Why Clear and Precise Writing is Important
Your writing should be clear, so that your reader is not confused, and precise, so that your reader understands exactly what you are saying. The opposite of this type of writing is vague and confusing writing. Writers who employ vague and confusing writing are often doing so to mask the fact that they do not understand what they are writing. Writing with clarity and precision, therefore, forces the writer to think about and comprehend what they are writing. You have to understand something well in order to write about it well. For this reason, writing with clarity and precision is not only good for your reader, it is good for you—the writer. It helps you to understand your topic and form your own views on the topic. When writing with clarity and precision, you will find that you understand your own views on the topic better. You may even change your views while writing.
Thesis
Explain your main point in a single sentence. This thesis statement should not be vague, and it should not simply tell your reader what your topic is (your title does that). Be specific. Your thesis needs to appear early in your paper and tell your reader exactly what you are arguing in the paper.
Sentence Length
Use short sentences. Short sentences are easier to read than long sentences. You should vary, of course, your sentence length, and, sometimes, long sentences are a good idea. Your thesis is usually a long sentence, for instance. Most of the time, however, you should try to break up long sentences into shorter, more easily digestible chunks.
Adjectives
Use precise adjectives. Imprecise adjectives add no useful information. They make your sentences longer, less clear, and less precise. If you cannot find a precise adjective to replace them with, just leave them out. They are not as necessary as you think they are. The two most common imprecise adjectives are “pretty” and “very”; as in, “I am pretty certain it is a very good idea to leave imprecise adjectives out of my sentences.”
Avoiding Clichés
Clichés are often used as substitute for sound reasoning. For example, one might write, “Republicans have gotten most of the blame, but everyone knows it takes two to tango.” The writer is trying to argue that both Democrats and Republicans are to blame, but the evidence provided to the reader is simply a cliché—it takes two to tango. The fact that it takes two people to dance a tango is not sufficient evidence that both Democrats and Republicans are to blame. Clichés reflect laziness in your writing. Plus, they are boring for your reader. Replace them with sound reasoning.
Using Paragraphs
Use paragraphs to organize your thoughts. Your paper should have several main points. Each of these main points should be related to, or a component of, your thesis. Use paragraphs to deal with each of these main points in manageable chunks.
Direct Quotes
Writers often use quotes when they have difficulty explaining things in their own words. Make sure you are not doing this. Use quotes sparingly. When you do use quotes, make sure you explain the quote in your own words as well. Plus, never begin or end a paragraph with a quote.
Structure
Just like in storytelling, every academic paper should have a beginning (introduction), middle (body paragraphs), and end (conclusion). Think of these three parts as an opportunity to bring clarity to your writing. In each paper you are going to “tell your reader what you are going to tell them” in the introduction, “tell them” in the body, and “tell them what you told them” in the conclusion. By using repetition effectively, you help your reader understand what you are trying to say.
Revision
Good writing never starts that way. Good writing is always the product of several rewrites. To become a good writer, get in the habit of going back over your writing again, and again, as often as you can before the due date.
Getting Help
Another set of eyes is often useful. Get someone else to read your writing before you put the final touches on it. They can often catch things that you have missed. There are many helpful resources online, as well. Here are a few:
Suite101 Articles on Academic Essay Writing
Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Greg Mankiw on How to Write Well
