Writing: The Importance of Second Opinions

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You are – in your most humble opinion – brilliant. Your writing reflects a superior collection of thoughts and theories, the academic wonders that are certain to be recognized by all. You are daring with your dissections of history and philosophy, able to conjure intrigue from dull statistics. Your papers are experiences, not mere pages. Words are your carefully chosen allies, meant to sway others and prove genius.

That genius means little, however, when it’s revealed that you left a substantial amount of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes in your work. This was an unfortunate and avoidable consequence.

Your inspiration cannot be denied; but it can be tamed. Your papers are praised for their inventiveness but their grades still reflect the all too easy flaws – a confusion of words, improper substitutions and poorly constructed contractions. Your cleverness cannot be questioned. Your basic language skills, however, can.

And this is why it becomes so vital for you to seek the aid of others. Don’t assume your research will compensate for weak writing. You can’t rely on a perfect theory to make readers forget the imperfect presentation. You must instead find an editor – an individual who can decipher your meanings and shape them accurately. You can go to 411.ca and search for the kind of service that you need to make your life easier.

You worry, though, that this will be impossible: your papers are complex affairs, able to be understood only by those who are as familiar with the topics as you are. This is rarely a concern, however. Unless your research is filled to technical explanations, there should be no difficulty in pointing out the problems. Language is the purpose, not what it is trying to prove.

Academia is not meant to be solitary. Just as you rely on others to for theories and experimentations, you must also rely on them to offer advice. Your work cannot suffer from improper writing. It must instead be edited. Look to those who will not simply praise your ideas but will instead make them fully logical.

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The Value of Precision: Writing

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Language is a complex creature – filled to subtleties and exaggerations, the careful questions and triumphs. Words, you are certain, are the greatest of gifts. Their abilities of expression allow you to create perfect prose, the scathing commentaries. Research becomes a joy (if only for the chance to complement it with definitions, synonyms). Description becomes your most valued of companions: you can utilize the endless variety of adjectives to stage a time, a situation. There shall be no detail left unnoticed. There shall be no element left unattended. Your work will be soaked to drama.

It will also be soaked to redundancy.

The all too sad truth of language is that, while it does offer infinite possibilities, it can also become a quick repetition. Words can be stuffed together, creating too long sentences and too verbose meanings. There is a lack of precision in the writing – replaced to the absurdity of trying to prove points by cataloging their every component. And this can become an easy annoyance for those who must then read them.

Academic writing is meant to be concise. The intention is to validate a thesis, to offer evidence and a strong conclusion. It is not to be an excess of words. While you may intend for them to be celebrations of language, they will instead become frustrations – professors will feel no favor toward you if they must wade through unnecessary paragraphs. And your grades will reflect that discontentment.

You must instead be deliberate with your choices: consider every description, being sure that each is necessary. Edit extensively and remove all adjectives that are not vital to a sentence (the ratio should be balanced, not overwrought). Ignore words that few may recognize. You wish to be understood, not a source of confusion. The paper is to be efficient and sparingly sensationalized. This is not a reflection of personality but instead proof of intellect.

Be wise. Be concise.

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Eliminate Unnecessary Words in Your Papers

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Adding “fluff” or unnecessary words is one of the worst things you can do in academic writing and research. Whether you are writing an essay or first person narrative, your paper has a purpose, so make every word count. Your main mission is to captivate your audience and keep them focused on your paper. Being unnecessarily verbose detracts from the main points in your paper, distorts your goals as an author, and reduces clarity throughout the process. There are many ways to increase the effectiveness and accuracy of your work, but the easiest solution is to remove clichés, slang expressions, prepositions, and generalized content.

Chances are if you do not know what a cliché is, you are using them throughout your paper. Clichés are overused phrases that were once popular, but have since become overused. Sometimes clichés represent a stereotype or exaggerate a situation. Rather than using clichés, stretch your creative channels by describing the situation using colorful diction and vivid imagination. Furthermore, clichés detract from the overall literary value of your work and cause the reader to lose focus.

Good writers know the difference between prose and conversation, but many students write as if they are “speaking” the words aloud. A conversational piece should read much differently than how one speaks. Some overly vague and unnecessary words include “so, because, you know, and like” in addition to thousands of other phrases. Replace these words with academic-friendly terms, including “whereas, herein, furthermore, in lieu of, and with regard to.” If the word or phrase does not help define your topic or provide required imagery, replace it with another term.

Creating concise work does not mean you cannot use imagination or creativity – succinct papers are actually more vivid and descriptive than vague works. Ensure each sentence has a purpose and supports or rejects your introduction. The same rules apply when writing emails or other correspondence, so remember to “trim the fat,” which is a cliché, on your next paper.

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