Your writing tells others how well you think and understand the ideas you are learning in your courses. In college, you are required to write often. Students have to write lab reports in science courses, reflection papers in response to readings in liberal arts courses, and journal entries and one-minute papers in writing courses. Like research, writing takes practice, and it is always a good idea to ask for help. This section will get you started by walking you through the writing process with step-by-step guidelines for effective and efficient writing.