Writing Improvements

1
Writing Improvements

• These suggestions are general and based on
  students writing in their compare and contrast
  essays.

2
Wordle.net

• Wordle should be used to check word choice in
  essays. Copy and paste the essay into wordle it
  increases the size of words used multiple times.
  The larger the word, the more times that word is
  utilized in the essay. Use this information to
  improve word choice in essays. All students
  should copy and paste their essays into wordle
  and improve word choice as necessary before
  handing them in on Tuesday.

3
Circular Reasoning

• These errors have started appearing in student
  essays.
• Circular reasoning (aka circular logic or
  paradoxical thinking) is when the reasoner
  (writer) ends up where he started.

4
Circular Reasoning

• Looking closely into this similarity proves the
  characters are similar.

5
Circular Reasoning

• Leadership requires outstanding leadership
  qualities.

6
Run-on Sentences

• Run-on sentences are created when two or more
  independent clauses (a subject, a verb, and a
  complete thoughtan independent clause can stand
  alone as a sentence) are not punctuated
  correctly.
• Four constructions frequently correct run-on
  sentences.

7
Run-on Sentences

• Two independent clauses can be separated by a
  period and a capital letter
• Two independent clauses can be separated by a
  comma and a coordinating conjunction
• Two independent clauses can be separated by a
  semicolon
• Two independent clauses can be separated by a
  semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma

8
Run-on Sentences

• Spiderman is one of the best known superheroes
  but he is not the only, another superhero is
  Beowulf.
• Three independent clauses are presentedhow might
  these be corrected?

9
Run-on Sentences

• Their strengths are unmatched in some cases but
  in the broad sense of it, Beowulf wins again.
• How should this sentence be corrected?

10
Run-on Sentences

• Differences between Beowulf and Bumble Bee
  become clear when you look at their fate however,
  many similarities shine through like how they
  both are unnaturally strong and each have to
  prove themselves to their peers.
• (First, lets address the r/o sentences however,
  this sentences also has 2nd person, and
  pronoun/antecedent and number agreement errors)

11
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

• Pronouns must match their antecedents in number
  and gender.
• First, what is an antecedent?

12
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

• Another upside to being a superhero is that they
  always get the girl.
• What is the pronoun/antecedent agreement issue?
• What else is a problem here?

13
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

• Each character also has a great intelligence
  level allowing them to outsmart others.
• How should this be corrected?

14
There Statements

• There statements (there is, there are, there
  have been, etc.) can be grammatically correct but
  weaken prose. Eliminating them will improve
  writing.

15
There Statements

• There are various categories of heroes that the
  media spawns.
• How can this be strengthened?
• What other error is presented here?

16
There Statements

• In conclusion, there are only a few similarities
  between Rambo and Beowulf.
• How might this be strengthened?