Good academic writing is essential for success in college and university. Writing is a skill that needs to be developed and honed over time. To help students become better writers, many educators focus on the five Cs of writing: Clarity, Cogency, Conventionality, Completeness, and Concision.
Clarity is the first C of writing. It refers to the ability to express ideas in a clear and understandable way. Good academic writing should be free of ambiguity and should be easy to follow. The writer should strive to make sure that the reader can understand the ideas being expressed.
The second C of writing is Cogency. This refers to the ability to make logical arguments and to support those arguments with evidence. Good academic writing should be well-structured and should include facts and evidence to support the writer’s claims.
The third C of writing is Conventionality. This refers to the ability to follow the conventions of academic writing. This includes using proper grammar, punctuation, and formatting. Good academic writing should adhere to the conventions of the field in which it is written.
The fourth C of writing is Completeness. This refers to the ability to provide all the necessary information in a paper. Good academic writing should include all the necessary information to support the writer’s argument.
The fifth and final C of writing is Concision. This refers to the ability to express ideas in a concise manner. Good academic writing should be concise and to the point. It should avoid unnecessary words and should get to the point quickly.
In conclusion, the five Cs of writing are Clarity, Cogency, Conventionality, Completeness, and Concision. These five characteristics are essential for good academic writing and should be kept in mind when writing a paper. By focusing on these five characteristics, students can become better writers and achieve success in college and university.