Here Be Dragons!



In addition to grabbing the reader's attention, the essay writer would be well advised to avoid certain lazy writing techniques that can lessen interest or damage the author's credibility. While there is not a single, commonly accepted way to begin a paper, it is best to avoid the following common errors.

Definitions to Nowhere. It is best to avoid defining terms that are irrelevant, easily understood, or otherwise lead to nowhere. (Eggenschweiler and Biggs, 2001) It creates unnecessary distractions if every other word has a definition attached to it (except, of course, in technical papers or when describing content that would be completely alien to most readers).

Is it Obvious? There is a strong temptation among essay writers to use "...General statements or platitudes." (Eggenschweiler and Biggs, 2001), such as "Drunk driving is dangerous. The sun can cause serious skin damage. or Abolition of slavery was a good thing for America." Essayists should strive for something a little less obvious and a little more compelling.

Not I, Not in This Essay. One should avoid stating the thesis in a flat, boring way, especially using "I" or "in this essay." This can be very uninteresting and sound amateurish. Example, "In this essay, I will demonstrate how purple potatoes can be a viable source of energy for the future.

Quote and Quote Again. Quotations are wonderful and can add variety, credibility, and interest to an essay. Overusing quotations can cause reader fatigue quickly. If every other sentence contains a quotation, the author should consider adding some more original thoughts to the paper.

Redundant Redundancies. When creating an essay for a particular assignment, the writer should avoid writing a weak and unadorned restatement of the assignment question. (Eggenschweiler and Biggs, 2001) Example, If you were given an essay topic regarding the development of the purple potato engine, you should write something more attention grabbing than, "In this essay, I will discuss the development of the purple potato engine."

Since the Dawn of Time. Not everything in the human experience should have roots that extend back "to the dawn of time," "the early days of mankind," or "throughout the eons." Writers would do well to reserve such sweeping epic histories for topics better suited to them, like intelligent design, the development of the wheel, the theory of evolution, distances between stars, and so on, not an essay on how the bicycle works or the history of broadcast television.