. A rule of thumb: A “page” is 250 words. In general, modern readers expect each page to be broken up into several paragraphs. The days of the page-long paragraph are long gone.

MLA Formatted Heading

MLA Formatted “Works Cited” Page

 

Tips for Avoiding Procrastination 

Since writing is typically a solitary effort, every writer needs to learn how to overcome procrastination on their own. This may be an issue for many online students as well.

Often, would-be authors complain that it’s easier to write when they’re in the mood. That may be true, but setting a simple schedule can help get your mind in the habit of working at a set time (right after a daily shower, after lunch, after watching Jeopardy! each evening, etc.)

Here are some famous authors’ ideas on how to handle similar issues all of us writers struggle with:

  • “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London (The Call of the Wild)
  • “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. The rest of us just get up and go to work.” — Stephen King (The Shining)
  • “Don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” — Pearl S. Buck (Pulitzer Prize Winner, The Good Earth)
  • “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.” — Peter De Vries (The Blood of the Lamb)
  • “Write even when you don’t want to, don’t much like what you’re writing, and aren’t writing particularly well.” — Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express)
  • “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
  • “The hard part is sitting down to write. Just do it.” — Harlan Coben (Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning, Tell No One)
  • “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou (National Book Award-winning, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings)

Here are some specific suggestions for keeping on track (while avoiding procrastination):

  • Set a simple daily schedule, e.g., “I always write after breakfast.”
  • Set mini-deadlines, e.g., try to complete a unit every day.
  • Manage priorities (Can watching that streaming program wait until after your work is done?)
  • Take a break (Go let the dog out for a minute, look around, and take deep breaths, to clear your head.)
  • Rewards! (“I’ll get a bowl of Trix cereal after I finish this page.”)
  • Find a writing location that isn’t distracting. Focusing helps, whether it’s somewhere quiet, like a library, or somewhere loud, like a restaurant or cafe.
  • Leave off when you know exactly what to write next. This approach helps writers to jump right into it the next day and has been used by many successful authors, including Hemingway.
  • Listen to music playlists in the background (Pro-tip: Experts say that instrumental music won’t take up mental bandwidth while the verbal parts of your brain are working on reading, writing, and editing)
  • Just start. The first step is the toughest. Once you’re going, it’s easier to keep your momentum moving forward.

Congratulations on completing the first unit!

Before you move on to the next unit, make sure you are happy with your scores thus far (you should remember why!). That said, keep in mind that there are 1,000 points possible in the course.

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