WRITING TIPS

1. ACTIVE! Text should be written in the active voice, not the passive voice. FIX Funds were raised for the American Cancer Society’s annual drive.

2. Participles  Avoiding verbs+ing (participles) as much as possible is wise.  Acceptable: The ACS was expending effort to raise funds for its annual drive.  Better: The ACS expended effort to raise funds for its annual drive.

3. Don’t Split Verbs  Do not regularly split verbs. Split Verb: She had longingly waited for that “special day.” Better: She had waited longingly for that “special day.”

4. Infinitives  Do not split infinitives (to + verb) to better explain your point.  Split infinitive: to better understand, to simultaneously change  Better: to understand better, to change simultaneously.

5. Sexism  Guys should avoid sexist terminology.  Only refer to gender when it is necessary, otherwise use neutral nouns and pronouns (individuals, one, people, etc.)

6. Contractions  Don’t use contractions in formal writing.  It’s more acceptable, formal and educated sounding to avoid contractions, so you shouldn’t use them.

7. Proofread  Proofreed your works very carefully for both spelling and correct grammar.

8. Tenses  All verb tenses should agrees. Pick one (past or present tense) and stick with it.  John entered the library. He speaks to the librarian. Finally, John chooses a book.  John entered the library. He spoke to the librarian. Finally, John chose a book.

9. ?  One should avoid rhetorical questions, don’t you think? They sound tiresome, don’t they?  (2 errors)

10. Commas  Comma splices are common mistakes made by undergraduates, consequently, when one has two independent clauses, the use of a semi-colon is preferable over a comma.

11. Fragments  That students use sentence fragments is unacceptable.

12. You  You should avoid the use of the second person pronoun when writing because it comes across as talking at you rather than communicating with you.

13. Alliteration  Avoid alliteration. Always. (in formal writing-essays.)

14. Prepositions  Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.  Where are you at?

15. Clichés  Avoid clichés like the plague. They are old hat.  Cliché- a trite or overused expression or idea. Face the musicneedle in a haystackstrong as an oxeasier said than done

EXAMPLES  Face the music  Strong as an ox  Needle in a haystack  Easier said than done  Better late than never  Ripe old age  Gentle as a lamb  Green with envy  Hard as a rock  Shoulder the burden  Untimely death  Add insult to injury  At the drop of a hat  Like the pot calling the kettle black

16. Language  Employ the vernacular.  Use plain,everyday, clear language.

17. Short-cuts  Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.  Do not use & or abbreviations et cetera.

18. Parenthesis  Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.

19. Foreign words  Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.  Fitting; at the right time

20. Generalizations  One should never generalize.

21. Quotations  Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”

22. Comparisons  Comparisons are as bad as clichés.

23. Repetition  Don’t be redundant; don’t use more words than necessary; it’s highly superfluous.

24. Specify  Be more or less specific.

25. Sentences  One-word sentences? Eliminate.

26. Analogies  Analogies in formal writing are like feathers on a snake.

27. Colloquialisms  Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms. characteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing; informal; involving or using conversation.

28. Metaphors  Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.

29. Exaggeration  Exaggeration in formal writing is a billion times worse than understatement.