[Hong Kong – March 23, 2017] What does it mean to be a good writer? There are so many styles and genres that it can be tricky to separate the good, the bad, and the darn right ugly. Can you capture your reader’s attention with an encapsulating yet seamless essay, whilst also displaying a solid command of written English? If the answer is YES then you’re probably in the wrong place. But for everyone else, EES has come to the rescue with a few more essay writing tips.
1. Use of first person
As editors, we often see students referring to themselves in the first person. Now in some cases, first person referral (in APA style) is fine. For example, “ Jones (2007) and Smith (2012) found that eating an apple a day keeps the doctor away. The authors replicated these findings by eating apples everyday.” If this was a group assignment, saying, “the authors replicated these findings” is slightly confusing. Are we referring to Jones and Smith or the authors of the paper? It is likely that you would assume the latter, but there is still an element of confusion. Instead, saying that “we (first person) replicated these findings…” is much clearer as to who conducted the experiment.
There are many examples that show the use of first person in academic writing, but there is a key point to consider – try to avoid using the first person unless it is completely necessary. Always ask yourself, is this clear and concise to the reader? Accuracy is essential. Any grey areas in your writing could cost you marks or even leave your readers befuddled. So there it is, in academic writing it’s not always right or always wrong to use the first person.
2. Overuse of words and phrases
In most forms of writing, it’s crucial to keep things interesting by avoiding repetition. What does that mean? Well it’s quite simple; you should avoid repeating the same old words or phrases in a sentence, paragraph, or essay. For example, “So basically, the key to success is basically centred around hard work.” Overusing “basically” is not appealing at all. Many writers are guilty of using “crutch words” to fill in the gaps or boost their word count. Try to avoid this at all costs, unless you’re intentionally using repetition to make a point or emphasise something. In academic writing, repeating common words such as “indeed” or “furthermore” can also be draining for a reader, so it’s best to avoid overusing these words too. A good rule of thumb is to only use introductory words when completely necessary. Remember: being clear and concise is vital and unnecessary fluff is just, well, fluff… (Notice the intentional repetition of fluff to emphasise our point?)
3. Run-on sentences
Have you ever been stopped in your tracks after reading a run-on sentence? These types of sentences occur when two ore more independent clauses are joined without including a conjunction or appropriate punctuation. For example, “Richard is funny he likes to tell jokes.” Here you’ll see that something is missing. You can fix this sentence by adding a conjunction. By adding “and”, the sentence is now much easier to understand: “Richard is funny (and) he likes to tell jokes.” It’s easy to make these mistakes, but it’s best to read through your work carefully to avoid this issue.
It’s also a great idea to divide a run-on sentence into two short and snappy sentences. This will ensure clarity and keep your readers engaged. For example: “Tiffany is hungry she wants a burger.” This can be split into two sentences: “Tiffany is hungry. She wants a burger.” See, clear and concise, right? But remember to use this sparingly as too much can disrupt the flow of your work.
A message from our editors:
“We always love editing academic papers. It’s great to see students develop their writing skills throughout their degree. Writing is a lifelong commitment and there is always room for improvement! As editors in Hong Kong, we understand that English is a second language for many students. As such, we work closely with students from various subjects to enhance their work and boost their writing skills. If you would like to know more about how we can help you, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us today.”
-EES Editors