Better Writing

Offered byCoursera
Public/Government Institute

Better Writing
at
Coursera
Overview

Duration	33 hours
Total fee	Free
Mode of learning	Online
Official Website	Explore Free Course
Credential	Certificate

Better Writing

Table of content

Overview
Highlights
Course Details
Curriculum

Better Writing
at
Coursera
Highlights

Earn a certificate after completion of the course
Assessment and quizzes
Financial aid available

Better Writing
at
Coursera
Course details

Skills you will learn

Grammar

What are the course deliverables?

What you'll learn
Apply essential elements of the writing process to create an impactful and error-free written document that effectively communicates to the audience.
Employ writing tools, organizing strategies, and source discovery and integration techniques to simplify and improve the drafting process.
Utilize revising, editing, and polishing techniques to enhance a first draft, and adopt practices to stay motivated and avoid writer's block.

More about this course

Successful learners are able to communicate what they are learning, both verbally and in written formats. This course will provide a review of the basics of writing so that learners can effectively organize, draft, revise, edit, and finalize written informational documents, including school assignments. The course will instruct learners how to support their ideas with appropriate information, recognize the types of source material they are considering, distinguish fact from misinformation, and summarize material from informational sources, as well as avoid plagiarism by employing paraphrasing and implementing citations correctly. The course will help students avoid biased and offensive language in written documents, and appropriately utilize punctuation and rhetorical techniques such as persuasion. The course also includes techniques for staying motivated when working on written documents and overcoming writer block. Writing is a skill that can be improved with practice. Different situations require different types of writing. This course will assist learners to develop various ways to express ideas in writing, so those ideas can be shared with others.

Better Writing
at
Coursera
Curriculum

Learn With PsycLearn Essentials

A Welcome Video From Your Instructor

Get Started With PsycLearn Essentials!

Metacognitive Checkpoints: Pause and Reflect on Your Learning

Welcome to PsycLearn Essentials

Requirements to Earn a Coursera Specialization Certificate

What’s in Your Course

Study Tips for Success in PsycLearn Essentials

Additional Information

Module 1: The Writing Process

What Is Good Writing?

Audience, Purpose, and Tone

Inclusive Language

Writing Tools

Using AI-Generated Content

Brainstorming

Video Description of the Inclusive Language Infographic

Video Description of the Writing Tools Infographic

Video Description of the AI-Generated Content Infographic

Video Description of the Brainstorming Infographic

Video Description of the Audience, Purpose, and Tone Infographic

Welcome to the Course

How Do You Define Good Writing?

