It is, perhaps, a bit of folly to write about clear writing – what if I’m not clear? Nonetheless, I can’t resist this brief New York Times article that highlights the power of clarity in the written word. The written word, in this case, is the whistleblower’s complaint that is now dominating the Twitterverse (and every other media universe). While no one has a reliable crystal ball, this piece of clear writing could ultimately provoke a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on impeachment charges against the sitting president.
The article is written by the Director of the Harvard College Writing Center. (The existence of which serves to remind us that ALL college students need help with their writing, not just community college students.) Please read Ms. Rosenzwieg’s complete article. She highlights the power of structure, active verbs, and strong topic sentences. She also reminds us that we live in a world that requires the ability to write clearly and effectively. Whether we write memos, reports, emails, plans, proposals, tweets, blogs, or summaries of meetings, the written word is still the key to delivering a message that has impact.
As we help our students learn how to combine words into a meaningful whole, please remember that they can seek help from our own Learning Labs at every campus. And join me in celebrating our various roles in helping our students develop their writing chops.
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay