Thoughts on contractions? Forum

[bgt1995]

I have heard a lot of people say you should never use contractions in a PS. But other people say sometimes not using them can seem stilted, and I feel like that is definitely happening in my writing. Thoughts?

[benwyatt]

Don't.

[rpupkin]

I think contractions are fine for a personal statement.

ETA: Do you want to provide an example of a paragraph that concerns you? It could be that a lack of contractions isn't your problem.

[KissMyAxe]

It's completely absurd to actively try to avoid using any contractions in a personal statement. Anyone who gives you an absolute like "Never use contractions" is not giving you good advice (though it may be well-intentioned). It absolutely can make the writing stilted and the writer appear pompous and socially unaware. It's a personal statement, let it flow organically and represent your human aspects in the best light possible. Of course, I do agree with pupkin. I've seen essays where the writer was very talented and showed their humanity despite avoiding contractions. It's possible something else is negatively impacting your essay.

[34iplaw]

Personally, I avoid them, but you should aim to reflect your natural writing style, especially if it is good!

I think it really depends the paragraph, sentence, and overall flow and cadence of your diction. I, also, think many people use more contractions than they should.

I can see peoples' points about how writing without any contractions [or intentionally avoiding them] could make writing read as pompous or unaware. Then again, I write very differently [in business writing or personal writing] from how I speak or communicate on the web/text/etc. informally. This is more indicative of how I write in personal writing.

The best advice is to get peoples' opinions on the specific writing. Too many contractions comes off as far too informal for a PS, IMO.

[LeDique]

I'm having them can someone get me to the hospital

[Good Guy Gaud]

Thought this was a pregnancy related thinf

[LeDique]

dude i just made that joke are you high too?

[Clyde Frog]

Disappointed that TLS will not be assisting in a baby delivery

[Good Guy Gaud]

dude i just made that joke are you high too?

heh heh heh

[jingosaur]

I don't think they're professional

[cavalier1138]

I used them liberally on mine, because that's my personal (key word here, folks-- this isn't a professional statement) style. If you naturally want to use contractions, use them. If you don't, then don't. But don't listen to anyone else when it comes to stylistic choices on your PS. As long as you're not writing it in verse, you need to trust your gut when it comes to style.

If you are writing in verse, maybe don't listen to your gut that one time.

[nate3869]

I used them liberally on mine, because that's my personal (key word here, folks-- this isn't a professional statement) style. If you naturally want to use contractions, use them. If you don't, then don't. But don't listen to anyone else when it comes to stylistic choices on your PS. As long as you're not writing it in verse, you need to trust your gut when it comes to style.

If you are writing in verse, maybe don't listen to your gut that one time.

*Drops quill and inkwell in horror*

[railyard]

Do not use them.

[jnwa]

https://youtu.be/d7cVLE4SaN0?t=3m1s

[Jordan Catalano]

It's a personal statement for a professional school. It shouldn't sound like a FB post or a casual email or a forum post. The people reading your PS/DS are within the professional academic world and they pay attention to stuff like this. If your sentence does not sound right without a contraction then find a way to rephrase it.

[rpupkin]

It's a personal statement for a professional school.

Right. And the use of contractions is generally acceptable in professional writing. So what's the problem?

[bgt1995]

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[cavalier1138]

It's a personal statement for a professional school. It shouldn't sound like a FB post or a casual email or a forum post. The people reading your PS/DS are within the professional academic world and they pay attention to stuff like this. If your sentence does not sound right without a contraction then find a way to rephrase it.

You know, it's funny. I thought about going that route, and then I realized that if I was going to actually devote a paragraph to my teenage idolization of Jack McCoy, maybe I should sound like a human being instead of someone who learned to write from a style manual.

Stilted writing sounds stilted, period. A personal statement needs to be in an authentic voice. That doesn't mean an unprofessional voice, nor are contractions unprofessional. But if it doesn't sound like you, then it isn't a personal statement. It's a generic one.

[Jordan Catalano]

It's a personal statement for a professional school. It shouldn't sound like a FB post or a casual email or a forum post. The people reading your PS/DS are within the professional academic world and they pay attention to stuff like this. If your sentence does not sound right without a contraction then find a way to rephrase it.

You know, it's funny. I thought about going that route, and then I realized that if I was going to actually devote a paragraph to my teenage idolization of Jack McCoy, maybe I should sound like a human being instead of someone who learned to write from a style manual.

