Text Box: TOP TIPS: Be careful to follow instructions or the “call of the question.” Plan your research. Organize your ideas (try using outlines). Remember your audience! Small-scale organization and Style Tips: Paragraphing: A paragraph should not contain more than one new idea. If you are starting a new idea, you should probably be starting a new paragraph An idea may cover more than one consecutive paragraph Every paragraph should have a topic or thesis near the beginning Every paragraph should have a unified purpose. Vagueness: non-referential it and beginning sentences with ‘this’ ‘that’ or ‘it’ where the antecedent is not clearly defined Extremely long sentences: if a sentence hits 25 words you should consider splitting it somehow Don’t waste words: Jones filed an action in civil court sounding in negligence and named Smith as the defendant Jones sued Smith for negligence Passive voice: The ball was thrown by Billy Avoid left-handed sentences: After being chased out of the pocket, The ball was thrown by Billy Avoid lawyer talk: “aforementioned ‘said argument’ Apostrophes and hyphens: Don’t use contractions in formal writing Know when and how to use apostrophes for contractions and possessive. Proofread and edit: Readers are skeptical by nature As a reader, if I see that your writing indicates a lack of concern or lack of attention to detail, I surmise that your thinking and analysis lack concern and attention to detail. Sloppiness effects your credibility!

 

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