Summer Undergraduate Research Program - Fred Hutchinson ...

Writing Workshop Content
and Assignments
The following rules of composition were obtained from: Strunk, William Jr ., and E .B . White, The Elements
of Style . Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon, 2000 .
Elementary Principles of Composition
12.
Choose a
suitable design
and stick
to it.
13.
Make the
paragraph the
unit of
composition.
14.
Use the
active voice.
The first principle of composition is to foresee or determine the shape of what
is to come and pursue that shape . Example: a sonnet is built on a fourteen
line frame, an abstract is typically 250 words, a personal statement may be
anywhere between one to two pages .
As a rule, begin each paragraph either with a sentence that suggests the
topic or with a sentence that helps the transition . In general, paragraphs
should form a logical train of thought . Enormous blocks of print can appear
formidable to readers; therefore breaking one long paragraph into two, even
if it’s not necessary to do so for the logical development, is often a visual help .
On the other hand, short paragraphs in quick succession can be distracting .
Moderation and sense of order should be the main considerations in
paragraphing .
The active voice is more direct and vigorous than the passive .
Passive: In addition to my research experience, I have been employed
Active: In addition to this research experience, I am employed
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