Seven%20Deadly%20Sins%20of%20Writing

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Seven Deadly Sins of Writing
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1. Rhetorical Questions

• Rhetorical questions are vocal tools for speech
  writing.
• Without the proper inflection by the author,
  rhetorical questions can be misinterpreted.

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• Students tend to over use rhetorical questions
  for
• Question and answer style paragraphs
• Transitions to tie one topic to the next
• Witty conclusions or introductions

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• Replace Rhetorical questions with direct
  statements.
• Definitive statements are clear, direct, and more
  effective than a rhetorical question.

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Example

• Rhetorical question
• Wouldnt education be more effective with a class
  engaged in conversation?
• Direct statement
• However, education is more effective when a class
  is engaged in conversation.

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2. Conversational language

• Much like rhetorical questions, conversational
  language hurts your credibility and makes your
  paper sound informal.

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• Also, conversational language relies on verbal
  inflections by the author to understand the full
  intention.
• It also requires an understanding of your
  generational and regional dialect.

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Example

• Avoid introductory clauses that start with So
  Well Anyhow
• Conversational language can be easily corrected
  by removing phrases that are slang which also
  include CONTRACTIONS.

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• Another good technique to use when correcting and
  identifying conversational language is having a
  second person read your paper aloud.
• When your reviewer is struggling with a sentence,
  that is a good indication that there is a problem
  with the phrasing, possibly due to conversational
  language.
• Because a reader will have trouble reading a
  statement made unclear by the authors
  conversational intent.

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3. Wordy sentences

• Do not try to increase your word count by adding
  a couple of had been having type of phrases.
• because of the fact that

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• Make sure you are using the best wording for your
  sentences.
• Do not be afraid of direct, strong, and concise
  sentences. Being clear and understood is always
  best.

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4. Misuse of Semi-Colon

• A semi-colon should not be used as a comma. It is
  a special type of comma.
• It is not used for simple lists or connecting
  sentences that have a conjunction.

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Semi-Colon Rule

• Semi- Colon or should be used to connect two
  complete sentences together without a conjunction
  in order to complete a thought.
• Example Roderiguez believes that he has
  disconnected with his family through his academic
  progress he sees this new barrier in his
  inability to discuss his daily academic life.

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Semi-colons in lists

• Semi-colons are used when separating items in
  complex lists.
• For example I have visited Atlanta, Georgia
  Frankfort, Kentucky Tucson, Arizona and Miami,
  Florida.

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5. Inappropriate Comma Use

• Commas should normally not separate the noun
  phrase and verb, unless there is a dependent
  clause between the two parts.
• For example
• In the Freire article, the banking system, is a
  negative way of educating students by pouring the
  educators opinions in the students minds.

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• In the Freire article, the banking system is a
  negative way of educating students by pouring the
  educators opinions in the students minds.
• In the Freire article is separate because it is
  an introductory dependent clause, an fragmented
  phrase that requires a connection to a sentence.
• the banking system is the noun phrase that must
  not be separated from the verb is.

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Comma Rule

• Use a comma when connecting 2 complete sentences
  with a conjunction, isolating dependent clauses,
  and when separating items in a list.
• Example I did not agree with Freire, but he made
  some solid points about the misuse of power in
  education.

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Introductory clauses and word phrases

• Introductory clauses and phrases must be
  separated using a comma.
• Example However, I really enjoy watching Big
  Bang Theory.
• Other examples include phrases like After,
  Although, Since
• It clarifies information before the Noun Phrase.

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6. Paraphrased Information Not Cited

• Not citing information that does not belong to
  you is a form of plagiarism.
• Even though paraphrased information is put in
  your own words, all information that comes from
  another source must be cited.
• Borrowed language or phrases must put in direct
  quotes.

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Example

• Bad- Roderiguez discusses how he was the
  scholarship boy who longed for teacher
  validation.
• Good Roderiguez discusses how he was the
  scholarship boy who longed for teacher
  validation (52).

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7. Using You

• Making the reader a part of the narrative is not
  appropriate for formal essay writing.
• This is a form of conversational language.

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How to use sources

• Assume your reader is an outsider.
• Do not write your paper to me, the teacher.
• You need to thoroughly explain the source,
  introduce the material and explain the context of
  the quote.
• Follow up the source with information about WHY
  you used this information, specifically how the
  information supports your thesis.