Stilted writing sounds stilted, period. A personal statement needs to be in an authentic voice. That doesn't mean an unprofessional voice, nor are contractions unprofessional. But if it doesn't sound like you, then it isn't a personal statement. It's a generic one.

I'm not trying to start a fight here, but your advice is truly terrible! As I stated in my post above, if you encounter OP's issue then rephrase whatever you are trying to say so that you can say it without contractions. A PS/DS should be a professional piece of writing. Adcomms (and professors who read applications) want to see the strength of your writing and that includes rules on grammar and style. I get that these rules seem silly, but your audience expects a professional statement that persuasively conveys why you should be admitted to their institution. Contractions convey a more conversational tone that seems far too casual for a professional piece of writing. Writing in a professional manner does not have to equal a generic statement. Content matters, too.

[bgt1995]

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[cavalier1138]

I'm not trying to start a fight here, but your advice is truly terrible! As I stated in my post above, if you encounter OP's issue then rephrase whatever you are trying to say so that you can say it without contractions. A PS/DS should be a professional piece of writing. Adcomms (and professors who read applications) want to see the strength of your writing and that includes rules on grammar and style. I get that these rules seem silly, but your audience expects a professional statement that persuasively conveys why you should be admitted to their institution. Contractions convey a more conversational tone that seems far too casual for a professional piece of writing. Writing in a professional manner does not have to equal a generic statement. Content matters, too.

This isn't a fight; it's an argument. And you're making a poor one.

Your personal statement is your chance to show the admissions departments who you are and why you'd be a good addition to their class. It isn't really a chance to showcase your professional/academic writing abilities, although generally good grammar is probably better than the alternative. If an ad comm really wanted to know about the quality of your academic writing, they'd request a paper on an academic subject.

Incidentally, you will not find a single admissions official who would refer to the personal statement as a "professional statement", much less a test of your writing abilities. They will recommend exactly what I have: an authentic self-portrait that conveys your reasons for wanting to go to law school.

[Jordan Catalano]

Contractions are grammatically correct, though. Op-eds are professional pieces of writing, and they use contractions. And, as I said, the Harvard admitted students' PSs book shows essays with contractions, so I don't think anyone can definitively say contractions are to be avoided always.

Grammatically correct, but everything has a time and place. I don't put effort into my writing on this forum the way I do when I proof a legal document. An op-ed is meant to be a persuasive piece of writing, sure, but the audience is also your average Joe, not an academic or someone who works in an academic institution. The general rule in writing is that you need to write for your intended audience.

Let me argue it from a different angle: Some people frown upon the use of contractions in professional writing, while others do not. Academics are both more likely than the general population to be aware of these rules, and they are more likely to care about adherence to them. A person who doesn't care about contractions is not going to frown upon your application if you don't use contractions, but someone who cares about these sorts of rules will care if you use contractions. Why risk it?

[Jordan Catalano]

It isn't really a chance to showcase your professional/academic writing abilities, although generally good grammar is probably better than the alternative. If an ad comm really wanted to know about the quality of your academic writing, they'd request a paper on an academic subject.

Incidentally, you will not find a single admissions official who would refer to the personal statement as a "professional statement", much less a test of your writing abilities. They will recommend exactly what I have: an authentic self-portrait that conveys your reasons for wanting to go to law school.

I highly disagree. A competitive applicant at a top law school will have a great GPA/LSAT and a well-written personal statement that is a persuasive argument as to why they should be admitted, which necessarily (for law school) includes good writing skills. I'm not saying that a PS/DS is only about your writing skills, but you need to pay attention to this among all of the other "rules" of writing a PS/DS. And again, you can craft an authentic statement without using contractions.

Also, your claim that "you will not find a single admissions official who would refer to the personal statement as a professional statement," is wrong. I personally have encountered several law adcomms who refer to a PS as such.

Maybe these rules will change in the future (it does seem that older folks in academia care more about these rules than younger folks) but for now, it is a safer bet to avoid contractions whenever possible (with few exceptions).

[rpupkin]

I'm not trying to start a fight here, but your advice is truly terrible! As I stated in my post above, if you encounter OP's issue then rephrase whatever you are trying to say so that you can say it without contractions. A PS/DS should be a professional piece of writing. Adcomms (and professors who read applications) want to see the strength of your writing and that includes rules on grammar and style.

Agreed. But what "rule on grammar and style" does one break by using contractions in a personal statement? Given the strength of your convictions ("Your advice is truly terrible!"), I'm sure you can readily point to the authority for the "rule on grammar and style" that the OP would break.