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But all that writing stuff is boring …

But all that writing stuff is boring …. Does it really even matter?!. It’s REALLY important to use proper mechanics to make yourself understood!. 7 Pitiful Pitfalls of Essay Writing.

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But all that writing stuff is boring …

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  1. But all that writing stuff is boring… Does it really even matter?!

  2. It’s REALLY important to use proper mechanics to make yourself understood!

  3. 7 Pitiful Pitfalls of Essay Writing Let’s see if we can identify the most common pitfalls found in essays, so that we can avoid them in our writing.

  4. Example #1 I am going to tell you all about the Incan civilization. It is an amazing place, I think you’ll see. I know you’re going to love it!... …I hope that you enjoyed my essay and now you know a lot about the Incan civilization!

  5. Tip #1 • Keep your essay formal and fact-based! • Avoid “I”s and “you”s because you are NOT talking to anyone, you are writing formal essay.

  6. Example #1 I am going to tell you all about the Incan civilization. It is an amazing place, I think you’ll see. I know you’re going to love it!... …I hope that you enjoyed my essay and now you know a lot about the Incan civilization! After reading this, what did you learn about the Incan Civilization?

  7. What is this essay about? Example #2 The Spanish colonized much of Middle America. Speaking of Spanish, I decided to take that course instead of French because Mr. Wilson is a much better teacher. Although Mrs. Peoples is my favorite teacher. I had her in fifth grade. That was the year that I was Frosty in our Christmas play. I can’t wait for Christmas to come because I’m asking for a puppy!

  8. Tip #2 • One topic per paragraph. • Stay focused and on-topic (Every sentence should be aimed at answering the question.)

  9. Example #3 If a person fails to stop at a stop sign, they will be ticketed. How many people? How many people?

  10. Tip #3 • Agreement—they vs. he/she • Don’t use bad grammar in an attempt to be politically correct!

  11. Example #4 I no that I here someone over hear fighting!

  12. Tip #4 • FIGHTthe urge to think that spell check is the same thing as proofreading! • Write your essay and then read it slowly to yourself, what it actually says not what you meant it to say.

  13. Example #5 I hate peanut butter. It is bad. I like jelly. I hate them together.

  14. Tip #5 • Vary sentence length & structure. • Ex: Peanut butter’s heavy consistency is off-putting. However, jelly is light and refreshing on the palate. Mixing a delightful strawberry jelly with disgusting peanut butter is a mistake. Say no to PBJs!

  15. Example #6 I think that the Spanish conquistadors were unfair to the native people. I feel it was a legalized invasion of their land. I believe these Spanish conquerors were allowed to tax the natives and force them to farm the land as slaves.

  16. Tip #6 • Avoid I think/I feel/I believe • These weaken your writing. State your facts and opinions clearly.

  17. Example #6 Spanish conquistadors were unfair to the native people. In fact, it was a legalized invasion of their land. These Spanish conquerors were allowed to tax the natives and force them to farm the land as slaves. Same information but it just sounds more confident!

  18. Tip #7 • Write a conclusion that summarizes the main points of your essay. • Don’t just stop writing. • Don’t over reach!

  19. Example #7 • Stopping Short Example: …Once the British began to lose colonial power in Africa and Asia they were no longer a world power. ??? • This is the last paragraph of the body of the paper. There is not conclusion!

  20. Example #7 • Overly Grand Finale: Empires are always evil! The world would be better off without them. • The essay was about the pattern of rising and falling in empires. What does this have to do with anything?

  21. Example #7 • A Proper Conclusion: Based upon the historical evidence, empires are clearly always expanding, strengthening, and enriching themselves or they are bound to fall. This pattern is evident in the Roman, Persian, and British Empires.

  22. Steps to Effective Essay Writing These will make a BIG DIFFERENCE!

  23. Steps to Effective Essay Writing • Read the question. • Re-read the question! • Write a thesis (main point) of your essay. • List main supporting facts. • Order those facts. • Write your essay (Stopping to check, “Does all of this fit my thesis?”) • Leave at least a few minutes to re-read your writing and fix errors.

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