5 Writing Skills for Communications Students to Master

5 Writing Abilities Communications Students Should Master

Clarity
Persuasion
Typing Speed
Various Style Guides
Editing

Communications majors need to master a variety of writing skills. This is because writing is one of the main methods of human communication, especially in the modern digital age. The following are some of the key writing abilities communications majors should possess.

1. Clarity

Clarity is one of the most important skills any writer can have. The entire point of writing is to convey ideas to an audience. For that to be successful, communicators must be clear in their writing so their meaning is understood. Students can improve their clarity by writing in plain, clear sentences rather than trying to make their writing ornate. They can also plan the key ideas in advance so the main points do not get muddled with tangent ideas. Outlining is especially helpful with this process.

2. Persuasion

Persuasion is another important writing skill for communications majors. Many pieces of writing, especially in marketing and business, are crafted with the intention of persuading the reader to a certain point of view or to buy something, or otherwise convince them of something. Communications majors must be able to effectively lay out their arguments in writing so the reader will be inclined to take some kind of desired action. The goal of the piece – that desired action – should be decided before writing so an effective case can be built throughout the piece. The ending of the piece will usually consist of a strong call to action: telling the reader in no uncertain terms what their conclusion should be.

3. Typing Speed

Typing speed has become increasingly important for communications professionals as more and more communication is composed and conducted digitally. While not as universally necessary as other skills included on this list, fast typing ability is needed in certain communications careers, such as writing captions, court reporting, or transcription. Even where it is not necessary, a fast typing speed makes communications professionals more productive and thus more valuable to the organizations that employ them. Many communications jobs will post a minimum accepted typing speed measured in words per minute.

4. Various Style Guides

There are several major style guides that are standard in different industries, as The Balance reports. For example, news articles tend to follow AP style and book writing typically adheres to Chicago style. Communications majors should be familiar with these style guides, especially ones that are heavily used in their industries. In addition, the names for various types of grammar and punctuation, as well as their correct usage, should be mastered as well. This basic understanding of correct language usage will be the building blocks from which communications students build their writing ability.

5. Editing

The final and perhaps most important of these writing skills is editing. Communications majors should master the skill of self-editing so their publications are put out error-free. Errors or unprofessional presentation can severely damage reputations and credibility. First drafts of any type of writing are usually not yet very good. Especially important pieces should be set aside and looked at later with a fresh perspective, if at all possible. If needed, communications professionals should also work with professional editors to ensure a quality final product is ultimately produced.

Writing should be a strong focus for any communications student, especially those specializing in digital communication. Communications students will have a much easier time in school and in the workforce by mastering these writing skills.