Dalton’s
13 sexy rules
for college
Writing
Sexy Rule # 1
No Room for Slang!
Don’t Do not use contractions ! Write everything out .
Don’t =do not can’t = cannot I’m = I am
alot = a lot
(2 words , but you’d you would be surprised how often I see
this…)
Example:
My Dad daddy pop old man father insisted that
I attend Louisiana State University.
Example
My favorite Cajun dish is gumbo it is very spicy.
Instead:
My favorite Cajun dish is gumbo. It is very spicy.
Example
Verb tense
If you begin in the present = stay in the present.
If you begin in the past = stay in the past
Example:
My friends were going to spring break in Florida, but my
fraternity brother says he is going to Denver, Colorado.
Instead:
Example:
See: http://xrl.us/whentowritenumbers
Sexy Rule # 11
No, room, for too many, commas!
Be careful with comma overuse Overuse of the comma : be
careful:
Observe the following rules from Purdue English online writing lab
• Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by
any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or,
nor, so, yet.
• Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words
that come before the main clause.
• Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off
clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of
the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the
pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause.
• Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence,
such as clauses beginning with that (relative clauses). That clauses
after nouns are always essential. That clauses following a verb
expressing mental action are always essential.
Purdue English online writing lab (continued)
END
Presented by Brent Daigle, Ph.D. (ABD)
brentdaigle.lsu@gmail.com