Good Writing "Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unncessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon." William Zinsser, On Writing Well A well-written essay will include the following: recognition of opposing views comparisions of comparable items representative statistics fair and representative examples or illustrations support for generalizations and conclusions quotes from reliable and qualified authorities avoidance of concealment or deception acknowledgment of all relevant facts appropriate documentation Some attributes of Good Writing Clarity Simple and clear wording Short, simple sentences. Subject-verb-object. Avoid jargon Avoid wordiness Use of POWERFUL LANGUAGE. accurate precise descriptive Clear statements of assumptions, ideas and conclusions. Say what you mean. Don't assume the reader understands significance of the information. Use concrete examples Show, don't tell. Give your topic a human face. Specificity Detail, detail and more detail. Provide relevant factual information. Context What will the reader need to know to understand this issue? Where and how does this information fit into the larger picture? Accuracy Robert Dworkin is not Ronald Dworkin! 1,740,000 is not 7,140,000