If they understand what you mean without having to ask you to explain anything, especially if they are not familiar with the topic, then your writing is probably clear. Home Courses Library Donate. Previous menu Toggle navigation. Why is academic integrity important?
What is academic integrity? How can I study with integrity? Test your understanding Test your understanding Find out more Find out more Case note assignment Case note assignment Case note assignment Understanding case notes and marker expectations Understanding case notes and marker expectations Identifying the elements of a case note Identifying the elements of a case note Finding materials Finding materials Analysing materials Analysing materials Better writing Better writing Summary Summary Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Health Sciences case report Health Sciences case report Reflective writing and critical incidents Reflective writing and critical incidents Writing the comparative report Writing the comparative report Writing in Psychological Medicine Writing in Psychological Medicine Writing in Psychological Medicine 1.
Case history 1. Case history 2. Mental state examination 2. Mental state examination 3. Physical examination 3. Physical examination 4. Summary and diagnosis 4. Summary and diagnosis 5. Formulation 5. Formulation 6. Management 6.
Skip to content Skip to navigation. This tutorial will cover: Writing clearly Writing concisely Writing precisely As you go through, there will be places where you can click to reveal more information as well as undertake activities to check your understanding.
How to write clearly At university it is important that your readers - in particular your markers - can easily understand your meaning and follow your line of reasoning.
Explain terminology and jargon Explain any concepts or terminology you think may not be familiar to the reader — or which they may not necessarily know you know. From a management report: The employees suffer from a lack of motivation.
The following types of abbreviation do not need to be explained at first use: Titles such as Dr. Example: The manager is deficient in interpersonal skills and invests minimal time in assisting the clerks to develop their expertise.
Compare the following examples: Passive : Coral reefs can be damaged by rapid and substantial climatic changes. Active : Rapid and substantial climatic changes can damage coral reefs.
Passive voice can be used: When the actor is unknown or not important: For example: The proposal was approved; The novel Jane Eyre has been taught in many classrooms. To avoid naming the actor : Sometimes it is tactful to avoid naming the actor. For example: The results of this study have been misinterpreted is less confronting than: The authors of this study have misinterpreted their results.
Was it the Crusaders sojourning in Venice, or the Byzantine Emperor? Activity Read the following pairs of text. Click on the clearer text of each pair. Activity Try applying the strategies presented in this module to your own writing. How to write concisely Academic writing should be concise; that is, you should use no more words than necessary to convey your meaning clearly. Stay on topic As you revise your work, check that the content of each sentence is both relevant and necessary.
For example: The next step will be to undertake a thorough analysis of the results. This would be more concisely written as: The next step will be to thoroughly analyse the results.
Alternatives: Online content should be reviewed regularly. Companies should review online content regularly. For example: There were two key tasks in the first part of the project.
Removing the expletive constructions makes the writing more concise: The first part of the project comprised two key tasks: the design of the test rigs and selection of the variables to be tested. Some other examples include: 'factor to consider': A.
One important factor to consider is the age at which language instruction begins. One important consideration is the age at which language instruction begins. In the event that dividends continue to fall, it will be necessary to reduce staff numbers. If dividends continue to fall, it will be necessary to reduce staff numbers. Activity On each screen you will see two versions of the same text. Is this a brand new kind of device? The second sentence, on the other hand, says exactly what the product is, leaving little room for doubt.
Unnecessary words come in many forms. Like vague words, they can conceal instead of reveal your meaning [4]. Multiple negatives require your readers to interpret your meaning. Affirmatives, instead, convey concise meaning that needs no interpretation. Sentences express and connect the meaning of your ideas.
Follow these guidelines to write clear and concise sentences that your audience can comprehend quickly and easily. Use short sentences to emphasize a point; use longer sentences to connect ideas [1]:. This report provides operational information about the electrical equipment the Acme Corporation recently installed at their headquarters in Los Angeles long sentence. In the active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb. The focus of an active sentence is the subject:.
In the passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb. The focus of a passive sentence is the action:. Each type of voice has its place in writing clearly and concisely.
Use active voice by default; research shows readers comprehend it more quickly than passive voice [1]. But use passive voice when. Transitions are words and phrases that indicate connections between sentences. You should use them at the beginning of sentences to connect ideas by [1]. They can weaken an active sentence and, in some instances, may indicate passive voice. Use active verbs instead whenever possible.
Unnecessary use of prepositional phrases interferes with the clarity of a sentence [7]:. While you may not use it for everything you write, the paramedic method, developed by Richard Lanham, a professor of English at the University of California, is a set of steps for revising sentences. When the situation is appropriate, use this popular method to make your writing clear and concise adapted from the Purdue Online Writing Lab [8].
Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, Weber and N. Hurm, Eliminating words. How can we achieve clarity in writing? What is the role of clarity and conciseness in essay writing? How do you achieve clarity and conciseness of writing? How do you write effectively and clearly? How do you communicate clearly? What are the main features of effective writing? What is effective writing definition? What are the main purposes of writing?
What are the skills in writing? What makes writing unique? A skilled writer knows when flowery prose is appropriate. Being able to get that powerful phrase just right can be critical, as is knowing when to give up and say it simply.
Clear writing does not have to be boring. Varying sentence structure with transitions and conjunctions will greatly help concise writing feel less stale. While these can be qualified with sources, they sound non-committal and serve to unnecessarily draw-out sentences. It is far better to simply make your point and provide evidence for it. For a strong, clear and well-reasoned argument, weasel words are best avoided. Is that a legitimate test of truth?
What is the source? In an active voice sentence, the subject performs the action.
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