Reflective Writing: The problem - your GCE English, school essay, or business report writing methods

The Solution: Writer's hints to overcome the following:

College academic essays, papers or reports require you to write in a simple style so the reader knows exactly what you are talking about. Every point you want to make has to be spelt out simply and clearly.
This style can be learnt by following a few new rules and forgetting your GCE English school essay, or business report writing methods.

• Long sentences beginning with a preposition, As, This, If, Once, At. [more example to go here] The subject, your main point, your argument is actually in the middle of the sentence, 'hidden' from the eye of the reader when you use sentences that start in this way. They are not easy to read and makes 'navigation' of the text difficult. Check every one of your sentences and move the middle section of the sentence at the front. Read out aloud. Wow, what a difference!
• Short sentences, easy to write, easy to read, help you organise your thoughts too. Subject, verb, object. You are not expected to write long complicated sentences. In fact, four line sentences are completely and utterly forbidden. You will feel good writing when you write in this, clear concise way, believe me.
• Put the key words and your important idea at the beginning of the sentence. In today's world no one has the time to follow several lines before you get to your point. Make the point first and thenadd support comments, ideas to build on your main point.
• Some people write pages before they get to their main point. This is spectacularly annoying. One useful rule is: Tell them once, add to the message, and Tell them again.
• If in doubt, take the key idea in your first draft, (which students regularly place in the final paragraph) and put it in the first paragraph. See the magic that results.

Some common mistakes from your past writing style, which you probably need to leave behind

• Headings in Bold - with the first sentence in the paragraph assuming the reader knows what the heading is about. Student make the first sentence almost a completion of the the heading [example to go here].
  You cannot assume the reader knows what you are talking about. They don't. Also you are learning to write in an academic style. In each section the rule is usually to explain what the section is about; The aim... The subject of...You have to spell out every point as if to a complete stranger to the subject.
• Chapter or section headings that begin with the words… [example to go here]"There are many kinds of databases ....
  This sentence is ‘A’ level waffle.
  Immediately asked yourself for precision and detail.’ How many databases? What is my evidence? Which sources can I use to back up my argument? Try In this section three databases types are investigated. I will look at ...(This section will look at -better) the opening interface, ease of use and speed. studies by.... and ... have shown rthat....
• The Rhetoric method : - a heading with a question mark [example to go here]
  i.e What is wrong with this web site?
  Attributed to Socrates – it is useful for verbal argument, but that is all. Usually the paragraph of writing that follows goes; Ramble Ramble Ramble Ramble Ramble Ramble, with no clear direction or route with in it– don’t use it!
• Active verbs -I study; I discovered, make your paper move along more clearly than Passive Verbs - I was taught, I have been writing; It was discovered, It has been discovered.
• Active sentence - the simple ones (Subject, Verb, Object), eg: The student demonstrated his knowledge, rather than passive sentence,eg: Knowledge was demonstrated by the student. (Object, Verb, Subject.
• Quotations at the start of a paper are to be avoided at all costs. There are many reasons, but my view they detract from your own original subject which you, yourself will be explaining clearly and precisely.