Andrew’s List

The most common writing problems

·        Avoid redundant phrases.  Do not say the same thing twice, which includes using the same word more than once in a sentence (that’s two times or more), as well as starting subsequent sentences with the same phase.  Do not say the same thing twice therefore applies to several different situations where words or concepts are stated more than once.

·        Do not phrase statements in the negative, nor should you state that you are not supportive of  concepts stated in the negative because it is not easy to understand a non-positive construction. 

·        Avoid generic pronouns, because it is hard for those who read these thoses, thems, theys, and its to know which them, thoses, theys  or its they apply to, especially when they cannot tell if they are those previously discussed by them in it. 

·        Pontification with multitudinous syllabic constructions and pretentious phraseologies or utterances are unbearable to peruse.

·        Use yore spelt check, but donut assume it insures your used the rite weird.

·        Never-ending sentences with lots of qualifying phrases and parenthetical remarks are indeed commonly found in many theses and examples of scholarly writing and can, in fact, sometimes explain a lot of what is going on (just like Faulkner with his one sentence paragraphs – but he won a Nobel prize for literature and chances are (not to be insulting, but going purely from statistical averages) that you won’t, although we all hope you will), but have the capacity (just as I have found with Faulkner, which is why I cannot stand his writing – although Heminway’s overly succinct style is equally infuriating (someone else who won a Nobel Prize for literature)) to utterly confuse the reader so that he or she does not know what purpose of the sentence is and therefore – as a general rule (remembering that rules are made to be broken) – keep your sentences brief!

·        Of course, it should be apparent to you that the term “of course” is insulting to the reader.  Otherwise, you are, of course, too stupid to know what everyone else, of course, already knows.  Unless, of course, it is your intent to insult the reader or make your audience feel bad about themselves.

·        And MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, don’t let all these rules give you writer’s block.  Write it down, then clean it up if that is what works for you.  Paralysis by analysis is the curse of self aware writers (or should that be self-aware with a hyphen?  Maybe I’d better go consult the dictionary before proceeding further? No, make that the Chicago Manual of Style.  But what if the journal I submit to has a European publisher? – how do I determine their hyphenation rules their using?  Perhaps the best option would be to do a broad internet search, coupled with several style manuals, then draw a Venn diagram determining the most likely hyphenation rules, followed by consultation with….).

·        Some of the  very, very worst examples of very bad writing occur when you very much overemphasize the very important content; presumably the very concept you very much want to emphasize are included because it is very important- otherwise, why write about it in the very first place? Verily?

And more to be added

(contributions are welcomed - send to marcus@uoregon.edu)

·        Subject and verb near the start of the sentence.

·        Avoid passive construction, but also avoid too much use of first person.

·        Know the difference between to/too, it/it’s, there/their/they’re, effect/affect, principle/principal

·        Organize you paragraphs and sections in a logical manner.

·        Read good writing –it will help you write well.

·        Be clever, but remember that trying to be clever and failing is far worse than simply being boring.

·        Respond to editorial comments!