Improve your writing.

The following qualities are generally considered to be elements of a good style. Strategies for achieving these qualities are also provided.

Conciseness - Get your message across without excess verbiage.

Strategies: Omit needless words (bartleby.com); prune deadwood

Clarity - Figure out exactly what you want to say and try to say that as exactly as you can.

Strategies: define terms, avoid nominalizations, practice exercises

Focus - Follow a logical plan in moving from the beginning to the end of your paper.

Strategies: paragraphs should have topic sentences, and sentences flow easily due to appropriate transitions, clarify the relationships among your ideas.

Correctness -Follow the conventions of edited standard English.

Strategies: Proofread carefully, use a good handbook, use internet resources, use but don't depend on grammar check tools

From materials prepared by
Craig Waddell for the Writing Center at Rensselaer, Troy NY, 1987.