Writing Preferences & Conditions That Encourage Students

Writing Preferences and Conditions that Encourage Students to Better Perform Writing Tasks [Author Name(s), First M. Last, Omit Titles and Degrees] [Institutional Affiliation(s)] Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc511387076 \h 3Background and Objectives PAGEREF _Toc511387077 \h 4This study aims to understand what encourages today’s students to write, in general, including writing academic papers. It analyzes how students performed when writing papers by hand compared to when writing papers using a computer or a laptop. PAGEREF _Toc511387078 \h 4Summary of Key Findings PAGEREF _Toc511387079 \h 4Typing Using Word Processor Programs as Compared to Writing Longhand PAGEREF _Toc511387080 \h 4More Organized Written Output. PAGEREF _Toc511387081 \h 5Ability to Save and Organize Files. PAGEREF _Toc511387082 \h 5Performing Writing Tasks Outside of Class PAGEREF _Toc511387083 \h 6Less Pressure in Writing Outside of Class. PAGEREF _Toc511387084 \h 6Discovery and Learning. PAGEREF _Toc511387085 \h 7Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc511387086 \h 7 Abstract Today’s technology has significantly changed the way we communicate including communication in written form. Younger students, particularly, have been exposed to gadgets such as electronic tablets and computers at a very early age. It is very likely that some of them have learned how to type messages using an electronic keyboard before they even learned how to write paragraphs longhand. This affects today’s students’ preferences when it comes to performing written tasks such as those required in academics like essays and reaction papers. The survey conducted for this report focused on students’ preferences when it comes to writing such papers as well as what encourages them to complete these writing tasks well. I chose to survey students at the library of West Virginia University and asked them whether they liked to type or write by hand when doing their papers. They also shared with me how they liked doing their writing tasks and whether or not it’s better for them to write inside or outside of the classroom. Background and Objectives This study aims to understand what encourages today’s students to write, in general, including writing academic papers. It analyzes how students performed when writing papers by hand compared to when writing papers using a computer or a laptop. Summary of Key Findings When asked if they liked to write by hand or type in a word processing document, most of the students at the West Virginia University Library who participated in the survey said that they preferred typing rather than writing. I also asked them if they preferred doing writing tasks inside the classroom and 8 out of 10 respondents said that they liked writing outside of class, meaning taking writing tasks home and doing them in a more preferable space whether it’s their study desks or a coffee shop. Typing Using Word Processor Programs as Compared to Writing Longhand Students shared that they are more likely to write their written reports using word processing programs such as Microsoft Word and Pages. The survey asked them to indicate specifically how typing helped them in completing their written reports. It is easier for them to organize their thoughts and ma...