Final answer:
Idle words contribute little to writing or speech and can make communication unclear. By omitting needless words, your writing becomes more concise and impactful. Remembering to streamline communication by eliminating redundant language improves the clarity and effectiveness of your message.
Step-by-step explanation:
Idle words are phrases and terms that do not contribute significantly to the intended message, meaning, or argument in a piece of writing or speech. Using idle words can result in unclear, bloated, and less effective communication. When composing college assignments, conciseness is often valued as it facilitates clarity and precision. The process of eliminating idle words falls under the banner of revision, where you critically examine your draft to omit needless words, thereby enhancing the impact and readability of your work.
To ensure your message remains powerful and focused, it's crucial to cut out redundant and repetitive language. An example of streamlining writing would be reducing the statement, "In almost every situation that I can think of, with few exceptions, it will make good sense for you to look for as many places as possible to cut out needless, redundant, and repetitive words and phrases from the papers, reports, paragraphs, and sentences you write for college assignments," to simply, "Omit needless words from your college papers." This not only makes the statement more direct but also more likely to resonate with the intended audience.
Remember, in spoken and written communication, it's not just about what is being said but also how it is being said. Choosing words deliberately and avoiding those without purpose can significantly improve communication efficiency and effectiveness.