Chapter Sixteen

Chapter sixteen concerns writing with style. This chapter goes through some basic pointers on appropriate style. The first is to write concisely. This can be done by removing modifiers (many, some, lots, really, very), removing unnecessary introductory phrases, and by using less words (use always instead of at all times). The next tip is about using active or passive voices to best voice your evidence, whether you want the emphasis to be on the actor or the recipient. It’s important to keep a consistent point of view (1st, 2nd or 3rd person), as well as choosing words carefully, considering your situation’s formality and technical language, and your use of variety. The second section of the chapter deals with more style polishing techniques, such as varying sentence structure and using effective transitions.

I appreciate the advice on writing concisely because it is tempting to add extra words to meet length requirements. As a matter of fact, I have found myself doing this very thing in the event of dire circumstances. Take that last sentence for example. I could have written it simpler by saying “In fact, I have done this before.” Writing concisely is important because it allows the reader to easily read and understand your paper. I also liked the part about varying sentence structure. It’s frustrating to read long works with the same sentence structure. I’m probably horrible at it myself from time to time, but it’s refreshing to see it explained clearly. Overall, the points in chapter sixteen are all very simple things we can do to give our papers more readability and credibility. Thanks again Bedford Researcher!