W250

David Stoner
Writing in Context

Issues found in “Discovering Teaching” papers:


If you aren’t sure of a technique or craft — AVOID the issue in question,
until you are in full command of its use in your writing (e.g., who vs.
whom). Simply, rewrite the sentence.

1. Redundancy (sentences, phrases, clauses, sentences, and concepts)

2. Weak words: Very, always, really, very, never, many, most, like to
do, got, get etc.
3. Subject / verb tense issues (e.g., The dogs runs fast.)
4. Subject / pronoun (e.g., When student succeeds they…)
5. Wordiness: Thirty to forty word sentences
6. Commas, commas and more commas! (too many, misplaced or
missing)
7. “Valley girl”: I would suggest making a concerted effort to rid your
writing of the “valley girl” voice to create writing which sounds
mature for future applications (Grammar Girl’s recommendation).