1. Organize and argue. Good writing is about raising important issues, making persuasive arguments, and marshalling evidence. The key to expressing your ideas effectively is sound organization. Follow a logical design and build your paper with clear sentences and coherent paragraphs. 

2. Be concise. William Zinsser writes, “Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon.” Ruthless editing of unnecessary words, phrases, and sentences will improve your writing dramatically.  

3. Write what you mean. Know what you mean, know the meaning of words, and choose the words that precisely express your thoughts.  

4. Write with force. Express your ideas directly and gracefully. Vague words hide good arguments, but they don’t camouflage bad ones. Using strong verbs in the active voice will make your writing more forceful. Keep subject and verb close together.  

5. Write for a reader. Your professors are a captive audience.  In your professional life, you will not have this luxury.  Most readers are busy and impatient, and you will lose them quickly if you make their job difficult. Develop the habit of reading your writing as another person might read it.  Read your sentences aloud. 

6. Revise and rewrite. The bad news is that writing is hard work. The good news is that with hard work you will become an effective writer.  Make drafts a habit, even when they are not required. In addition to editing on screen, edit hard copies of your drafts in the cold light of day. 

7. Avoid common errors. Rules of grammar organize communication, and your readers will judge you by your knowledge of these rules.