Good and Bad Writing

1. The first piece of writing is bad because it has no clear thesis and therefore no direction at all. The unclear thesis is then followed by a series of points that neither prove the claim or make any sense at all. This paragraph gets “hyped up” by using speech such as “Ethical Relativism is of a mind to say that whatever one’s culture says is right is the right thing for him or her to do”. This point does not relate to the opening statement, “Within our society, it has been shown that there is an individual”. This paragraph has no direction and no purpose. It hurts my head to try to understand it.

2. The second paragraph (which is just one long sentence) is “too clever by half”. It uses big words and stuffs them all into one very long sentence that the reader becomes lost in. The writer is making a simple claim much more complicated to understand.

3. This piece of writing “thinks too much of itself”. The writer is convinced of the claim he/she is making, but makes no real effort to convince the reader. Because of this, paragraph 3 also “ignores the reader”. The information that the writer offers as proof is his/her own opinion with no actual fats to back it up, so it is “telling lies”. This piece is hard to follow and seems to come to false conclusions without any proof.

4. This piece of writing is good because it is clear and concise. It states only information that is relevant to the topic and does not overdo its sentences with too many big words. It is very easy to follow and understand.

5. Paragraph 5 is an example of good writing because it has a clear direction. It is aware of the reader and uses the quotation “Colors are the smiles of nature” to grab the reader’s interest. This piece is clear in it’s direction, easy to follow, and uses scientific proof to draw conclusions, and not just statements of opinion.

6. The last piece is aware of the reader and captures their attention right away with an interesting question, “Can a machine think?” It goes on to provide clear and rational ideas to back up its argument. It is well directed and easy to follow, and it also appeals to most readers’ interests.

The concept of audience is a very difficult factor to consider when assessing good and bad writing. If the target audience is not made clear, it can be hard to distinguish good from bad writing. A piece of writing, even if it is very good, may not be recognized as good writing by someone who is not part of the target audience. For example, my parents are unlikely to be able to understand an email or text message that is sent to me by a friend, but I can comprehend it perfectly without having to think much at all. (Maybe that’s a bad example..) Audience can also be the most decisive factor in evaluating good and bad writing, but only if the target audience is known. For example, if I read a novel that uses big words and very intricate descriptions, I may consider it good writing because it is expressive and captivating. However, if I realized that the intended audience for this book was public school children, I would reevaluate the writing as bad, because it would not appeal to its target audience.