Soft Skills: Writing and Research Skills

Learning Resources Writing and Research Skills

Writing and Research Skills Icon Welcome to your journey of mastering the writing process! In this course, you will explore each step, from brainstorming your topic to finalizing your work, while focusing on your own writing assignment. By learning and applying each stage, you’ll strengthen your writing skills and create polished, interesting pieces. Each tool on this page is designed to help you practice a specific skill, but together they will help you become a stronger writer overall. Let’s begin and turn your ideas into well-crafted writing!

You can explore the content and activities on this page in any order that works for you. If you try out all the tools and resources, you will be able to:

  • Ask the right questions to choose an engaging writing topic.
  • Identify the purpose behind your writing.
  • Organize your ideas by creating a clear outline.
  • Conduct meaningful research for your writing topic.
  • Draft and revise your papers with intention.
  • Schedule and attend a writing lab appointment.

Write Like a Pro (1-Minute)

The Writing Process

typewriter with papers flying out

Engaging thoughtfully in each step of the writing process helps you produce clear, organized, and polished work. It includes brainstorming, identifying a purpose for your writing, outlining (prewriting), researching, drafting, revising, and peer review. Each stage focuses on a different skill that builds on the others, helping you become a stronger writer. Explore each step below with your own writing project in mind, and see how these techniques can make your writing more effective. 

Use the tools below to practice each step. It’s best to do most of your actual writing in a word processor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

Brainstorming a Topic: Listing

One way to brainstorm is to make at least two lists: one about what you already know and one about what you want to learn. Here are some questions to guide your list of things you know:

  • Why do you want to write about this topic?
  • Is your knowledge of this topic mostly positive or negative?
  • Do you have reliable facts or just hearsay?

When creating your list of things you want to know, consider:

  • Where can you learn more about this topic?
  • What are all the different viewpoints people have on this topic?
  • What do people who disagree with you say about this topic?
  • How much does your audience know about this subject, and what do you need to explain?

Brainstorming is all about getting as many ideas as possible. You never know which angle will help you narrow your focus and create a strong paper. Try it for yourself with the tool below.

Your Purpose for Writing

Understanding why you are writing is key to creating effective, meaningful texts. You might write to persuade, inform, entertain, or analyze. Knowing your goal helps you choose the right style and connect with your audience more strongly.

Every writer has a purpose. A poet aims to spark emotion, a journalist informs the public, and a blogger may share personal experiences or give advice. Realizing there’s always a reason behind what you read or write will help you better understand each text’s message.

Function Follows Form

Architect Louis Sullivan said, “form follows function.” Before you worry about how your writing looks or sounds, you need to know its purpose. Think about what you want your writing to do—beyond just finishing an assignment or earning a good grade. Look at the examples below to see how a clear purpose can shape the style and form of your writing.

Prewriting

Think of prewriting like planning a road trip. Before you start traveling, you figure out your route, gather supplies, and check your car. Prewriting does the same thing for your paper. It helps you organize your thoughts and information so the rest of your writing process goes smoothly.

Outlining is a popular way to prewrite. You break your ideas down into main points and supporting details, usually in a bulleted list. Your central idea or thesis sits at the top, and related ideas go underneath. This outline can be rearranged at any time to keep your ideas clear and logical. Try making your own outline using the tool below.

 

Researching

Research involves more than just gathering facts; it’s a process of exploring ideas and refining your focus. Begin with a question, and continue shaping it as you find information that supports or challenges your viewpoint. This approach helps you create a paper that truly adds to the conversation.

Effective research requires skills like critical thinking (to check your sources), organization (to keep your ideas in order), active reading (to understand and summarize complex information), time management, and clear communication. The Interactive Research Planner below will guide you through each step so you stay on task and produce strong research.

 

Drafting

Drafting is all about getting your ideas down on paper. Then comes revising, when you go back and make changes to shape your work into a final product. Here are some tips to make drafting more productive and to help you see where you can improve:

 

Tip 1

Create a new document for each draft instead of editing your first one. This way, you can compare different drafts and see how your writing evolves. Keep what you like, but don’t be afraid to make big changes when needed.

Tip 2

To avoid rushing at the last minute, give yourself deadlines. For example, if your final draft is due in a week, aim to finish your first draft in two or three days.

Tip 3

Print out an early draft and make notes on it with a pen. Then, use those notes as you type your next draft, focusing on changes that will make your writing clearer and stronger.

Tip 4

Take a break. Walking away from your work for a while lets your mind rest, so you return with a fresh perspective.

Revising

Revising is where good writing can become great. Stepping away from your paper for a bit helps you see errors or awkward spots you might have missed. Watch the video below for tips on how to revise effectively.

Writing Support Resources

The Student Success Center’s writing support team can help you at any stage of the writing process—brainstorming, outlining, understanding writing concepts, reviewing rubrics, going over instructor feedback, reviewing your papers before submission, or even formatting citations.

Writing Lab Services

You can get writing help from the Student Success Center in the following ways:

  • Scheduled tutoring appointments (virtual or in-person). If you have a draft, it helps to submit it when you book so your tutor can prepare.
  • Scheduled asynchronous appointments, where your tutor reviews your work on their own and sends you feedback and a recorded video afterward.
  • Drop-in tutoring, which is great for brainstorming or outlining. For a paper review, a scheduled appointment is recommended so your tutor has time to read your work.
  • Sending a message and getting a response within one business day.

For instructions on using ConexED, please visit this page Links to an external site.. Video chat with Writing Support on ConexED Links to an external site.

Schedule an Appointment Links to an external site.

To get the most out of your appointment, please attach these items (in a single document if possible) when you schedule:

  • The assignment instructions (including the assignment name and course name, like “ENGL-041-T002”).
  • The grading rubric, if available.
  • A copy of your draft, unless you’re only brainstorming or outlining.
  • Any other related materials or information.
  • Specific questions or concerns you want feedback on.

If you can’t attach these items in the scheduling form, you can also email them before your appointment to virtualwriting@byu.edu.

Make sure you also have access to these documents during your appointment.

During your session, the tutor will focus on larger writing issues like structure, organization, and clarity rather than just grammar or typos. The goal is to help you develop better writing skills overall—not just for this assignment, but for future projects, too. Our tutors can’t guarantee a specific grade, but they can guide you through the writing process to help you do your best.

If you schedule an Asynchronous Appointment, you won’t meet live with your tutor. Instead, attach your work and include any specific questions you have in the scheduling form or in your document. During your appointment time, the tutor will review your work, record a video with feedback, and send it to you afterward so you can review it whenever you like.

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