Elements of Effective Writing

 Introduction

            Effective writing is an important skill in academic, professional, technical, and business communication. The main purpose of professional writing is to communicate specific ideas clearly to the reader. According to Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, effective writing can be improved through the careful selection of words and phrases, grammatically and logically correct sentences, and well-developed writing.

The major elements of effective writing can be explained as follows:

1. Use Simple and Familiar Words

            One of the most important elements of effective writing is to use simple and familiar words. Difficult, unusual, or high-sounding words may confuse the reader. The writer should choose words that are commonly understood and suitable for the target readers.

For example:

Difficult: Antiquated machinery was utilized for experimentation.

Simple: Old machinery was used for the test.

            Simple language makes the message easier to understand. The writers point out that the purpose of writing is not to show a large vocabulary but to communicate the meaning successfully.

2. Use Concrete and Specific Words

            Effective writing should use concrete and specific words instead of vague or general expressions. Concrete words give the reader a definite idea of what the writer means.

For example:

Vague: The company suffered a tremendous loss.

Specific: The company suffered a 70 per cent loss in profits.

            The second sentence gives exact information and therefore communicates the message more clearly. The book explains that ambiguity can reduce or even prevent effective communication, so words should be chosen carefully and precisely.

3. Avoid Unnecessary and Problematic Words

            Effective writing should be free from words and expressions that make communication unclear, stale, or difficult. The writers recommend avoiding or limiting:

• Excessive acronyms and abbreviations
• Clichés
• Excessive jargon
• Unnecessary foreign words and phrases
• Redundancy
• Circumlocution or roundabout expressions

            For example, instead of saying “at this point of time”, we can simply say “now”. Similarly, unnecessary technical jargon should be avoided when the readers are not specialists.

4. Avoid Redundancy and Use Economy of Words

            Good writing should be brief and economical. Redundancy means using unnecessary words or repeating the same idea. Circumlocution means expressing an idea in a long or roundabout way when a shorter expression is possible.

For example:

Wordy: I take this opportunity to tell you that you are an excellent leader.

Better: You are an excellent leader.

Another example is:

Wordy: Please return back my book tomorrow.

Better: Please return my book tomorrow.

            Using fewer but meaningful words makes writing clearer, shorter, and more effective.

5. Construct Clear and Effective Sentences

            An effective sentence should express a complete thought and should be grammatically and logically correct. The book explains that ineffective sentences may be choppy, loose, ambiguous, or awkward and may therefore fail to create the desired impact on readers.

            The writer should generally prefer short and clear sentences because long sentences containing too many ideas can confuse the reader. However, long sentences should not be completely avoided. A good writer should use a suitable mixture of short, medium, and long sentences according to the need.

For example:

• Long and difficult:
• The production of reports involves a large cost to our organization, and shortening the reports would reduce the time spent on reading and writing them and therefore reduce operating expenses.

• Clearer:
• The production of reports involves a large cost to our organization. If we shorten the reports, we can reduce the time spent on reading and writing them. This will reduce operating expenses.

6. Maintain Clarity, Precision, and Non-discriminatory Language

            Effective writing should communicate ideas plainly and respectfully. The writer should avoid expressions that can discriminate against or stereotype people on the basis of gender, race, nationality, age, disability, or other characteristics.

Example of avoiding unnecessary masculine expressions. 

Instead of:

• A student in BITS does his homework well before coming to class.

The sentence can be written as:

• Students in BITS do their homework well before coming to class.

Thus, effective writing should be clear, precise, economical, respectful, and reader-friendly.

Conclusion

            Effective writing is not about using difficult or impressive words. It is about communicating ideas clearly, accurately, briefly, and effectively. A good writer uses familiar and specific words, avoids unnecessary jargon and repetition, constructs clear sentences, and keeps the reader in mind. Therefore, the essential elements of effective writing are clarity, simplicity, precision, economy, correctness, and consideration for the reader

*****

Reference:
Raman, Meenakshi, and Sangeeta Sharma. Technical Communication: Principles and Practice. 3rd ed., Oxford University Press, 2015.