Attempting to Make Myself Progressively Unnecessary

Tell me, was I too harsh with my ENGL 1301 online class today?

"The Profile essays have been graded. You will find your grade in one of the comment bubbles in your paper. Please review all the comments in your paper, as I will look for these issues in your other assignments.

Overall, there has been improvement in your writing. (Yea!) But there are some problems that continue to appear:

First: (And yes, I am going to fuss here. You have been warned.)

I should not have to remind you to use proper MLA format. Following this simple requirement is not difficult. You have explanations and examples in your textbook and online. You can also email me - that's one of the reasons why I'm here. So, FROM THIS POINT ON, IF YOU HAVE NOT PROPERLY FORMATTED YOUR PAPER, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU, UNGRADED. If you can't bother to follow this simple instruction, why should I bother to grade your paper? If I review it after the due date (I generally wait until everyone has submitted, which means I usually don't review submissions until after the last day to turn an assignment in late) that means (Oh, no!) you will receive a zero for the assignment because it is past the last date to turn it in late. No matter what your major, you will have to use some formatting style. For the actual paper, the different styles use the same basic format. The basic difference between the styles is documentation (although all styles require the same information).

Second:

In academic writing, we don’t write the way we talk (unless we are writing dialogue). Slang and fragments should be avoided. Proper punctuation, spelling, and transitions should be included. A conversation that is easily followed face-to-face would not necessarily be followed in writing. Body language, inflection, eye contact, prior knowledge of the subject and each other: these things are not available in the written text.

Third: (Closely related to Second)

The use of adverbs: “He was SO VERY happy.” Either he was happy, or he wasn’t. If “happy” does not express the level of his pleasure, find a word that better represents what it is that you are trying to relay. “He was ecstatic.” I’m not saying don’t use adverbs, but words such as very and really show the reader that you have a limited vocabulary or are lazy in your writing. Pick up a thesaurus once in a while! You’ll be amazed at all the ways you can say “happy.” And you’ll be amazed at how happy you make your instructor. (I’m just sayin’ :p)

Finally: (This should be first, but it works better here.)

Several of you tried to sum up a person’s entire life in 600 words. Personally, if I were the subject, I would be offended. How do you expect to adequately represent a person’s life in 600 words? For most people, an entire book wouldn’t do justice. Consider this with all of the topics on which you are assigned (or choose) to write. You have to focus your topic. It’s not highlights (unless you are making a timeline) but the details that are important.

And for those who missed this before:

FROM THIS POINT ON, IF YOU HAVE NOT PROPERLY FORMATTED YOUR PAPER, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU, UNGRADED."

I don't think I was harsh, do you?

Quote for the day: The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled. Plutarch