Students of Holy Cross attend writing workshop following AI alarm
In the hallowed halls of The College of the Holy Cross, academic writing is considered a crucial tool for communicating complex ideas, research, and knowledge within the academic community and beyond. This skill is not only essential for students but also for faculty members and researchers alike.
Academic writing serves as a platform for critical thinking, as writers must organise their thoughts, provide supporting evidence, and present their arguments in a coherent manner. The focus is on clarity, evidence, and a formal tone, requiring a clear thesis, well-structured paragraphs, and proper citations to back up arguments.
Recently, an incident led the Academic Services office to host a meeting on basic writing skills, attended by many Holy Cross students who rely on AI generative resources for help. However, the instructor of the writing workshop advised students to go back to second grade due to the lack of responses. This underscores the importance of consistent practice, reading widely, and building vocabulary deliberately to improve academic writing skills.
On a lighter note, Holy Cross's comedy troupe, Entropy, performed their inaugural on-campus show on Tuesday. The Entropy show took place in Stein 120 and was attended by Holy Cross students, providing a much-needed break from the academic rigour. Previously, Entropy had wowed an audience of Boston College students in early April.
The College of the Holy Cross, like other institutions, is taking action on the climate crisis. The College has set a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. The Office of Sustainability, established in April 2020, is at the forefront of global discussions about sustainability and climate change. The Office of Sustainability has made headway on a series of environmentally-progressive initiatives, with sustainability practices built into many facilities and buildings at Holy Cross.
For those seeking to improve their academic writing skills without relying on AI tools, here are some strategies:
- Read regularly across different genres to expand vocabulary, understand sentence flow, and familiarise yourself with academic tone.
- Write daily, even for short periods, such as journaling or summarising academic texts, to build fluency and confidence.
- Develop a strong vocabulary by maintaining a vocabulary journal and actively incorporating new words in your writing.
- Master sentence structure and grammar to ensure clarity; focus on subject-verb agreement, conjunctions, and using simple and compound sentences appropriately.
- Plan your writing with an outline before drafting to organise thoughts logically and maintain focus in your academic work.
- Research thoroughly to support your arguments with accurate, up-to-date information, essential for credible academic writing.
- Revise, edit, and proofread carefully: first revise for content and structure, then edit for grammar and punctuation, and finally proofread to catch minor errors before submission.
- Use clear, direct language and strong verbs to communicate ideas effectively, avoiding unnecessary complexity or monotonous passages.
- Seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or peers to identify areas for improvement and gain motivation.
Following these strategies consistently can substantially refine your academic writing skills over time without reliance on AI tools.
[1] The Chronicle of Higher Education, "10 Tips for Improving Your Writing," [accessed 2022-04-21]. [2] The Writing Centre, "Writing a Research Paper," [accessed 2022-04-21]. [3] The Purdue Online Writing Lab, "Writing a Research Paper," [accessed 2022-04-21]. [4] The University of California, Berkeley, "The Writing Process," [accessed 2022-04-21]. [5] The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Grammar Basics," [accessed 2022-04-21].
- Participation in the writing workshop at The College of the Holy Cross emphasized the need for students to focus on improving their basic writing skills, rather than relying on AI generative resources.
- The College of the Holy Cross strives to foster not only academic excellence but also personal growth and learning within its community, as indicated by the establishment of the Office of Sustainability and the comedy troupe Entropy.
- In addition to academic research, educational and self-development opportunities, such as workshops, events, and clubs, play a significant role in enhancing the student experience at The College of the Holy Cross.
- While academic writing serves as a crucial tool for communicating complex ideas, it also enables students to develop critical thinking skills, organizational abilities, and overall academic competence.
- The Office of Sustainability at The College of the Holy Cross is at the forefront of discussions concerning education and self-development, as it advocates for sustainability practices that promote personal growth and global awareness.
