WRITE BETTER, with these SIX RULES!! (#Oxford Uni essay tips)

Summary

Dr. Matt Williams, a politics teacher at Oxford, shares insights from George Orwell's *Why I Write* to help improve writing skills. He outlines six essential rules for clear, effective writing: avoid metaphors and similes, prefer short words, cut unnecessary words, use active voice, avoid jargon, and break any rule rather than be barbarous. Drawing on examples from journalism, Dr. Williams explains how these principles can be applied to academic writing, encouraging students to write with clarity, simplicity, and authenticity to ensure their ideas are easily understood and effectively communicated.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dr. Matt Williams shares his personal struggles with writing and offers advice on how to improve essay writing.
• 😀 Orwell's 'Why I Write' is a key influence, emphasizing the importance of writing clearly to communicate ideas effectively.
• 😀 Rule 1: Avoid using metaphors, similes, or other figurative language unless necessary, as it can obscure the real meaning in academic writing.
• 😀 Rule 2: Prefer short, simple words over long, complex ones to improve clarity and accessibility.
• 😀 Rule 3: Always aim to cut unnecessary words and simplify sentences to make your writing more concise and to the point.
• 😀 Rule 4: Use active voice instead of passive voice to make writing clearer and more direct, ensuring the subject and action are clear.
• 😀 Rule 5: Avoid foreign phrases, jargon, or technical terms unless they are absolutely necessary and cannot be replaced with simpler alternatives.
• 😀 Rule 6: Breaking any of the previous rules is preferable to saying something outright barbarous or offensive in your writing.
• 😀 Dr. Williams reflects on his own academic journey, revealing how adopting Orwell's rules improved his clarity and writing style.
• 😀 Writing is an art that requires conscious effort and self-awareness—being authentic and clear is more important than sounding pretentious.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of Dr. Matt Williams' lecture?

Dr. Matt Williams focuses on improving writing skills by discussing George Orwell's six rules for clear writing, and how these rules can enhance both academic and journalistic writing.

Why does Dr. Williams emphasize Orwell's rule about avoiding metaphors and similes?

Dr. Williams emphasizes this rule because metaphors and similes can distract from the clarity of writing, especially in academic contexts, where precision is key. They may work in journalism for engagement, but not in scholarly essays.

What personal experience did Dr. Williams share about his own writing struggles?

Dr. Williams shared that during his doctoral studies, his writing was so unclear that his supervisor asked him to read Orwell's *Why I Write*. He admits to using long, complex words and metaphors to appear more intellectual, which made his writing difficult to follow.

How does Dr. Williams suggest improving sentence length and structure?

Dr. Williams advises cutting out redundant words and breaking long, complex sentences into shorter, clearer ones. He also suggests avoiding repetitive phrases to make the writing more concise and readable.

What does Dr. Williams mean by 'active voice' and why is it important?

Active voice is when the subject of the sentence performs the action (e.g., 'Harry criticized the royal family'). Dr. Williams highlights that active voice is more direct and clear, whereas passive voice can obscure the subject and weaken the sentence.

How does Dr. Williams explain the use of jargon and technical terms in writing?

Dr. Williams advises avoiding jargon and foreign terms unless absolutely necessary. He encourages using everyday English to make writing accessible to a wider audience, while also noting that technical terms may be required in specialized contexts.

Why is rule number six—'break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous'—important?

Rule number six emphasizes that clarity and truth in writing are paramount. Dr. Williams explains that it's better to break any of Orwell's rules than to write in a way that is misleading, harmful, or unclear.

What role did Dr. Williams' supervisor play in shaping his approach to writing?

Dr. Williams' supervisor, the late Professor David Robertson, was instrumental in helping him recognize the importance of clarity in writing. He often criticized Dr. Williams for writing long, complicated sentences and encouraged him to simplify his language.

What example from journalism did Dr. Williams use to illustrate the dangers of metaphorical writing?

Dr. Williams cited a headline from *The Daily Mail* that used metaphors like 'launching an extraordinary attack' and 'taking a flamethrower' to describe Harry’s criticism of the royal family. He pointed out that while this language is gripping in journalism, it would be inappropriate in an academic essay.

How does Dr. Williams recommend handling imposter syndrome in academic writing?

Dr. Williams explains that imposter syndrome often leads students to use overly complex language to mask their insecurities. He recommends avoiding this trap by using clear, simple language that reflects one's true thoughts, rather than trying to sound 'clever' with long words.