Formal Writing

1
Formal Writing
Formal or expository writing differs from
informal or conversational writing.
Academic writing seeks some form of both
objectivity and shared meaning.
There are some customary rules of the road,
which are found in resources on composition,
usage, and style.
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Most Frequent Temptations

• Proper case and person of pronouns
• Verb number
• Demonstrative This
• Use of first and second persons
• Confusion of APA and Turabian Styles

• Word splurge
• Thesis statement
• Paragraph length
• Inconsistent verb tenses within a paragraph
• Revision

3
Proper case and person of pronouns

• The student submitted their paper.
• The student submitted his paper.
• student is singular therefore, the modifying
  pronoun should be singular.

4
Proper case and person of pronouns

• Everyone submitted their own paper.
• Everyone submitted his or her own paper.
• everyone is singular therefore, the modifying
  pronoun should be singular.
• other words that are singular include each,
  someone, nobody, anybody.

5
Proper case and person of pronouns

• There is in general conversation and in
  conversational writing today an attempt to avoid
  his/her constructions by simply using their,
  whether or not the modified word is plural. Such
  usage is not acceptable in formal writing.

6
Proper case and person of pronouns

• The use of he to embrace both genders used to
  be a conventional tool to avoid the awkwardness
  of using both he and she, his or her.
• Sensitivity to sexist language today precludes
  the use of such conventions.
• One way to avoid the awkwardness is to use the
  plural
• The writer must address his or her readers
  concerns.
• Writers must address their readers concerns.
• See the APA and Turabian style guides for other
  possibilities

7
Verb number

• The number of the subject determines the number
  of the verb.
• Her list of Piagets stages of development,
  including the sensorimotor, preoperational,
  concrete operational, and formal operational
  stages, were incomplete.
• Her list of Piagets stages of development,
  including the sensorimotor, preoperational,
  concrete operational, and formal operational
  stages, was incomplete.

8
The demonstrative pronoun This typically
requires a noun.

• This is incorrect.
• These were incorrect.
• This what? These what?
• This statement is incorrect.
• These items were incorrect.

9
That and which

• The book that I want is on the table.
• The book, which I want, is on the table.
• The use of which typically requires a comma.
  The use of that does not typically require a
  comma.

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Academic writing typically uses the third person,
except in direct quotations.

• Use of the first person I is traditionally seen
  as a violation of the quest for objectivity.
  There are, however, exceptions, e.g., qualitative
  research reports. In any event, the first person
  should not be overused.
• Use of the second person (you) is invariably
  awkward in academic writing.

11
Word Splurge

• Why use ten words when three words will do?
• Treat words like money. Do not spend more than
  is absolutely necessary.
• Succinct.
• Barzun, Jacques. Simple and Direct A Rhetoric
  for Writers. Rev. ed. New York Harper,
  1984.

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Thesis Statement

• Guess what I am thinking.
• In order not to play this game, include a direct
  statement of purpose
• The purpose of this paper is.
• This paper seeks to.
• To that end, this paper will.
• Write the purpose sentence first. Garbage in,
  garbage out.
• The thesis or purpose statement generally comes
  somewhere on the first page.

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Conclusion

• Help the reader by demonstrating to her or him
  that you have done what you said you would do in
  your purpose statement.
• Make it memorable.
• Offer some response to the So what? question.

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To assist the reader

• Hey! Grab his or her attention in the first
  paragraph.
• Include a direct purpose statement somewhere on
  the first page. As a rule of thumb, aim to put
  the purpose statement at the end of the first
  paragraph or somewhere in the second paragraph.
• Summarize and/or conclude your paper in a way
  that helps the reader evaluate whether or not you
  did what you said you would do.

15
Paragraph Length

• A paragraph must have at least two sentences.
• A paragraph must have at least two sentences.
  The above example did not constitute a paragraph.
  This example does illustrate a paragraph.
• When a paragraph exceeds five or six sentences,
  think about subdividing it.

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Verb tenses within a paragraph

• Generally, verb tenses within a paragraph are
  consistent. Because the writer did not keep verb
  tenses consistent, the reader was confused.
  Switching verb tenses often signals communication
  of a new idea. Such communication will often be
  facilitated by beginning a new paragraph.

17
Revision

• Good writing entails several drafts and numerous
  revisions.
• Three before me. When you are satisfied with
  your paper, have run spell and grammar checks,
  have checked formatting and MLA style, give it to
  at least three other persons to read and edit.
• My grandmother should understand your paper. On
  the one hand, do not insult her intelligence. On
  the other hand, do not lead her to doubt your
  intelligence.