A lesson about the common errors made by new college writers, recorded 2/5/08.

1. Editing and Revision
Dr. Gerald Lucas

2. Always Proofread

3. Always Proofread
Check Content

4. Always Proofread
Check Content
Mechanics and Grammar

5. Always Proofread
Check Content
Mechanics and Grammar
Structure

6. Always Proofread
Check Content
Mechanics and Grammar
Structure
Style

7. Titles

8. Titles
are necessary

9. Titles
are necessary
get readers’ interest

10. Titles
are necessary
get readers’ interest
state a subject

11. Titles
are necessary
get readers’ interest
state a subject
state a purpose

12. Titles

13. Titles
Cell Phones

14. Titles
Cell Phones
Cell Phones: A Call to Action

15. Titles
Cell Phones
Cell Phones: A Call to Action
Cell Phones: Dangerous Road Hazards

16. Titles
Cell Phones
Cell Phones: A Call to Action
Cell Phones: Dangerous Road Hazards
Safer Cell Phone Usage

17. “This”

18. “This”
use “this” only as an adjective

19. “This”
use “this” only as an adjective
do not use “this” as a pronoun

20. “This”

21. “This”
This is dangerous while driving.

22. “This”
This is dangerous while driving.
This practice is dangerous while driving.

23. “This”

24. “This”
This deserves a closer look.

25. “This”
This deserves a closer look.
This idea deserves closer examination.

26. Point of View

27. Point of View
“pov”

28. Point of View
“pov”
First-person = “I,” “me”

29. Point of View
“pov”
First-person = “I,” “me”
Third-person = “They,” “Them,” “Their”

30. Point of View
“pov”
First-person = “I,” “me”
Third-person = “They,” “Them,” “Their”
Second-person = “you,” “we,” “us,” “ours”

31. Never use the second-
person pov to mean
“anyone in general”

32. Point of View

33. Point of View
You should never arrive at a party too late or
leave too early.

34. Point of View
You should never arrive at a party too late or
leave too early.
Guests should never arrive at a party too
late or leave too early.

35. Point of View

36. Point of View
You were graded on your content and your
mechanics in writing your essay.

37. Point of View
You were graded on your content and your
mechanics in writing your essay.
Students were graded on their content and
their mechanics in writing their essays.

38. Professions of Faith

39. Professions of Faith
What I believe to be the most visible
evidence that Charlie . . .

40. Professions of Faith
What I believe to be the most visible
evidence that Charlie . . .
In my personal opinion, everyone deserves at
least a second chance.

41. Professions of Faith
What I believe to be the most visible
evidence that Charlie . . .
In my personal opinion, everyone deserves at
least a second chance.
I feel that technology should be
controlled . . .

42. Professions of Faith

43. Professions of Faith
The most visible evidence that Charlie . . .

44. Professions of Faith
The most visible evidence that Charlie . . .
Everyone deserves at least a second chance.

45. Professions of Faith
The most visible evidence that Charlie . . .
Everyone deserves at least a second chance.
Technology should be controlled . . .

46. Quotation Marks

47. Quotation Marks
“Period.”

48. Quotation Marks
“Period.”
“Comma,”

49. Quotation Marks
“Period.”
“Comma,”
“Semicolon”;

50. Quotation Marks
“Period.”
“Comma,”
“Semicolon”;
“Colon”:

51. Quotation Marks
“Period.”
“Comma,”
“Semicolon”;
“Colon”:
“Question”? “Exclamation”!

52. Quotation Marks
“Period.”
“Comma,”
“Semicolon”;
“Colon”:
“Question”? “Exclamation”!
“Question?” “Exclamation!”

53. Quotation Marks

54. Quotation Marks
One of the major themes that tie in with this
is that of Charlie’s “split identity”.

55. Quotation Marks
One of the major themes that tie in with this
is that of Charlie’s “split identity”.
One of the major themes that tie in with this
is that of Charlie’s “split identity.”

56. Quotation Marks

57. Quotation Marks
In Joyce’s “Araby”, the narrator explores this
current state by looking back at the past.

58. Quotation Marks
In Joyce’s “Araby”, the narrator explores this
current state by looking back at the past.
In Joyce’s “Araby,” the narrator explores this
current state by looking back at the past.

