What is good writing?  This is not an easy question to
answer.  Many very different kinds of writing are considered
"good" and for many different reasons.  There is no formula or
program for writing well.  However, there are certain qualities
that most examples of good writing share.  The following is a
brief description of five important qualities of good writing. 
The qualities described here are especially appropriate for
academic and expository writing.  



         FIVE IMPORTANT QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITING

Writing should have focus:         An essay should have a single
                                   clear central idea.  Each
                                   paragraph should have a clear
                                   main point or topic sentence.

Writing should have development:   Each paragraph should support
                                   the central idea of the paper.
                                   Individual sentences should
                                   support the main point of the
                                   paragraph.   

Writing should have unity:         Every paragraph in an essay
                                   should be related to the main
                                   idea.  Each paragraph should
                                   stick to its main point.

Writing should have coherence:     An essay or paper should be
                                   organized logically, flow
                                   smoothly, and "stick"
                                   together.

                                   In other words, everything in
                                   the writing should make sense
                                   to a reader.

Writing should have correctness:   A paper should be written in
                                   generally correct standard
                                   English, with complete
                                   sentences, and be relatively
                                   error-free.

     One additional quality, not part of this list, but
nevertheless, very important, is creativity.  The best writing is
that which carries some of the personality, the individuality of
its author.  Follow the above guidelines, but always strive above
all to make your writing uniquely your own.