Write Well
WRITE WELL is a collection of 60-second videotaped microlectures that provide supplementary instruction in college-level writing. The videos, recorded by Macalester faculty members, address perennial writing topics in an engaging and incisive format familiar to contemporary students.
Write Well: Why Google Translate Doesn't Translate
Claudia Giannini discusses the use of Google Translate.
Write Well: What's In a Prompt?
Britt Abel talks about essay prompts.
Write Well: Editing Sentences Using the Paramedic Method
Britt Abel discusses sentence-level editing. Citation: Lanham, Richard. Revising Prose. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007
5th Edition. Print.
Write Well: The Secret Code of Citing Sources
Librarian Ginny Moran discusses citation of sources.
Write Well: Why Write Well?
English instructor Stephen Smith explains why writing well is a critical skill.
Write Well: Writing is Hard Work
Grantwriter Helen Warren reminds you that while writing is hard work, there are steps you can take when you're stuck.
Write Well: Writing about Music
Chuen-Fung Wong discusses the challenges of writing about music.
Write Well: How Do I Get There?
Britt Abel discusses the use of signposts in writing.
Write Well: The Importance of the First Paragraph
Frank Adler discusses what belongs in the first paragraph and what doesn't.
Write Well: Write Like a Tour Guide
Chris Wells discusses how curating your examples like a museum tour helps your writing.
Write Well: What is a Thesis?
Adrienne Christensen discusses the concept of the thesis.
Write Well: To Be
Erik Davis encourages you to avoid the verb "to be."
Write Well: The Superlative
James von Geldern talks about avoiding the superlative.
Write Well: The Most Arrogant Punctuation Mark
Which punctuation mark is arrogant? Watch the video to find out.
Write Well: The First Sentence
Patrick Schmidt provides tips on writing a strong first sentence.
Write Well: Subject Encyclopedias
Ginny Heinrich Moran provides information about what you can find in subject encyclopedias.
Write Well: Significance
Adrienne Christensen encourages you to explain what matters about your topic.
Write Well: Revision
Adrienne Christensen discusses the importance of revision.
Write Well: Paragraphs
Theresa Krier presents ideas for organizing paragraphs.
Write Well: Make a Difference
Bill Moseley discusses writing for a broad public audience.
Write Well: Every Sentence is a Sandwich
James Dawes discusses sentence-level editing.
Write Well: Killing the Verb "To Be"
Paul Dosh demonstrates how to eliminate the verb "to be" and to strengthen writing.
Write Well: Keep It Simple
Julie Dolan praises simplicity.
Write Well: How to Revise an Academic Essay, Part 2
In this two-part series, Beth Severy-Hoven introduces a simple but effective way to revise.
Write Well: How to Revise an Academic Essay, Part 1
In this two-part series, Beth Severy-Hoven introduces a simple but effective way to revise.
Write Well: Get Stuck to Write Well
Helen Warren discusses what to do when you get stuck with your writing.
Write Well: Formulating a Good Thesis Statement
Brian Lush provides a concrete and helpful equation for building a thesis statement.
Write Well: Evidence
Karl Wirth discusses forms of evidence.
Write Well: Engage Your Reader
Sarah Boyer encourages you to capture the imagination of your readers.
Write Well: Drafts
Vittorio Addono encourages you to write a first draft.
Write Well: Dictionaries
Frederick Green explains how dictionaries can improve your writing.
Write Well: Cutting Your Prose
Adrienne Christensen shows you how to cut your prose.
Write Well: Topic Sentences
Brian Lush discussed how to polish a rough draft of a paragraph by use of a topic sentence.
Write Well: Breathless
Adrienne Christiansen encourages writers to read sentences aloud.
Write Well: Argumentative Trail
Molly Olson discusses how to create an argumentative trail.
Write Well: Argument
Adrienne Christiansen outlines the meaning of argument.
Write Well: Adverbs
Marlon James offers a warning about the use of adverbs.
Write Well: A Very Useless Word
Britt Abel explains why and how you should avoid the word "very."