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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Wordiness: Using more words than is necessary

Academic writing is succinct and to the point. Try to use as few words as possible to make your point, but make sure your meaning is still clear.

Examples:

  • Incorrect: at this point in time
  • Correct: now

 

  • Incorrect: due to the fact that
  • Correct: because

 

  • Incorrect: When communicating in the written form, a writer should always ensure that the meaning of what she is trying to say comes through clearly.
  • Correct: A writer should try to be clear.

 

Avoid word redundancy: 

Do not unnecessarily repeat words/phrases or use words that mean the same thing.

Examples:

  • “the findings are exactly the same” - if something is the same, then it is “exactly the same” and there is no need to use both words
  • “the tall skyscraper enhanced the sky line - skyscrapers are always tall

 

Use abbreviations: 

After you have used a term once (with its acronym in parentheses), you can then use its abbreviation for subsequent references to reduce the repetition of long names.

Example:

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an organization that invests in facilities and equipment in Canada's research institutions. CFI was created in 1997.