NoKnowList

The “NO” List
(“NO” more doing these things (making these errors) in your writing)

NO abbreviation in formal writing.

NO more using contractions in formal writing.

NO beginning sentences with “So,” “Well,” and “I mean.”

NO widows should appear on professional, neat papers.

NO more using the word “like” in your writing or speaking.

NO using extra spaces between paragraphs in your essays.

NO more using the words “had,” “has,” and “have” before verbs.

NO more using the words “could,” “should,” and “would” before verbs. Be definitive in your ideas.

NO using the words “mom” and “dad.” Use “mother” and “father.”

NO using two words if you can say it in one (example: “right now” can be “present”).

NO using the word “that” unless it is absolutely necessary in order to complete the sentence.

NO using words without meaning: “bad,” “best,” “better,” “good”, “great,” “stuff,” “things,” “worse,” and “worst.”

NO using a lot of short, weak verbs (those of four letters or less). Be more specific and descriptive.

NO referring to a piece of writing as the physical object by which it is bound. I.E., It’s not a “book,” or “novel.” It’s a narrative or a memoir or biography, etc.

NO using repetitive general statements about an idea. Use only ONE, then provide your reader with specific explanations.

NO repeatedly using the same words close together, whether in the same sentence or in sentences close to one another.

NO using words written in all caps in formal writing to express the intensity of an idea. This, again, is you not using language to express meaning.

NO beginning new paragraphs with incomplete sentences/short phrases. These are headers. This is an essay, not a textbook. Paragraphs, typically, begin with topic sentences.

NO ending sentences or independent clauses (a group of words that contains a subject and verb, expresses a complete thought, and can stand on its own) with prepositions (words that relates a noun or pronoun to another word in a sentence).

NO using the words “take,” “make,” “have,” and “get” in your writing. Weak writers commonly do not use them in terms of their accurate meaning, and, therefore, use them incorrectly, actually MEANING something entirely different (in the literal sense).

NO using two prepositions consecutively.

NO writing “the author” or “the writer” is you know his/her name. If you know “the author” or “the writer’s” name, use it.

NO writing the nonexistent word “alot.” EVER!

NO longer use the words “get,” “getting,” “got,” or “gotten” in your formal writing - without exception.

NO using the second person (you, your, you’ve, etc.) in formal writing in order to describe - without exception.

The “KNOW” List
(“KNOW” how to correctly use these devices in your writing)

KNOW that new paragraphs should ALWAYS be indented.

KNOW when you’re being redundant (example: “just recently” & “reason why”).

KNOW how to make your subjects and verbs consistent in terms of plural and singular use.

KNOW how to explain and describe a quality of a person or thing specifically, not generally.

KNOW what a fragment looks like. Sentences must contain subjects and predicates to be complete.

KNOW when you are beginning a new statement or idea, since it requires a new sentence. The next sentence CAN describe or explain the sentence before it!

KNOW the difference between words that show size and words that show amount and use them correctly.

KNOW the difference between “less” and “fewer.”

KNOW the difference between ACTIVE and PASSIVE Voice. ALWAYS, without exception, write in the active voice.

KNOW the correct rules for using quotation marks, especially in terms of how commas and end marks are included.

KNOW how to use hyphens in phrases made up of words that “go” together (examples: state-of-mind, seven-years-old).

KNOW how to correctly use PRONOUNS, particularly when it comes to using them in the plural form and with other names or nouns.

KNOW that the first time you use a phrase that can be written as an acronym (initials), you should write the whole phrase out.

KNOW how to recognize the literal meaning of your writing. Do all your references connect to the ideas you mean to explain?

KNOW that you should always - unless otherwise specifically directed - double space an academic paper for editing and comment writing.

KNOW the correct use of “which,” and “that.” A comma should be present in your sentence prior to “which.” No comma is used before “that.”

KNOW that if an event or idea takes place within a certain time period, you should be using the word “during” that time period to make that fact clear.

KNOW to now replace “give” with provide.”

KNOW the true, literal meaning of the words “when” and “where.” Think about how you’re using them and if they truly belong in your sentences based on your accurate meaning.

KNOW what the intended tense of your paper is and stick to it. Recognize and think about the tenses of the verbs you’re using. They must maintain throughout your entire essay.

KNOW how to use as few TO BE Verbs (am, are, be, become, became, is, was, were) as possible, replacing them with stronger, more descript and specific verbs. To be verbs rely on adjectives to give your sentences meaning.

KNOW how to identify when you have run-on sentences. Don’t be afraid to use periods. Shorten the length of your sentences. You can elaborate on similar ideas by using new sentences - you don’t have to put all the information in one sentence.

KNOW the rules about writing numbers: 0 - 99 are ALWAYS words; 100 and above are digits, UNLESS used at the beginning of a sentence, then they are also written out as words. Without exception, you NEVER begin a sentence with numerals, ALWAYS words.

KNOW the difference between its and it’s; their, there, and they’re; to, too, and two; your and you’re; and affect (verb) and effect (noun). Using these incorrectly leaves an irreversibly negative impression on your reader. There’s no excuse for using them incorrectly, and doing so makes you, as writer, appear lazy and uncaring.

KNOW how to correctly cite (generally, you should use MLA format (there are many readily available, easy to use references, so there are no excuses for not using correctly), unless otherwise instructed), and do so all the time, without exception, when alluding to another piece of work or drawing on outside knowledge.

KNOW that the pronoun “they” is used to refer to a plural subject. “He” and “she” are used in reference to singular subjects.

KNOW that you should begin as few of your sentences with an article (a, an, the) as possible. Strong writers begin most of their sentences with adjectives and adverbs.

KNOW that we write about the events in a piece of writing - as well as the writing itself - in the present tense. If the piece of writing details events from an actual - real life - event, those can be described in past tense. Otherwise, everything else is referred to in the present tense.

KNOW how to use correctly use apostrophes to show singular and plural possession.

KNOW that you are not required to use the default margin and font size set by word. Know that you can change them to make the lay-out of your paper more adequate.

KNOW how to use the Readability Scale on Word to check the grade level of your writing (Tools, Spelling and Grammar, Options, Show Readability Statistics, OK).