Words confuse us

I love my students. Really, I do. It's just that they do the strangest things.

Why is it that students think they have to use big words to impress readers? No matter how many times I tell them to begin sentences with "but," many insist on using "however." Another thing I can't understand is how a student can use a word in a sentence when said student has no idea what the word means. It's worse when they use a direct quote that makes no sense.

Crank: What does this quote mean?
Student: I'm not sure.
Crank: Why did you use it?
Student: I don't know. I was wondering about it.
Crank: Hand me your pencil so I may stick it in my eye.
Student: Why?
Crank: I'm sure it will be more fun than reading the rest of this story.

Two books that will improve anyone's writing:

The Media Writer's Handbook, by George T. Arnold

A hardcover dictionary. (Yes -- this is a book. It contains paper pages that need to be turned.)

One last thought: Running the "spell-check" program is not the equivalent of proofreading.

Boy, do I feel better.