1. WRITING TIPS

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.”

5. 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.

6. 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.)

7. 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.

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

9. 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.

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

11. 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.

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

13. 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.

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

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

16. 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

17. 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

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

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

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

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

22. 20. Generalizations  One should never generalize.

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

24. 22. Comparisons  Comparisons are as bad as clichés.

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

26. 24. Specify  Be more or less specific.

27. 25. Sentences  One-word sentences? Eliminate.

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

29. 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.

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

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