Avoid Common Errors: Save your Grade!!Do not use personal pronouns unless

they are in a direct quotation.◦No “I”◦No “you”◦No “we”

If you cannot figure out how to say what you want to say without one:

ASK ME!

Do not refer to the paperPhrases I never want to see:

◦This essay will explain…◦This section of the paper will show…Try just stating what you want to say:Instead of:This paper will explain the benefits of solar power.Try:Solar power has many benefits.

Write out all numbers to tenInstead of:

◦The 2 main reasons…Write:

The two main reasons…

Never start a sentence with a number.

Never: 12 important reasons to recycle are…Instead: Twelve important reasons…

AVOID!!Contractions

Instead of don’t write do not.Instead of can’t write cannot. Use the find and replace function of Word to revise your paper!!

Informal LanguageAvoid slang and informal language you might use with your friends.This is an academic paper; use academic writing. Think of writing you would find in a textbook.

Vary your sentence structureUse the four types of structures

we studied: ◦simple, ◦compound, ◦complex ◦compound-complex.

Paragraph StructureCheck your paragraph structure

Check each paragraph for a topic sentence.

Use TransitionsEase from one idea to the next

using transitional words and phrases to connect your ideas.

There is a list of transition words in your packet. Use it!

PROOFREAD!!Follow the list of suggestions I

gave you with your rough draft. Ask someone else to read it and

give you suggestions.Read it backwards one sentence

at a time to find grammatical errors.

Use the suggestions on the Revising Your Rough Draft handout