This is a must-read if you have a lot of writing ahead of you! Below are the top 5 tips on keeping your writing clear and simple.

1. The Epic Introduction

Avoid this: “Ever since the dawn of civilized society, political leaders have had to deal with scandals like the one Mulroney faced after leaving office.”
Ever since the dawn of humankind, professors have been driven mad by student essays with “epic” introductions. Don’t start off too broadly or use sweeping generalizations. Think about the scope of your paper and start within it.

2. Clichés and Overused Expressions

Avoid this: “Like a moth to a flame, Jane was attracted to Rochester.”
Instead, try this: “Jane was unable to resist her attraction to Rochester.”

3. “Society” Statements

Avoid this: “Today’s society views women as capable of working the same jobs as men.”
Who exactly is society? The entire population? Most of the population? Much like the Epic Introduction, society statements are often empty because they are too vague. Try supporting your claim with a statistic, or be more specific about who holds this attitude.

4. Unnecessarily Complicated Words

Do you like using Microsoft Word’s thesaurus tab to make your words prettier? Stop. It’s an evil practice.

Avoid this:
“He observed precipitation activity outside.”
“The writer often displayed a propensity for prolixity or pleonasm.”

Instead, try something like this:
“He saw rain outside.”
“The writer was often verbose.”

The simpler and fewer words you use (without losing any of the message you are trying to convey), the clearer your writing will be.

5. Referencing Problems

In university-level writing, citing sources correctly and using the proper referencing format is essential. Whether you’re using MLA, Chicago, or APA style, you can avoid problems with referencing by consulting the Fastfacts style guides provided by the library, both online and in print.

For more information, visit www.writingservices.uoguelph.ca or come to the 1st floor of the McLaughlin Library

Darren Monteith
Former Writing Peer, BA 2010