University College – Senior Project
Writing Concisely
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Writing Concisely: A Guide to Effective Communication, Cheat Sheet of Nursing
A comprehensive guide to writing concisely, emphasizing the importance of using strong and precise language. It offers practical tips and examples to help writers eliminate unnecessary words, combine short sentences, and use active voice for clearer and more impactful communication. The document also includes a list of common redundant phrases and categories to avoid, further enhancing writing conciseness.
Typology: Cheat Sheet
2022/2023
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University College – Senior Project
Writing Concisely
Quote from Elements of Style
- Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no
unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary
sentences for the same reason that a drawing should
have no unnecessary line and a machine no unnecessary
parts. This requires not that the writer make all his
sentences short, or that he avoid detail and treat his
subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.
Replace vague words with specific words
Instead of:
Working as a student under someone who builds
houses was an experience that really helped me
learn a lot.
Use:
Working as a carpenter’s apprentice was an
educational experience.
Each word should be necessary to the sentence
- (^) Omit unnecessary words.
Omit Redundant Pairs
- Past memories
- Various differences
- (^) Each individual ___________
- Basic fundamentals
- (^) True facts
- (^) Important essentials
- Future plans
- (^) Terrible tragedy
- End result
- Final outcome
- (^) Free gift
- Past history
Omit Redundant Categories
- Large in size
- Often times
- (^) Of a bright color
- Heavy in weight
- (^) Period in time
- (^) Round in shape
- Of cheap quality
- (^) Honest in character
- In a confused state
- Unusual in nature
- (^) Extreme in degree
- Of a strange type
Use active voice rather than passive
Make the actor of the sentence the subject of that
sentence.
- (^) For example, this sentence uses passive voice:
- (^) The ball was thrown by John.
- (^) John is the actor, but he is NOT the subject.
This sentence is written in active voice
John threw the ball.
- (^) John is the actor so he is the subject of the
sentence.
- (^) Place the subject of the sentence near the front of
the sentence to aid reader comprehension.
This sentence uses active forms of verbs
The president signs or vetoes bills.
- (^) It uses fewer, stronger words.
Summary
To write concisely:
Eliminate unnecessary words.
Combine short sentences.
Do not use phrases or sentences to express one
word.
Use the active voice.
Use active verbs.