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profileshanta75
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Today, we are inundated with data, imagery, text messages, news commentary stories, and assorted editorial posts cleverly designed and communicated as information or "news." Public organizations are not immune to the same conditions and challenges associated with messaging and social media. How can public service organizations minimize or eliminate sources of misinformation?

Quality writing is essential to professional success.  Graduate degree holders are expected to write in a style befitting their achievement. Now is the time to show your writing and research skills.  Here are a few common mistakes found in sloppy writing and analytical thought. Use Grammarly and, if necessary, Tutorme to polish your writing before submitting an assignment. 

     1. Writing in the first person, using personal pronouns, or expressing personal opinions.  I have said it before, and the prohibition is found in all PAD courses.  Do not interject yourself or your personal opinions into your paper.  Personal pronouns sometimes signal this problem, as in, "I am going to...", "we found..." and "you can do...".

     2. Writing the way you write in your profession or speak in conversation. 

     3. “Use” versus “utilize.” They may sound like two versions of the same word, but they are not synonymous.  Aside from sounding pretentious, some writers use the word “utilize” to sound smart. Substitute use for utilize. Consider synonyms such as apply, employ, and manage.  This link has a good explanation.   https://grammarpartyblog.com/2012/01/17/use-versus-utilize/   The safest course is to avoid the word altogether.

     4. Irrelevant and wordy fillers. 

· “That being said...”.  Papers do not "say" anything.

· “In order to...”.  Just leave out "in order" as in "to understand the process Birkland considered...". 

    5. Vague and overbroad statements - if unsupported. Do not leave the reader guessing as to your meaning.

· A lot. 

· Many.  E.g., many people thought.

· Some.  

· Any. 

· Everyone.  It is unlikely that you will find unanimity in the public sector.

· Etc.  

     6. Commonly misspelled words. 

· A lot - You should avoid it but if necessary, consider that the word is often misspelled as "alot" or "allot."  This link has a fun explanation.   http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

· Cannot – often misspelled as two words. 

· Judgment – often misspelled with an additional “e” after “g.” The "e" is archaic and only sometimes found today in the United Kingdom. 

· Among, not amongst. We live in the United States, where among is the preferred form – especially in Capstone papers. In either form, the word is often overused and sometimes vague if the other things it relates to have not been discussed.  

     7. Starting a sentence with a number or acronym. 

     8. Contractions. There is no place for contractions in formal writing. Direct quotes are, of course, an exception to the rule.

     9. Fragment sentences. These are sentences with incomplete thoughts. Grammarly usually will find them.

   10. Writing "dollar."  Use the $ symbol - E.g., $1 million in capital expenses, not $1 million dollars or 1 million dollars.