1. Jeannette High School Honors English 12
Writiing suggestions
Jeannette High School
Honors English 12

2. Done with Baseline and Parents essays
Some suggestions we will discuss today:
Focus /Understanding the Question
Organization
The “KISS” Rule
Swithching P.O.V. and Tenses
Avoiding “Pronoun Addiction”
Proofreading
Avoiding Passive Voice
Being “Conversational”
First Mentions
In Text Citing

3. Focus!
Remember, this is YOUR paper. YOU decide what goes in or stays out.
- Understand the questions prior to writing. What does it want specifically?
- Do a quick pre – write or outline to help you stay on point.

4. organization
For essays, simple is good! Use a model like the “Big I” to help your organization. It will also help with your focus. Other ways to organize an essay are out there and are acceptable. Just have a plan prior to writing.

5. The Kiss rule Keep It Simple for Stupid
Relax, I’m not calling you stupid. But when writing, consider your audience, and write to the lowest level of that group. Don’t assume your reader knows what you know. This is why magazines and newspapers write on a 4th grade level.
Do not use words unless you are 100% sure what they mean! It can lead to awkward sentences.

6. P. O. V. Switches
I noticed quite a few of these. If you start in 3rd person, stay there. If you start in 1st, stay there. Unless giving directions, stay away from 2nd. If you are asking a question to the reader, try to find a different way to do it.

7. Pronoun junkies!
This goes along with the KISS rule. You cannot assume that the reader knows who all these people are. If you switch people in your writing, mention them by name. Only use pronouns if you are immediately following a name.

8. First mentions
Whenever mentioning a person, place, or thing for the first time, always use the full name. After that shortened versions are acceptable, as well as references to them (i.e. “the article”). If there is an abbreviations for the person, place, or thing, include that in parenthesis immediately following the first mention. This tells the reader that you may refer to it as such later in the work. i.e. Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA)

9. How does that sound?
It never hurts to read a sentence out loud to make sure it makes sense. If you have trouble understanding it, imagine how the reader feels! I spotted many run on sentences that could have been caught this way. Remember the KISS rule! Simpler is better. Many sentences needed rewording because they were awkward sounding.