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If you want to improve your writing style, it is important to not only follow essay-writing tips strictly, but also understand the psychology behind them. Why must each writing rule be adhered? Let`s review the most popular writing tips and clarify the reasons why they should be used every time you are assigned to complete an essay.
Write Briefly
Long texts make the readers anxious and there are chances that they will stop reading them before getting to the point. So, it is important to write briefly and clearly explain the argument using the smallest possible amount of words. If you see that your essay is too long, edit it and delete unnecessary or repetitious information.
Avoid Complicated Sentences
You may think that complicated sentence structures make your writing style more sophisticated. However, the truth is that long and complicated sentences may easily confuse the readers. So, divide long sentences by breaking them into separate ideas.
Use the Active Voice
Sentences with the passive voice cause uneasiness because they hide who is acting. Fix sentences with the passive voice by figuring out who is acting in a sentence and give it the role of a subject.
Avoid Weasel Words
When doing a complicated assignment, you are usually afraid of making bold statements. That is the reason why you use weasel words. Do not let your writing sound equivocal and weak using words like `most` and `generally`. If you feel that your essay is too bold without them, replace them with stronger and clearer statements.
Do not Use Jargon
You may erroneously think that jargon adds sophistication to your writing style. On the contrary, it makes the readers feel dumb. So, imagine you are talking to your professor and remove the jargon by replacing it with plain English.
Do not Misuse Numbers
Numbers add credibility to your essay and back up the main points. On the other hand, statistics that do not correspond to the context are meaningless and may spoil your essay.
Use Personal Pronouns
Novices in writing are often afraid to use `I`, `you` and `we` in writing because they make the text more informal. On the other hand, the readers like when the author `talks` to them. So, do not avoid personal pronouns, especially if you want to give your personal opinion on something.
Write an Opening Statement
Some writers avoid opening statements and do not give the main argument right in the beginning of the text. This is wrong. Effective essay should start with a bold statement that simply leads the readers into the topic.
Provide Examples
Stop perceiving examples as distracting points in your essay. When doing a preliminary research, find appropriate examples that will effectively back up your points.
Provide Signposts
Your writing often lacks signposts because you are afraid of seeming too pedantic. So, if your text is longer than a page, add signposts or a numbered list.
Knowing the psychology behind these writing tips is essential. Keep it in mind and complete your essays without errors!
