The wording needs to be clear and concise and in selection processes is one of the most quantified factors, however, those who have never experienced the situation of seeing the blank page and failing to turn the idea into words. And the incredible thing is that this is very likely to happen on the day of the selection process!
So, following the suggestions of the textual proposal is a good way to get out of this “white”, as some are accompanied by collections of texts that are very useful in directing the writing. It is worth mentioning that it is important to respect the requested text, be it: dissertation, opinion article, argumentative letter, editorial, narration, interview etc.
Knowing the main sins of writing is also essential, as it allows to know the most common flaws in order to avoid them in the text, because, not always, mastering writing techniques results in a good performance in writing. Therefore, it is extremely important to know what should not be written in order to avoid mistakes and slips – at all costs, that put the writing in check.
Check out the most common errors in textual production:
1. Escape from the theme
Escaping the theme requested by the test is a reason to invalidate the text, FUVEST, for example, informs in its manual of candidates that the complete escape from the theme cancels the wording. See the example below about this sin . The proposal called for a dissertation on the use of animals in scientific experiments, but the candidate talked about the use of animals in work and in entertainment environments.
“Since colonization, animals have been at the side of the population, being used as traction in transport initially in sugar cane and after mining for the coast of the country, at the same time served for fun such as bullfights or cockfights, what is more common in Brazil. ”
2. Use of slang
According to USVSUKENGLISH, using slang is acceptable in situations of informal communication in everyday life with friends and colleagues. In some narrative texts it is also accepted in the dialogues between some characters. However, in dissertations, opinion articles or an argumentative letter, using slang is not appropriate, as it is inappropriate, since these genres call for a formal language.
3. Textual genre other than requested
Adopting the textual genre requested in the test is extremely important to avoid “zeroing” and this is considered one of the most common mistakes made by students. For example, the proposal asks for a dissertation and the candidate makes a poem or chronicle. The pertinent characteristic of the dissertation is the defense of a thesis by means of logical and convincing arguments.
In the example below, the proposal asked for a narration about characters who would move from one country to another due to migratory movements, but the candidate exposed his ideas through the dissertation on the theme.
“When we think of the word ‘frontier’ it is almost inevitable to relate it to the geographic limit of a region. However, if we analyze this term more carefully, we will see that it has a much broader meaning than just that of ‘currency’. ”
4. Wordy language
Candidates should avoid artificial sophistication in the written text, as the entrance exam requires that the language used is applicable to someone who has finished high school. Rui Barbosa once spoke the following words to a thief who dared to enter his residence to steal some dishes from him:
“If it is to mock my high prosopopeia of a dignified and honorable citizen, I will give you with my phosphoric cane right at the top of your synagogue, and I will do so with such impetus that I will reduce you to the fiftieth power that the common man calls nothing.”
Probably the thief failed to understand the jurist’s elaborate language, but we don’t know if this whole story is true.
5. Spelling and concordance slips
In the essay test, the candidate is expected to meet the expectations of adequate knowledge and opinions for those who have completed high school, therefore, they must have the ability to demonstrate this through clear, concise and consistent writing, so that their arguments are relevant . Paying attention to verbal agreement and nominal agreement is also extremely important to avoid a fatal “sin”, since expressions such as “for me to do” are not accepted, given that “me” does not conjugate a verb.
6. Clichés and phrases made
They must be avoided at all costs, as they do not bring new information and tend to reveal a lack of creativity on the part of the issuer. In an essay, the candidate is expected to use the vast vocabulary of the Portuguese language to express his ideas, in a way that avoids phrases such as: “close with a golden key”, “key to happiness”, “the shot came out through breech ”,“ turn around ”etc.
7. Illegible handwriting
Readable writing is of paramount importance for textual aesthetics, in the same way that it contributes to the organization and understanding of the text. Missed a word? Cross it out and keep writing.
8. Disjointed reasoning
It is necessary to avoid the use of connectors and improper semantic relations between words and expressions, as this impairs the comprehension of the text. See the example below in which the conjunction “while” was used inappropriately, as the connective “as” should have been used:
“Cinema, as a vehicle for the media and means of communication, is a social forum of incomparable relevance. In its multiple aspects, cinema encompasses and works with different dimensions of human life, which is referred to in its roles as a form of entertainment that is the object of artistic conception and expression, its formative and sociocultural and even psychological indoctrination. ”
9. Verbs in the imperative
Expressions that denote order or dialogue with the reader should not be used. So, the candidate runs away from the dissertation proposal, leaving the reader with the responsibility to think about the text.
10. Information cluster
When writing the entrance exam, it is necessary for the candidate to make a selection of the information pertinent to the proposal and talk about it, in order to prevent the excess of information from harming the quality and comprehension of the text.
