Writing Tips

What are clichés?

A cliché is an overused phrase or expression commonly used in everyday conversation. They are phrases that might have lost their original meaning but are still used to this day.

Why not use clichés?

Using clichés is usually acceptable in everyday conversation, but in writing they can be interpreted as unoriginal or uninspiring. Readers want to see original content. 

What are euphemisms?

Euphemisms are indirect, mild, or vague expressions that are used to substitute for words or phrases that are considered harsh, blunt, or socially sensitive. They are often employed to soften the impact of a potentially unpleasant or offensive topic, making the communication more polite or less confrontational. Here are some examples of euphemisms:

• Original Phrase: Restroom or bathroom.

• Euphemism: Powder room or facilities.

• Original Phrase: Elderly.

• Euphemism: Senior citizens.
  
  

Why not use euphemisms?

Euphemisms can sometimes lead to confusion or misunderstandings, as they often rely on implied meanings rather than direct language. 

What are idioms?

Idioms are phrases that have meanings that are not directly derived from the individual words in the phrase. They are a form of figurative language where the combination of words carries a meaning beyond the literal interpretation of those words. Idioms often reflect cultural, historical, or social contexts, and they can add color, depth, and nuance to language. An example of an idiom is, "kick the bucket."

Why not use idioms?

Idioms can be confusing for people who are not familiar with the specific idiomatic phrase.

What is jargon?

Jargon refers to specialized terminology or language that is used within a particular field, profession, or group of people. It's often characterized by technical words, phrases, and expressions that might not be easily understood by individuals who are not part of that specific field or community.

Why not use jargon?

Jargon can create barriers to effective communication when used with people who are unfamiliar with the terminology. In some cases, jargon can make conversations exclusive and difficult for outsiders to comprehend.

What is slang?

Slang refers to informal and often non-standard words, phrases, and expressions that are commonly used within a particular social group, age group, or community. Slang is characterized by its informality, creativity, and tendency to change rapidly over time. It's often used to convey a sense of camaraderie, in-group identity, or to reflect current cultural trends.

Why not use slang?

Slang is informal, it is not suitable for formal writing or situations where a more standard and professional language is expected. It's important to note that while some slang terms might be widely understood, others could be specific to a particular subculture or local community. Due to its constantly evolving nature, slang can sometimes become outdated quickly or lose its relevance as new terms emerge.

Introductions are essential to the foundation of your writing. They serve to provide the context and background that the reader will need to understand the topic and introduce your central argument. Introductions provide a first impression of the topic, quality, and voice of the writing and influence the reader’s interest in what you have to say 

Consider the Process

Before you begin writing your introduction, consider your process.  You do not need to draft your introduction first. Just remember to keep everything focused to a central claim as you write the body text of your paper. It is also reasonable to come back to the introduction throughout the writing process to revise it, especially between drafts.

Consider writing an outline. This can help you brainstorm organization, such as the relationship between your thesis and the arguments you’ll make to support it. This gives you a better idea of what you’ll be introducing to the reader.

Keep on Track

The introduction will help the reader to transition from their daily life and into your topic and argument. Feel free to start with the most general information that is essential to your claim and work your way into specifics as you write. It can be helpful to keep in mind, however, that if you’re too vague the introduction may stray beyond the confines of the essay, or won’t adequately support the thesis. 

You will likely establish the thesis at the end of the introduction once you’ve provided other relevant information. You may also outline what the body of text will be going over to help keep things organized.

Develop an Effective Hook

Introductions have the potential to hook the reader in and build initial interest. They can also help to integrate readers into the topic they’ll be reading about. To do this, consider opening with a compelling or thought-provoking question, anecdote, quote, or scenario. The assignment type will likely influence the type of hook that’s most appropriate. For instance, essays written for the social or health sciences tend to be more concise and straightforward, whereas essays about literature or humanities may be more artistic, but still remain relevant to the central claim. Consider what your audience might find compelling, important, or what would make your writing stand out. 

Don't Make it a Fact Sheet

Avoid listing out basic facts or starting with dictionary definitions of words. Include only the basic facts that will be relevant to the reader, perhaps the titles and authors of works that will be discussed in a literary analysis. Additional information on your sources can be included in your list of sources instead, which will be required in most assignments for proper attribution.

Rather than listing a definition from a dictionary, it’s better to define important terms with your own words and within the context of the essay’s topic. If the word isn’t paramount to understanding the thesis, consider defining it within the body of the text instead.

Conclusions help the reader to reintegrate from the topic of your paper back into the physical world around them. In doing so, the reader may bring that topic outside the confines of the paper to consider how it applies to the bigger picture.  Conclusions also reiterate the most important information to help the reader retain it, leaving the reader with a final, lasting impression. Overall, conclusions are paramount to making sure your writing has a lasting effect.

Introduce Information with New Context

• • Conclusions are not meant to repeat the message word for word. The goal is not repetition, but to reiterate important topics that the reader may want to keep in mind before they finish the paper.

  • Once the reader gets to the conclusion, they have been provided ample context surrounding your topics. Thus, when you bring them up again, you can integrate new understanding around them: Show the reader how everything fits together. For instance, when you introduce the thesis, it is unsupported. After you provide arguments for why the claim should be taken seriously in the body of the text, you won’t write the thesis the same way in the conclusion, since it can now be synthesized with supporting evidence. 

Avoid Adding New Claims

• It may be confusing for the reader to be provided additional arguments, research, analysis, or other information just as the paper is ending. This could take away from the purpose of the conclusion to discuss what you had already written. If your final thoughts include such new additions, reflect on where this would best fit within the body of your paper instead.

• There are exceptions: You may wish to suggest “where to go from here”: to suggest how further research could expand on your own, to make a call to action, or to suggest other applications of your writing. You might also expand on your hook (see our handout on Introductions). For instance, if you included a thought-provoking question, interesting scenario, or complex issue in the introduction for the reader to ponder on as they read, you could resolve it in the conclusion with a satisfactory and relevant answer. This will help tie things together and exemplify why it matters.

See Your Reader Off

• In your paper, you took the reader out of their surrounding environment and into the world of your writing. Now it’s time to guide them back. Consider starting the conclusion with your thesis, and work your way to the broader applications thereof. Whatever you write in your conclusion will be the most fresh in the reader’s mind when they finish, and perhaps for some time to come. Consider what messages are most important for you to communicate to them. As they finish reading, show why your writing should matter to them.