In most jobs, writing plays a major role. Even if you think the job you have or want is not writing-oriented, you may be surprised to discover how much writing is involved. Think about email, for example. People spend a surprisingly high 28 percent of their time at work writing and responding to emails. Even if just half of that is writing, it still amounts to roughly 14 percent of all work time.
Writing skills involve more than placing words on a computer screen or page. In writing courses in an online bachelor’s degree program, you will learn how to communicate with clarity and grammatical accuracy. Writing takes critical thinking, persuasion and tact.
Composition Classes Teach More Than Writing
In composition classes, you will learn how to do research and how to craft an argument in a research paper. You will gather and evaluate information. You will use the research you have gathered to make a specific, reasoned argument with facts and other evidence to support it. In some classes, you may be asked to persuade your classmates of the merits of one idea over another.
Research is one of the most important skills you can have in today’s workplace. The time spent searching for and gathering information is significant: 19 percent of an average workday. In a writing class, you will also learn how to work in a team. People spend another 14 percent of work time communicating and collaborating with coworkers. Added together, more than 40 percent of job time consists of the kinds of tasks you learn in a writing class.
Businesses Need Good Writers
Business leaders think that the most important skills in any job involve the skills found in writing classes. In fact, the #1 most sought-after skill is critical thinking: the ability to use “logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.” First and foremost, a composition class teaches critical thinking.
Business leaders look for someone who can write well by using appropriate grammar and spelling. If you are shaky on the difference between “to” and “too” or “it’s” and “its,” the quality of your writing might cause a potential employer to wonder if your grasp on other subjects is as unstable. Many employers will stop looking at an applicant whose cover letter or resume shows poor grammar or spelling.
The Benefits of Instruction and Practice in Writing
The importance of writing in getting a job and on the job are clear. Writing skills can easily slip if the writer is not paying attention. Instruction in writing along with opportunities to practice writing are two major benefits of earning a bachelor’s degree online, such as the Bachelor of University Studies degree.
Members of Generation Y (or Millennials, as they are also known) may be adept at communicating through instant messaging and social media, but they are sometimes considered less fluent in tasks that require more sustained thought and research. Whether or not this is accurate, writing classes in an online BGS degree program can help you hone your skills in all areas of writing.
The skills you will learn by earning a bachelor’s degree online can set you apart from other job applicants and help you excel at the job.
Learn more about Lamar University online Bachelor of Science in University Studies.
Sources:
The Washington Post: How Much Time You Really Spend Emailing at Work
Forbes: The 10 Skills That Will Get You Hired in 2013
