Writing for an Educated Audience AP Exams Composition Tests Academic Writing Journalistic Writing

Assumptions Audience has previous knowledge of the subject Writer writes with the point of view of authority Scholarly jargon employed Avoidance of slang and other informal language Avoid clichés

Employ concise words - limit verbiage and redundancy Refrain from using “you” Vary sentence structure Refrain from using contractions Maintain active voice over passive voice construction Limit modifiers and prepositional phrases Use accurate parallel structure Use metaphorical language effectively

Consistently obey the rules of grammar, mechanics, and punctuation. Avoid sexist language Watch pronoun agreement

Revised paragraph (No passive voice – Readability 12 th Grade) Gifts from parents to children always carry the most meaningful messages. The way parents think about presents goes one step beyond the objects themselves – the ties, dolls, sleds, I-pods, bicycles, and clothing that wait by the Christmas trees. The gifts are, in effect, one way of telling boys and girls, “We love you even though you have been a bad boy all month” or, “We love having a daughter” or, “We treat all our children alike” or, “It is all right for girls to have some toys made for boys” or, “This alarm clock will help you get started in the morning all by yourself.” Throughout all the centuries since the invention of a Santa Clause figure who represented a special recognition of children’s behavior, good and bad, presents have given parents a way of telling children about their love and hopes and expectations for them.