Pet Peeves of Writing
--Use of contractions
--Use of but, and, or to begin sentences. They are coordinating conjuctions!
--Misuse of the possessive its and of possessive forms in general.
--Use of you. When you write, you are not describing what I do, but
what American or Russian or some specific group does. What do you use as
--one. Remember that it is singular. One buys new clothes for himself.
--he or she or he/she. Be consistent! He or she buys new clothes for
him or herself.
--Be specific. American...An American person...An American woman...An
American man...American people...Then refer back to these terms with appropriate
pronouns: they, he, she
--Use of rhetorical questions. They do not advance your argument and
simply restate. Move forward! Example: What is the purpose of American clothing
distinctions? Instead, make a clear statement: We will examine the purpose
of American clothing distinctions OR the purpose of American clothing distinctions
is multifacted. It includes:...
--Use of so as a conjuction. So, we might conclude that...This is
a conversational term, not a writing term.
--Use of also as a conjuction. Also, we might conclude that...We
might also conclude that... reads better and is less awkward.
--Confusion of there and their.
--Careless spelling errors. Spellcheck is a wonderful thing, but it
will not catch errors such as cress for dress or their for there, since those
are all correctly spelled English words.
Writing a Good Paper
--Do not make assumptions. Be as specific as you can. While I am an
American, I may not share your vision of epic or American life. You need
to spell it out for me--details, details, details.
--Be sure that you address all facets of the issues. For example,
you are being asked to discuss a particular set of data and various theories
that apply to it. That requirement suggests that the paper should include
a discussion of both the epics and the theory. Describe the epics fully;
use both my information from class AND the epics you read as a basis for
your argument. Avoid vague generalizations.
--Use supporting material from books, theorists, examples from the
movie and the epics we read.
--Establish what you want to prove before you begin to write. What
is the main idea/thesis? Where are you going with this topic? What data can
you use to prove your thesis? I do not care if you disagree or agree
with me/your classmates, but you need to argue, so that your points are well