1. Use relational words carefully.

As the label implies, relational words describe the relations between things. In general, the relation should be identified within the same sentence

For example,  On average, males are heavier than females or  Psychology is similar to psychiatry in some respects. Psychology is different from anatomy in many ways

2. Use comparatives and superlatives appropriately.

Comparatives are used to compare two things. Often comparatives are formed by adding "er" to the adjective.

For example,  The males are heavier than the females

Always use "less" for amount and "fewer" for number.

For example, There is less milk and butter and fewer eggs in the organs cake than in the chocolate cake

Superlatives refer to comparatives involving "most". According to Partridge’s Usage and Abusage, superlatives must be used only when there are three or more persons or things.

For example,  while one would say, She is the older of the two sisters one would need to say, She is the oldest of the three children or She is the tallest of them all.

3. Accentuate the positive.

It is generally easier to understand things expressed positively .

For example, Calculate the average weight for all the males under 50 years rather than expressed in a negative way, Calculate the average weight for all the males, except those who are not younger than 50.

4. Use literary variation.

Provide interest for your reader by varying the construction you use. It is rather boring to read the same verb, phrase, or clause over and over.

For example, Bloggs et al (1920) found that …. Dubbing et al (1980) found that …. and Harrison (2000) found that …….

Introduce variation in construction.

For example, Bloggs et al (1920) found that ….. Dubbing et al (1980) also established that ….. , and the results of Harrison’s (2000) study were that ……

5. Resist being emphatic with adverbs and adjectives.

Use adjectives and adverbs instead to provide precision.

For example,  instead of a disastrous event, use a disaster;  and rather than numerous examples use the exact number;  and in place of a relatively large effect, use the precise data, 55 percent of the participants.

6. Write with care.

A few basic things to keep in mind when writing effectively are split infinitives, and preposition positions.

An infinitive expresses a verb without any predicate or subject.

For example, to see, to learn, to write effectively.

Infinitives should be kept intact.

For example, To heavily sigh puts an adverb between the two parts of the infinitive.  It should read, To sigh heavily.

Prepositions are best kept away from the end of a sentence.

For example,  instead of This is a trial I will not suffer with,  you are best to write, This is a trial with which I will not suffer.

Now that you understand the general principles and the specific issues involved in good writing style, you should try the following activity: Good writing style.

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