Transcript CHOOSE A STYLE FOR YOUR WRITING!!!

CHOOSE A STYLE FOR YOUR
WRITING!!!
MAKE IT FUN, CLEAR AND
INTERESTING!!!
What is style???
HOW DO I DEVELOP STYLE???
 Know your audience. Have a key sense of what category
your targeted readers fall under.
 The category may be age, sex, peers, faculty, religion,
culture and race. Ask yourself whether your writing should
be formal or informal. For example, a letter to a friend
should not be written in the same tone as one to your boss
or teacher.
 Consider this, when going on a job interview, do you dress
in the same way as when going to a party?
 There is a time for everything and that rule should apply in
the way you write.
there are five general steps called “the five C’s of style” that
you can use to develop a style.
THE FIVE C’S OF STYLE
The first C is CUT
Cut repetition and wordiness:

The biggest mistake many students make is that they
become so obsessed with meeting the assigned number of
pages that they put down words just to fill in spaces.

Be brief, clear and precise in your expressions.
An example of a Don’t:

The CD resource room has many beneficial text books.
The books are carefully preserved. The CD resource room
also houses computers.
An example of a DO:

The CD resource room carefully preserves many
beneficial text books and computers.
FIRST C:CUT
Cut formulaic phrases.
 Formulaic are ok in writing drafts or brainstorming but must be
avoided in revised papers.
Examples of formulaic phrases and words that they can be replaced with
are:
 At the present time; at this point in time; in this day and age; in today’s
society. Use NOW or PRESENTLY instead.
 Because of the fact that; due to the fact that. Use BECAUSE as an
alternative.
 Have the ability to. Use CAN as a substitute.
 In spite of the fact that. Use ALTHOUGH or DESPITE instead.
 Last but not the least. Use FINALLY in its place.
 Prior to. Use BEFORE.
 as a replacement for concerning the matter of, use ABOUT.
For example, don’t write: Few people realize the fact that writing is not a
difficult task.
Write: Few people realize that writing is not difficult.
CUT continued
 Cut references to your intentions.
Your reader does not care about the thinking process used in writing your paper.
All he or she cares about is the information you are conveying.
For example, avoid the use of these reference phrases: in this essay, I intend to
prove...or in this next few paragraphs, I hope to show…or in conclusion, I have
demonstrated…or what I want to say here is…
Don’t announce your thoughts, just do it.
 Cut redundant words and phrases.
Steer clear of using words that repeat the same idea expressed by another word in
the same phrase.
THE SECOND C: CHECK FOR ACTION
Always ask “who’s doing what?” About subject and verb.
 Avoid the overuse of the verb BE (be, is are, am, was, were, being, been).
 Always let the subject in your sentence perform the action.
 As a general rule, write strong sentences with vivid, expressive verbs.
For example: Cherub loves singing, unfortunately she has no talent.
Who’s doing what?
Cherub (subject) loves (verb) singing (object).
She (subject) has (verb) no talent (object).
Be extra careful when you begin a sentence with either THERE or IT,
because either occupies the subject position as in (there is, there
were, it is, it was) and usually serve little function.
Let us consider the following sentences:
 Don’t write: There is a big gate guarding the entrance to the park. (who is
doing what)
 Write: A big gates guards the entrance to the park. (who is doing what)
 Don’t write: It is a fact that Arnold is proudly driving a new car.
 Don’t write: Arnold is proudly driving a new car.
SECOND C: CHECK FOR ACTION part 2
Avoid Unnecessary Passive Voice Constructions
Passive voice describes what is done to the grammatical subject in a clause (“The
chicken was cooked too long”).
However, extensive use of passive voice can make your style very boring,
unattractive and wordy.
Therefore, I urge you to use active voice, especially when you mention the doer
of an action.
e.g.: Passive Voice: The crisis will be discussed thoroughly by the committee.
Active Voice: The committee will discuss the crisis thoroughly.
 However, This style of writing is preferred in the social sciences or the
sciences, where the reader’s interest, primarily lies in procedures and
results and not in the author or the applicator. For instance, “the cats
were dissected” is preferred to “the researchers dissected the cats”.
THE THIRD C: CONNECT
Make your sentences flow smoothly like a river not in a “grasshopper-like jumps”
 Use consistent subjects and topic chains to make your sentences
logical.
E.g. Jarring Shift: Memoirs are becoming increasingly popular. Readers of all
ages are finding them appealing.
Topic Chain : Memoirs are becoming increasingly popular. They appeal to
readers of all ages.
 Put new information at the end of a sentence for emphasis: Always
end your sentences on a strong and interesting note, especially the one you
want to emphasize.
 Always options for connecting ideas: Coordination, Subordination
and Transition.
COORDINATION: To make sure two or more independent clauses with equal
emphasis are well connected, use one of the following coordinating
conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, so, for, or yet.
3RD C: CONNECT
SUBORDINATION: Use subordinating conjunctions such as when, if ,or
because to stress the importance of one independent clause over the other in a
connected sentence.
E.g. IC 1.We cannot now end our difference. IC2. At least we can help
make the world safe for diversity. (Here, The two sentences have equal
importance, to make it uneven we need a subordinate.)
e.g.. 1.if We cannot now end our difference, at least we can help make
the world safe for diversity.
TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSIONS: Use conjunctive adverbs such as however,
therefore, and nevertheless to introduce new information. Phrases such as: as
a result of, in addition, and on the other hand can be use to signal logical
connection between two independent clauses.
e.g. He made a lot of money: however, his humble roots were always were always
were always evident.
Can be written as He made a lot of money: his humble roots, however, were
always evident.
3RD C: CONNECT
Avoid using excess coordination or subordination. Remember, TOO much
of everything is BAD.

