1. Writing 411
Get the Info!

2. A Lot is two words!
A lot of my friends stay out past their curfew.

3. Do not use second person!
BAD: Now you might think that torture is cruel, but you are wrong.
GOOD: Some adhere to the incorrect belief that torture is cruel.
By the way, this presentation is in second person. Why is that appropriate?

4. Be formal! Do not write like you are talking to a friend! BAD:
Well say you want to stay out after your curfew. (NO, NO, NO!)
GOOD:
Some teens may want to stay out after their curfews.

5. Do not use slang! These words and phrases are slang: freak out
nowadays or these days
stuff ok
pretty much
What are some words that could be used instead?

6. Never use the following phrases:
That being said…
With that said…
Reason being…
Now I am going to…
My name is…
Oh well
If you were to ask…
As you can see..

7. Or these
I have done research…
Like I said before

8. Do not begin a sentence with:
but so
and
well
now
because

9. i Capitalize “I” (notice how sad that little word looks)
This word should never be seen in a paper: i
(notice how sad that little word looks)

10. Do not use all caps!
All caps implies that you are shouting. Never shout at your reader. (That’s not very nice.)

11. Use this . not this!
Exclamation points have no place in formal writing. Instead, use strong vocabulary (verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) to emphasize your point.

12. Do not use slashes (/) NO: parent/guardian, and/or, etc. YES:
parent or guardian, and, or (either and or or--not both)
(You may use his/her according to MLA.)

13. Than and then are two different words!
Then - relates to time and used as an adverb. Example: Go to the stop sign, then turn right.
Than - used for comparison. Example: I have less work to do than you.

14. Questions should be used sparingly!
Do not ask a yes or no question and answer it immediately. Use effective questions.
BAD: Should tobacco be banned? Yes.

15. Provide Evidence! If you make claims like the following, support them:
It is proven that students who do homework daily have higher grades.
Sixty-seven percent of teens use Instagram.
Parents think they are perfect.

16. This should be obvious...
Read your teacher’s instructions before writing, during writing, and after writing!