Composition is process of production, just as working at a factory or a restaurant is a process of production.

…Don’t serve up composition that’s rotten or has errors in it!

So what’s good composition? Hint: There is no one single kind of "good" or "correct" writing that is right for every purpose.

Good quality writing means way more than just correct spelling and grammar!!!

What is "good composition" and what is "bad composition" depends totally on: * the type of writing you are doing; * the audience for whom you are writing ; * your specific purpose for writing; and * your context or situation.

Generally, defective styles of writing include “bloated," "slack or drifting," and "meager" or "starving." If any of these words apply to your text, fix what is defective before turning in your work.

QC tip # 1 : Allow yourself an absolute minimum of 10 minutes per paragraph to produce the rough draft for ordinary short academic writing. For a four- paragraph essay, plan that it will take you at least 40 minutes just to produce the first draft. Don’t hurry!

QC tip # 2 : For longer written pieces allow an absolute minimum of one hour to produce every three pages of rough draft.

If you spend significantly less time than that there is a much greater risk, almost a certainty, that you are producing garbage. The time you save by hurrying you lose in rewriting.

QC tip # 3 : Once your rough draft is done, leave it until the next day before revising it.

QC tip # 4 : For serious text, allow at least the same amount of time for editing and proofreading (revising) as you did for producing the rough draft.

QC tip # 5 : Remember what Theodore Sturgeon wrote "Nine-tenths of everything is crap." Allow enough time to rewrite nine- tenths of your paper (or to rewrite it from scratch) if necessary!)

QC tip # 6 : Read the text out loud, or to have someone else read it out loud to you. This is one of the most important things you can do to as a scholar to ensure the quality of your academic writing.

QC tip # 7 : If your mother language is not English, or if you have more than average problems with spelling, punctuation or grammar, you must, must take your work by a tutor, instructor or other scholar whose first language is English!

There is no way around it, and no other way you can reasonably expect to succeed!

QC tip # 8 : Check for grammar, spelling and punctuation last. The time necessary for this process depends on the length of the paper.

The best method for this is to print out the paper, proofread it in hardcopy (or, even better, have someone else correct it), then make the necessary corrections on the computer, and only then post or turn in the final version.

Suggested assignment: Take a real written assignment that you turned in for a class. 1.Tell what actual methods you used to ensure the quality of the assignment before you turned it in. 2.Discuss which of the above suggestions you could have applied to improve the quality of the assignment or to get a better grade

O.W. 8/11