Try starting a sentence with AND or BUT.
e.g. You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But
you can not have both.

Connect Your Paragraphs: use this checklist:
1.
Read your draft out loud so you can record the point you made in each
paragraph.
2.
Refer to the main idea of the previous paragraph as you begin a new
paragraph.
3.
Use adjectives like this and these to provide a link.
4.
Transitions (e.g. also, too, in addition, however, therefore and as a result
)are your friends guys, especially when you want to signal a logical
connection between ideas.

THE FOURTH C: COMMIT
 Commit to including a personal presence:
Although academic writing is not a personal
account of feelings, events, and opinions, it does
not mean that it should lack your personal
engagement.
 Commit to a suitable and reliable tone: The
topic under discussion should always fit the tone of
your writing. For instance, you cannot describe a
funeral the same way as you would a wedding.
 Commit to a confident stance: Pick a stand
and stick with it. You can’t have it both ways.
THE FIFTH C: Choose Your Words
 Remember, your diction or word choice contributes greatly
to the effect your writing has on your readers. Readers are
not interested in PUZZLES or “fill in the blanks” so don’t.
 Dictionaries and thesaurus are your friends. A really good
dictionary contains a wealth of information- spelling and
meaning.
 Use exact words and connotations: use words that express
the exact meaning you intend to give. E.g. Although the
mob and crowd suggest similar ideas; they have, however,
very different literal meanings.
 Monitor the language of speech, region, and workplace.
LET’S RECAP
For the BEST writing STYLE, LEARN the FIVE C’S of STYLE and ADOPT them into your
work.

CUT ALL UNNECESSARY AND LENGTHY WRITING.



CHECK FOR ACTION (Ask WHO is doing WHAT about the subject and the
verb)
CONNECT (use the right SUBORDINATION, TRANSITION AND
CONJUNTCTIONAL PHRASES)
COMMIT: (BE CONFIDENT AND STEADFAST IN YOUR THESIS)

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS THOROUGHLY
Remember, with the right diction, tone and grammatical construction, you are
guaranteed to develop an excellent style and a grade A paper.
WORD UP!!!!