Embedded Files
Transitions
Transitions
DO: Seek effective and varying transitions to guide your reader through your essay. Key areas to place transitions are:
DO: Seek effective and varying transitions to guide your reader through your essay. Key areas to place transitions are:
- At the start of each new paragraph
- When introducing each new piece of supporting evidence.
DON'T:
DON'T:
Use weak, elementary transitions. Leave "first, second, and third" for those in first, second and third grade. :-)
Use weak, elementary transitions. Leave "first, second, and third" for those in first, second and third grade. :-)
Word Choice
Word Choice
DO: Use a thesaurus to find strong word choice, including vivid adjectives and active verbs. These are your protein shake chugging, power lifting words.
DO: Use a thesaurus to find strong word choice, including vivid adjectives and active verbs. These are your protein shake chugging, power lifting words.
DON'T: Use weak, non-descriptive words such as said, did, get, things, stuff, good, bad, etc. Send those weak words packing to the little kids' playground where they belong.
DON'T: Use weak, non-descriptive words such as said, did, get, things, stuff, good, bad, etc. Send those weak words packing to the little kids' playground where they belong.
Tone
Tone
DO: Use the formal register. That means while using your own unique writer's voice, try to sound intelligent. No one is going to take you seriously if you talk like Cardi B. Write like you want to be hired at a job interview.
DO: Use the formal register. That means while using your own unique writer's voice, try to sound intelligent. No one is going to take you seriously if you talk like Cardi B. Write like you want to be hired at a job interview.
DON'T: Use slang or conversation words such as "well, you know, like, what I'm sayin is . . . "
DON'T: Use slang or conversation words such as "well, you know, like, what I'm sayin is . . . "
Complete Sentences
Complete Sentences
DO: Use complete sentences EVERY TIME. You don't have the privilege of breaking rules until you are in charge. Right now you are still working your way up to black belt, young grasshopper.
DO: Use complete sentences EVERY TIME. You don't have the privilege of breaking rules until you are in charge. Right now you are still working your way up to black belt, young grasshopper.
DON'T: Start a sentence with a conjunction. I'm looking at you, "And, But, Or, For, So, Nor, Yet." These are intended to CONNECT TWO sentences, not begin one. Beginning a sentence with a conjunction will be considered a fragment. Writing in fragments is as traumatizing to your reader as you receiving your pizza order with ZERO toppings, not even cheese. That's right, it's a downright travesty.
DON'T: Start a sentence with a conjunction. I'm looking at you, "And, But, Or, For, So, Nor, Yet." These are intended to CONNECT TWO sentences, not begin one. Beginning a sentence with a conjunction will be considered a fragment. Writing in fragments is as traumatizing to your reader as you receiving your pizza order with ZERO toppings, not even cheese. That's right, it's a downright travesty.
Announcer Voice
Announcer Voice
What is "Announcer Voice?" This is a lame attempt to take up space in your essay by adding fluff sentences such as:
"I am now going to tell you about this novel."
"Oh look, you are now in my conclusion, you lucky soul."
"I have now told you all about this topic."
NO, friends, NO. We will NOT use the announcer voice. Don't Forrest Gump your essay. If Nike can Just Do It, so can you. Say what you want to say - don't announce that you're about to say something, followed by another announcement that you just said something. If you don't have enough content to write an adequate essay, GO FIND MORE. Nobody is fooled by filler material any more than when you increase your font size to 20 to make your essay look longer.
Attitude
Attitude
DO: Write like you are the boss, knower of all that is wonderful and correct, here to dispense your brand of wisdom to us lowly unsuspecting peons. Write like you are an attorney arguing a case in court. Be authoritative. Everyone knows what you are writing is your point of view, but you are presenting it as TRUTH. OWN IT.
DO: Write like you are the boss, knower of all that is wonderful and correct, here to dispense your brand of wisdom to us lowly unsuspecting peons. Write like you are an attorney arguing a case in court. Be authoritative. Everyone knows what you are writing is your point of view, but you are presenting it as TRUTH. OWN IT.
Don't: Act like your wisdom is irrelevant by diluting it with such phrases as "I think" or "I believe" - what you are telling your reader is that you are NOT an authority and your views can be easily dismissed.
Don't: Act like your wisdom is irrelevant by diluting it with such phrases as "I think" or "I believe" - what you are telling your reader is that you are NOT an authority and your views can be easily dismissed.
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