Audience

Purpose

Tone

Storytelling

Using Inclusive Language

Avoiding Problematic Language

Tools for the Writing Process

Grammar Tools

Guidelines

AI-Generated Content

Choosing a Topic

Prewriting

Prewriting Techniques

Key Takeaways: The Writing Process

Downloadable: Inclusive Language Infographic

Downloadable: Writing Tools Infographic

Downloadable: AI-Generated Content Infographic

Downloadable: Brainstorming Infographic

Downloadable: Audience, Purpose, and Tone Infographic

Check Your Understanding: Elements of the Writing Process

Check Your Understanding: Writing Tools

Check Your Understanding: Preparing to Write

Module Quiz: The Writing Process

Module 2: Researching

Types of Sources

Finding Sources

Evaluating Sources

Using Sources

Avoiding Plagiarism

Video Description of the Using Sources Infographic

Video Description of the Types of Sources Infographic

Video Description of the Searching for Sources Infographic

Video Description of the Incorporating Sources Infographic

Video Description of the Evaluating Sources Infographic

Video Description of the Avoiding Plagiarism Infographic

Primary and Secondary Resources

Finding Sources

Technique 1: Searching Internet Sources

Technique 2: Searching Academic Databases

Technique 3: Searching Google Scholar

Technique 4: Choosing Keywords

Technique 5: Using Boolean Operators

Basic Information Assessment

ACT UP Assessment

Skimming

Reverse Outlining

Quoting and Paraphrasing

Summarizing

Synthesizing

Citing Sources

Avoiding Plagiarism

Key Takeaways: Researching

Downloadable: Using Sources Infographic

Downloadable: Types of Sources Infographic

Downloadable: Searching for Sources Infographic

Downloadable: Incorporating Sources Infographic

Downloadable: Evaluating Sources Infographic

Downloadable: Avoiding Plagiarism Infographic

Check Your Understanding: Steps to Finding Sources

Check Your Understanding: Steps to Evaluating Resources

Check Your Understanding: Quoting and Paraphrasing

Check Your Understanding: Summarizing

Check Your Understanding: Synthesizing

Check Your Understanding: Steps to Acknowledging Sources

Module Quiz: Researching

Module 3: Drafting

Constructing Concise Sentences

Enhancing Clarity

Video Description of the Methods for Structuring a Paper Infographic

Video Description of the Drafting Mindsets Infographic

Crafting Sentences

Sentence Flow

Thesis Sentence

Transition Sentences

Clarity and Plain Language

Basic Paragraph Construction

Methods for Organizing Paragraphs

Method 1: The MEAL Method

Method 2: The Ice Cream Sundae Method

Getting Started: The Introduction

Paper Structure

Technique 1: Chronological Structure

Technique 2: Order-of-Importance Structure

Technique 3: Compare-and-Contrast Structure

Organizing Techniques

Technique 1: Headings

Technique 2: Outlining

Technique 3: Flowchart

Technique 4: Index Cards

Technique 5: Sticky Notes

Arguing and Persuading

Being Engaging

Flow

Wrapping Up: The Conclusion

Key Takeaways: Drafting

Downloadable: Methods for Structuring a Paper Infographic

Downloadable: Drafting Mindsets Infographic

Check Your Understanding: Crafting Sentences

Check Your Understanding: Basic Paragraph Construction

Check Your Understanding: Introducing and Structuring Your Paper

Check Your Understanding: Drafting Structure

Check Your Understanding: Drafting Mindset

Module Quiz: Drafting

Module 4: Mechanics of Writing

Constructing in Parallel Form

Video Description of the Punctuation Rules Infographic

Video Description of the Problematic Sentences Infographic

An Introduction to the Mechanics of Punctuation

How to Use Commas

How to Use Colons

How to Use Semicolons

Apostrophes and Plurals

Quotations Marks

Capitalization

General Introduction to Usage

Very Important Verbs

Parallel Construction

Fragments, Run-on Sentences, and Comma Splices

Active and Passive Voice

First-Person, Second-Person, and Third-Person Perspectives

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Modifiers

Words That Are Commonly Confused

Key Takeaways: Mechanics of Writing

Downloadable: Punctuation Rules Infographic

Downloadable: Problematic Sentences Infographic

Practice Recognizing Correct Comma Use

Practice Using Commas

Practice Recognizing Correct Colon Use

Practice Using Colons

Practice Recognizing Correct Semicolon Use

Practice Using Semicolons

Check Your Understanding: Commas, Colons, and Semicolons

Practice Recognizing Correct Apostrophe and Plural Use

Practice Recognizing Correct Quotation Mark Use

Practice Using Capitalization

Check Your Understanding: Apostrophes and Plurals, Quotations Marks, and Capitalization

Practice Using Verbs

Practice Using Parallel Construction

Check Your Understanding: Verbs and Parallel Construction

Practice Correcting Fragments, Run-on Sentences, and Comma Splices

Practice Using Active and Passive Voice

Practice Using First-Person, Second-Person, and Third-Person Perspectives

Check Your Understanding: Fragments, Run-on Sentences, Comma Splices, Active and Passive Voice, and First-Person, Second-Person, and Third-Person Perspective

Practice Recognizing Correct Abbreviation and Acronym Use

Practice Using Modifiers

Check Your Understanding: Abbreviations & Acronyms and Modifiers

Practice with Words That Are Commonly Confused

Module Quiz: Mechanics of Writing

Module 5: Revising and Finishing

Revising and Improving in Practice

Conducting Final Polishing

Video Description of the Editing Checklist Infographic

Video Description of the Productivity Checklist Infographic

Revisiting Content

Techniques for Revising