The Elements of Style

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is a small book full of great advice for writing in English and taking advantage of its ability to write short, clear, and to-the-point.


Here are the suggested "Elementary Principles of Composition":
- Choose a suitable design and hold to it.
- Make the paragraph the unit of composition.
- Use the active voice.
- Put statements in positive form.
- Use definite, specific, concrete language.
- Omit needless words.
- Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
- Express similar ideas in similar form (e.g. Beatitudes).
- Keep related words together.
- In summaries, keep to one tense.
- Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.

This advice comes in a good time, since I'm writing my PhD research proposal. Thanks to Joana once again for finding yet another great book.