EMU Resources for Writing

We are called to be aware of our own social locations and what they enable us to see—but also what we are likely to miss. Language usage outside of the academy may vary, as may usage according to whether the arena is public or private, formal or informal. The examples below assume the use of English.

Avoid redundant or irrelevant use of gendered, or racial or other referents. For example, speak of persons with disabilities rather than disabled persons or the disabled. Speak of undocumented persons rather than illegal persons. Avoid labeling a person with an illness or a mental illness. A person is not an illness. Speak to the person first, and then the illness. For example, speak of persons with mentally ill experiences or challenges or diagnosis; not a bipolar person, but persons living with bipolar disorder; not drug/alcohol abusers but persons with substance use challenges; not a diabetic but persons with diabetes

Typically discussion of an individual’s physical characteristics tends to reinforce stereotypes or turn groups into sexualized beings rather than fully human persons. For example, avoid emphasizing women’s physical features or reproductive capacities outside of relevant contexts. Do not assume that women function primarily as caregivers (or that men do not). In all cases, ask: Are the characteristics described truly relevant to the situation under discussion?

For example, use Inuit rather than Eskimo. However, be aware of euphemistic language that individuals and groups use to hide realities. For instance, use genocide rather than ethnic cleansing.

For example, when referring to adult humans, use women and men rather than girls and men (This example is given to show how women are often described in language that confers childlike, rather than adult characteristics. However, this example also assumes binary gender characteristics and therefore human is preferred to women and men). Use Ms. Janet Chao and Mr. Thomas Jones, or Chao and Jones, not Janet and Jones.

Typically, use humankind rather than mankind, human rather than man, and artificial or unnatural rather than manmade. Use chairperson rather than chairman, First-year student rather than freshman. Take note of when and how statistics and standards were created. For example, height and weight charts used to measure obesity are often based on an average of men taken in the 1950s. Is it then fair to measure women as obese or overweight using these measures?

For example, be aware of terms like real Americans or the use of we, us and our when only white people are meant.

Gender-neutral pronouns (s/he, her/him, zie, hir) are preferred to he when talking about a group of people that includes men, women and non-gender-identifying persons. Often using a plural rather than a singular sentence construction will enable a smoother read. Use plural gender-neutral pronouns (they, them, their) instead of singular forms to avoid awkward constructions.

Survivors is preferred to victims. Use “uses a wheelchair” rather than “is confined to a wheelchair” and only if wheelchair use is relevant to the topic.

Formal titles may be proper in a society or setting that is more structured, and titles may be viewed as unnecessary in a society that is less formal.

“Communicate across cultures: Recognize what you consider ‘normal.’ Examine your own customary behaviors and assumptions, and think about how they may affect what you think and say (and write). Listen closely to someone from another culture, and ask for clarification if necessary. Carefully define your terms. Think about your audience’s expectations. How much authority should you have? What kind of evidence will count most with your audience? Organize your writing with your audience’s expectations in mind. If in doubt, use formal style” (Lunsford, TEW, 2017, p. 276).*

“Consider other kinds of difference: Age, Class, Geographical area, Physical ability or health, Religion, and Sexual orientation” (see Lunsford, TEW, 2017, pp 284-285 for explanations).*
Refer to the “Language” section of The Everyday Writer (EMU’s writing handbook) for additional discussion.

…in teaching, classroom discussions, research design and worship.

Due to the rapidly changing nature of best practices, please contact the Provost’s Office with suggestions for revisions to this document.

• Reprinted by permission of the publishers from The Everyday Writer, 6th edition, Andrea A. Lunsford (NYC: Bedford St. Martin’s). Copyright 2017.

1. Your tutoring session will begin with your tutor explaining our policy to you:

   • Our primary goal is to help you gain and strengthen the ability to revise and edit your own papers.

   • You are encouraged to make regular appointments at the Academic Success Center. Don’t wait until the day before the paper’s due to hand in a perfect paper! In a 45 min. tutoring session, you may only have time to examine the first two or three paragraphs of your paper. Think seriously about setting up appointments with your tutor several weeks in advance of a paper’s due date.

2. Your tutor will very consciously make a distinction between global concerns and local concerns in the paragraph, addressing the global concerns first and addressing the local concerns only after the global concerns have been dealt with. The tutor will ask these questions:

   • What is the specific writing assignment?

   • How much work has the student put into the paper so far? Is this a very rough first draft or a second or third draft?

   • What is the writer’s purpose?

   • Who is the audience envisioned for the paper?

   • Is the paper well-organized and readable?

3. Your tutor will take turns reading the first few paragraphs with you, working on one paragraph at a time. The tutor is trying to determine whether or not the paper “flows” and has a “fluid reading.”

4. You, the student, are the only person who will write on your paper. Your tutor will not mark your paper.

5. After the tutor has worked with you on a paragraph, the tutor will most likely ask you to work on the next paragraph alone. The tutor is close by to advise you as needed.

6. You will learn to use the Longman Dictionary of American English to assist in identification and in explanation of the error. You may also use the online Newbury House advanced learner’s dictionary.

7. You will keep an error log. The tutor will assist you in starting an error log. On subsequent visits, the tutor will ask to see the error log and help you to see the connection between logging errors and becoming more accomplished at self-editing. You will need to keep this up-to-date so that you become more aware of the issues in writing that are problems for you.

8. You will learn to use the self-editing checklist as one more way to help you learn to revise and edit your own papers. Your tutor will assist you in this process.