[PRL] Bad Writing and Bad Thinking

Dimitris Vardoulakis dimvar at ccs.neu.edu
Sat Apr 17 14:20:41 EDT 2010


"If you're too clear, if your sentences are too simple, your peers
won't take you seriously."

I think the above sentence is the main reason why academics don't
write as clearly as they can.


On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 1:54 PM, Mitchell Wand <wand at ccs.neu.edu> wrote:
> Link:
> http://chronicle.com/article/Bad-WritingBad-Thinking/65031/?sid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en
> (via shareaholic.com)
>
> Orwell leaves us with a list of simple rules:
>
> Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used
> to seeing in print.
> Never use a long word where a short one will do.
> If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
> Never use the passive where you can use the active.
> Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can
> think of an everyday English equivalent.
> Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
>
>
>
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>



-- 
Dimitris



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