Communicate Clearly

Do you have good communication skills and enjoy expressing your ideas in writing?

Everything you do in your online course will require clear verbal and written communication — from emails to discussion forums to assignments and presentations. If you feel that you’re weak in this area, try to improve your writing skills.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Read the instructions twice before you start the assignment.
  2. Make sure you’re responding to the question asked in a discussion or assignment prompt. It’s very easy to move away from the key topic, so re-read the question and your response to make sure you’re on target.
  3. Use your computer grammar and spelling check before you submit responses or assignments.
  4. If you use quotes or ideas from other authors, make sure you cite them properly to avoid plagiarism. Check our academic integrity channel.

University of Illinois Writer’s Workshop may help!