59. Semicolon / Colon

60. Semicolon / Colon
; = Independent Clause ; IC

61. Semicolon / Colon
; = Independent Clause ; IC
“Indian Camp” showcases Indian oppression; it
brings the reality of racism to the forefront.

62. Semicolon / Colon
; = Independent Clause ; IC
“Indian Camp” showcases Indian oppression; it
brings the reality of racism to the forefront.
: = an announcer

63. Semicolon / Colon
; = Independent Clause ; IC
“Indian Camp” showcases Indian oppression; it
brings the reality of racism to the forefront.
: = an announcer
From the first paragraph the atmosphere is
dark: the blind street, the imprisoned boys,
houses with imperturbable faces.

64. Very Really Quite Alot
Nice . . .

65. Very Really Quite Alot
Nice . . .
Avoid these

66. Contractions

67. Contractions
Avoid them

68. Contractions
Avoid them
don’t = do not

69. Contractions
Avoid them
don’t = do not
won’t = will not

70. Contractions
Avoid them
don’t = do not
won’t = will not
shouldn’t = should not

71. Contractions
Avoid them
don’t = do not
won’t = will not
shouldn’t = should not
they’ll = they will

72. Spelling

73. Spelling
Look up words you do not know

74. Spelling
Look up words you do not know
Never trust the spell checker

75. Spelling
Look up words you do not know
Never trust the spell checker
homonyms

76. Spelling
Look up words you do not know
Never trust the spell checker
homonyms
their - they’re

77. Spelling
Look up words you do not know
Never trust the spell checker
homonyms
their - they’re
than - then

78. Spelling
Look up words you do not know
Never trust the spell checker
homonyms
their - they’re
than - then
Check style manual in your comp handbook

79. Possessives

80. Possessives
Do not confuse with plurals and vice versa

81. Possessives
Do not confuse with plurals and vice versa
Singular possessive: society’s

82. Possessives
Do not confuse with plurals and vice versa
Singular possessive: society’s
Plural possessive: societies’

83. Possessives
Do not confuse with plurals and vice versa
Singular possessive: society’s
Plural possessive: societies’
Plural: societies

84. Possessives
Do not confuse with plurals and vice versa
Singular possessive: society’s
Plural possessive: societies’
Plural: societies
Possessive: its (no apostrophe)

85. Possessives
Do not confuse with plurals and vice versa
Singular possessive: society’s
Plural possessive: societies’
Plural: societies
Possessive: its (no apostrophe)
Contraction: it’s (it is)

86. Pronouns

87. Pronouns
Number (singular or plural) must agree with
its antecedent (singular or plural)

88. Pronouns
Number (singular or plural) must agree with
its antecedent (singular or plural)
Incorrect: Every person has their biases.

89. Pronouns
Number (singular or plural) must agree with
its antecedent (singular or plural)
Incorrect: Every person has their biases.
Correct: Every person has her biases.

90. Pronouns
Number (singular or plural) must agree with
its antecedent (singular or plural)
Incorrect: Every person has their biases.
Correct: Every person has her biases.
Incorrect: Everyone has their quirks.

91. Pronouns
Number (singular or plural) must agree with
its antecedent (singular or plural)
Incorrect: Every person has their biases.
Correct: Every person has her biases.
Incorrect: Everyone has their quirks.
Correct: Everyone has his quirks.

92. Pronouns

93. Pronouns
Every student must turn in their homework.

94. Pronouns
Every student must turn in their homework.
Every student must turn in her homework.

95. Pronouns
Every student must turn in their homework.
Every student must turn in her homework.
Every student must turn in his homework.

96. Pronouns
Every student must turn in their homework.
Every student must turn in her homework.
Every student must turn in his homework.
All students must turn in their homework.

97. Active Voice

98. Active Voice
Use active voice whenever possible

99. Active Voice
Use active voice whenever possible
The book was written by the professor.

100. Active Voice
Use active voice whenever possible
The book was written by the professor.
The professor wrote the book.

101. Active Voice
Use active voice whenever possible
The book was written by the professor.
The professor wrote the book.
Look for a form of “be”: is, was, am, etc.

102. Unsure about something?
LOOK IT UP!

103. ©2004 Gerald Lucas