Effective writing takes careful work. The points below are keys steps to improving your writing's effectiveness and clarity. If you can master the points on this checklist, you will have come a long way in becoming an effective communicator of the written word.
1. BEGIN WITH A STRONG INTRODUCTION!The beginning is where you either "turn on" or "turn off" the reader; make sure to hook him! Be creative and imaginative . . . and be sure to include a TOPIC SENTENCE. This will show the reader what you plan to accomplish in your paper. (Topic sentences tell why you are writing what you are writing!) NEVER start your paper by writing: "This paper is going to be about . . ."
2. NEVER USE YOU! (at least almost never)This is another way of saying: make sure you keep the same viewpoint throughout your paper. "You" can be used in fiction writing or in quotes and dialogue, but normally it should not appear in your classroom essays or writing assignments. Know the difference between 1st person (I, me, my) and 3rd person (he, she, it, they) viewpoints and don't allow yourself to slip into 2nd person. (Replace the you with a word like one, someone, people for 3rd person or I/me for 1st person.)
3. USE SPECIFIC DETAIL.
Be precise in what you write. Avoid words like big, little, good, alot, very, really, and the rest of the plethora of words that can mean practically anything in any situation. Use the exact word that you need, not one that only comes close.
4. BEWARE OF "FILLER" PHRASES - EMPTY WORDS WITH NO MEANING!
Words like "thing" or "it" are often excuses for using a more precise term. Also carefully avoid using the phrase "There is/are" and its other tense variations. Every time these phrases are used it moves the subject -- the most important part of the sentence -- into a hidden position. This is a passive construction and considered poor style. Almost always a better way to word the sentence can be found.
5. SPELL CORRECTLY.
If you don’t know how to spell a word, look it up or ask someone who knows how to spell it. Also, don't count on your computer's spell check feature to catch all your boo-boos. It won't catch synonym problems.
6. PROOFREAD!!!!!
This is the step after (or before) checking spelling. Make sure your sentences are complete. Watch for comma splices and run-on sentences. Be sure what you have written matches the point you wanted to make.
7. NEVER USE THE AMPERSAND (&) FOR THE WORD AND!
Also avoid other slang usages and terms unless they are marked as slang by using quotation marks. The exception to this would be quoted dialogue.
8. END WITH A STRONG CONCLUSION!
This is the most important part of your paper. Take time crafting it to make sure that the reader knows exactly the point you want them to take away from your article. Remember your clincher -- normally the final sentence -- should point back to the topic sentence . . . it should never be a new surprise idea!
And please, don't write: The End.