Prove your thesis with ample evidence. Back up your statements with references to fact and with good, meaty quotations. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence , and try for smooth transitions between paragraphs. Use the active rather than the passive voice. Never use a multisyllabic abstract word where a simple concrete word will do.
Good writing is never pretentious.
Do not use vague or overly general words or phrases when you can be precise and specific. Identify and indicate the significance of a person or a place they first time they appear in your paper. Tecumseh, the Shawnee Indian leader, . . . Shun exclamation points. Avoid references to yourself or your paper.