A minimalist style is very useful in technical writing. We seek to take complex topics and subject matter, and break them down into something easily digested and understood. Run-on sentences and poor use of coordination can lead the reader on a frustrating chase through a paragraph. Here are some tips on correcting and preventing run-on sentences.
Do Not Let the Rhythm Take Control
After writing for an extended period of time, we tend to settle into a rhythm. While this can be good for pumping out content quickly, it can also lead to long-winded sentences. Stay aware of your typing, and be cautious if you haven’t hit the period key in a while. Pause every so often to see if the last sentence can be broken up. Readers tend to get lost in a paragraph that consists of one very long sentence.
Read It Back to Yourself
If you still think your paragraph-long sentence is justified, try reading it aloud. If you need to take a breath halfway through, it is time to break it up. This is not a contest to see who can hold their breath the longest.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Poor coordination is the result of using conjunctions too much and drawing out sentences so they become little novels on their own and make the reader lose sight of where the sentence began and then lose touch with audience and, and, and, and, and…
Coordinating conjunctions are a great tool for separating ideas, and they can help us break up a run-on sentence. But there are times when you really should stop a sentence cold with a period. Any two independent clauses separated by a conjunction and a comma can also be separated by a period.