Seventh Lesson

The 'building block' approach to writing

• Writing assignment is about finding the right building blocks each time and putting them together in a coherent order. 

• In the same way that using the same raw materials is unlikely to result in two identical buildings, even if you use the same sources and answer the same question, no two assignment will ever be exactly the same.

• Using 'building block' is a metaphorical way of thinking about writing, which we hope will be helpful to you when you come to a new assignment.

• As you approach each new assignment, you, the writer, are the 'apprentice' but your tutor is more likely to be an 'experienced builder'. Your tutor will be able to tell you where you went wrong with your writing. 

• As the writer you have to be able to identify the building blocks and put them together in a way that make sense.  

• Brainstorming is a useful technique to use to now identify the building blocks, the different parts of your assignment.