2. Tip#1: Do not state that you
space fillers
are writing WHY: ObviousIntroduction that
weakens your
Avoid:
“In this essay, I am going to write
about how there are no winners in
the debate about whether it is ok to
punch babies.”
Try Instead:
“There are no winners in the debate
whether it is ok to punch babies.”
3. Tip#2: Avoid Using First Person
WHY: You did not do the research
Avoid:
“I believe there may be value in punching
a baby.”
Try Instead:
“Evidence supports that there may be
value in punching a baby”
4. Tip#3: Stop Writing the Way you Talk
WHY: Nobody can hear the tone of your voice
Avoid:
“Well, many people think punching a
baby just aint right.”
Try Instead:
“Many people think punching a
baby is inappropriate”
5. Tip#4: Avoid “There is” & “There are”
WHY: Makes writing more clear and concise
Avoid:
“There are many issues that students face in college”
Try Instead:
“Students face many issues in college”
6. Tip#5: Avoid “Really”, “Very”,
“A lot”, “So” WHY: Usage weakens the writing
Fix This:
“Many students think college is very hard”
“The proposed bill is really controversial”
“A lot of people agree that…”
7. Tip#6: Try to use Active Voice
WHY: Emphasize the subject and not the object
Passive Voice (Subject is acted on)
“Healthcare reforms were
implemented by Obama”
Active Voice (Subject acts)
“Obama implemented healthcare
reform”
8. Tip#7: Don’t Use Contractions
WHY: It sounds more professional when you don’t do not.
9. Tip#8: Minimize Disposable Sentences
WHY: Obvious space fillers & simple sentences
Fix This:
“The story took place in 2014. The town it
happened in was Tucson. There were
many people who wanted to punch
babies.”
10. Tip#9: Write at a College Level
WHY: Take Invest time to find better words
11. Tip#10: Proof Read!
WHY: It is easy to miss something in your own work
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•
•
•
•
Read it the next day
Ask a student
Ask a spouse
Ask a child in school
Use the LRC
12. WHY: You missing the point of education
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q0NlWcTq1Y
Tip#11: Do Not Plagiarize!!!
