Clarity, Part 2

Similarly to my first Clarity post, I will be writing about four topics from the "Clarity" section in Rules for Writers. However, they will be different from the four I chose before!

McPhee, Nic. (2008) "editing a paper" via Flickr
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If you want to view my QRG draft, click "here".

Needed Words:

• Add words needed to make comparisons logical and complete/add the word that if there is any danger of misreading without it
• According to this section, comparisons should be made between items that are alike, it is not logical to compare unlike items. In my QRG, I make many comparisons between arguments that are unlike each other, when I revise my QRG again, I will address these comparisons to see if they are logical. 

Variety:

• Vary your sentence openings/use a variety of sentence structures
• The purpose of varying your sentence openings is so that your reader doesn't become bored with your writing and so your sentences don't sound repetitive. In my QRG I think that I do a good job of providing a variety of sentence openings. However, I noticed after editing my "longest paragraph" that I often use the same sentence structure. I should revise all my paragraphs and try to vary my sentence structure. 

Appropriate Language:

• Stay away from jargon/in most contexts avoid slang/choose an appropriate level of formality
• Like we have already discussed in class, the purpose of your writing is to be informative, not impressive. You want your reader to be able to understand what you are writing, so you should always choose an appropriate level of formality. I think that it is fairly obvious that we shouldn't write in sexist or other offensive language. In my QRG I think that I do a pretty good job of writing in a style/choosing words that my audience will understand and that is appropriate for the subject in which I am writing about.

Exact Words:

• Select words with appropriate connotations/do not misuse words/prefer specific, concrete nouns
• Words have more than a direct meaning, they have connotations, emotional meanings too. Writers should be aware of the words they are choosing when writing and, according to Rules for Writers, writers should avoid using a thesaurus to search for more impressive words. I do not believe that I misused any words in my QRG, however, I will have to revise again to make sure. 

Reflection:
Once again, I personally do not think reading Rules for Writers and then revising is particularly helpful to me. The only section that specifically helped me was the section on "variety" which told me to vary my sentence structure and sentence openings in my work. Although I already knew this about writing, I tend to write in a specific style regardless. I should try to vary my sentence structure more so that my work flows better and doesn't sound repetitive. Below I have listed a few examples from my QRG that I found when revising for "needed words," "variety," "appropriate language," and "exact words."

1. "Many activists and rape victims fear that because of the discrepancies within the article, it will be difficult for them to come forward and tell their stories. According to many reviews and comments, the article has reinforced the stereotype against women that they invent rape and other sexual assault stories for attention."

I chose this example from my QRG because I think that it shows how I vary my sentence openings. However, I feel as though the sentence structure of the two could be more varied. I personally think that when writing in my voice this is how I want these two sentences to be structured, however, I am interested in what my readers would think. I plan on asking one of my classmate's if they think I should restructure one or both of the sentences.

2. "Overall, it is hoped by the majority of the United States that rape and other sexual assault victims feel supported when it comes to reporting their attacks."

I chose this example because, concerning appropriate language, I am not sure whether or not the way I wrote this sentence is sensitive enough in regards to the topic. I should consider restructuring this sentence and consider other word choices.