1. Structure and Syntax

• No section headings: no introduction, no conclusions, no discussion
• Sentence fragments
• Plural subjects with singular verbs and vice versa
• Pronouns with improper or unclear reference (lots of these):
  
  "...Researchers use the scientific method as a way to systematically study problems of the natural world. They advance science that way because it is a logical approach. It makes it a better place...."
  
  (Note: usually implies complete lack of editing, lack of proof reading and "lazy" writing style ("..oh, they will understand what I mean...".)
  
  
• Lack of agreement between opening clause and subject of sentence.
  
  "...using the scientific method, the research is advanced..."
  
  
• Paragraphs without topic sentence
• Topic sentences unrelated to paragraph content.
• Paragraphs made up of randomly collected sentences
• Runon sentences.
  
  "..the scientific method is a way of studying problems which scientists use in their research so that accurate results occur and we understand weather better and science is advanced...."
  
  (Note: usually implies complete lack of editing, and lazy writing style...in other words, it takes some time and effort to carefully lay out ideas...it takes no time and effort to throw all ideas into one sentence, connect the ideas with the prepositions and let the reader try to work it out)
  
  
• Runon paragraphs (multiple topic sentences embedded in the paragraph)
• One sentence paragraphs.
• Including quotations of non-remarkable text as a substitute for paraphrasing (what is remarkable about this is that we discussed in class why this is expressly NOT allowed in formal science writing).
• Colloquial expressions NOT allowed ("kind of" "came up with" "sort of"). Encourage within your writing a use of the proper terms and language (for example, the words or phrases that you WANTED to say instead of the examples above are: "similar to" "developed" "almost")
  
  "...by looking at these three scientists, we can see..."
  
  
  (Note: you did not "look" at three scientists (which means to gaze or to see them), what you did is to examine the work of three scientists. Strive to say exactly what you mean, and do NOT write as you talk. Colloquialisms and "lazy" English are allowed in conversational English, never in formal writing).

2. Editing

(Problems in this area are almost always related to lack of proof-reading. In essence, if there is a systematic problem in this area, you are telling the reader that you don't care enough about what you are writing to take the time to make sure that it is readable).

• Poor spelling
• affect/effect, its/it's
• Typos

3. Other Less Serious Style Problems

• Contractions: never in formal scientific writing
• First person should be avoided except for emphasis in certain key areas...for example, in last sentence of Introduction..."...in this paper, I will show...."
• Conversational tone NEVER allowed...
  
• Indent paragraphs. If you don't intend paragraphs and the last sentence of one paragraph goes flush to the right margin, the reader will be totally confused about the next sentence, which is the topic sentence of a new paragraph. Your writing should not be a detective story for the reader, trying to trick him or her into figuring out what you are saying.
• Avoid platitudes or truisms as a closing sentence and strive to make meaningful observations as sum up.
  
  "...and so we see that the world is a better place for all of us because of the scientific method..."

4. Content

• Poor organization (seemed to be related to lack of section headings)
• Lack of synthesis...chiefly in Section 3...in which many people forgot the paper topic and instead just rehashed what the scientists did without discussing how what they did was guided by or was an illustration of the scientific method.
• Lack of focus (particularly evident for those who omitted section headings)
• Improper jargon (writing is NOT the same as speaking)
  

5. Not Following Instructions

• Not having sections numbered and titled.
• Not having the three citations to references in-text that were required.
• Not using proper referencing procedure for in-text citations and for references at end of section.
• Not having three pages of text.
• Not having proper margins, proper font size, leading to very few words per page, and, as a result, incomplete discussions and synthesis
• Having huge space between sections as a space filler.