Final Writing Assignment

This is a list of 12 suggestions and alternate choices. This should assist you in avoiding common flaws that contribute to wordy and non-academic/non-professional writing. Please carefully consider each suggestion when writing.

12 Ways to Trim the Fat in Academic Writing

1.            Eliminate redundancy. Each and every day/everyday, as to believe/believe.

2.            State simply and declaratively: She decided that whenever they would go shopping she would never, ever try that again./ She never again made the error.

3.            Write in active voice: the ball was hit by the boy /The boy hit the ball.

4.            Always write in third person: it, he, she, one, they, this author, the writer.  Never (EVER!) write in first or second person: I, we, you (this includes implied you command form. (You) Go home now.)

5.            Write descriptively with choice words/language: find out/discover, to show that/demonstrate, was so brightly lit up/illuminated

6.            Avoid past participles or helping verbs and words when unnecessary: was going/went, had issued/issued

7.            Do not ask rhetorical questions: Can an addict truly understand what normal people think about what we¿re supposed to do on a daily basis? / Addicts are not equipped to adhere to societal norms. I do not like questions in research papers. Give answers, instead.

8.            Never begin a sentence with unreferenced pronoun it. It is known that..  Using the active voice will fix the it problem.

9.            Delete empty words and phrases: in my opinion, very, really, basically, I think that, various, essentially, so, I feel, in some ways, virtually, I believe, great deal, over and over, In this paper,  In conclusion, etc. etc.

10.      Do not write contractions: don¿t / do not; can¿t / cannot

11.      English has the advantage of the possessive. Use it! The car belonging to the man / The man's car.

12.      Avoid Do support. They did remember / They remembered.