How to write a summary in 150 words.

Paul McHenry Roberts’ essay, How to Say Nothing in 500 Words isn’t the slacker’s manifesto I had expected. Instead of teaching students to fluff up their essays he says to cut down on extraneous and repetitive content. In order to make the most of a writing assignment he suggest to throw out all the conventional thoughts that come to mind after reading the prompt and to play the devil’s advocate because of how much more interesting a prompt will be if it sounds like no one else’s. He suggests to avoid any usage of generalities whatsoever and to forgo hollow colorless words like “what’s left” for more powerful words like “residual”. He points out loaded words can bring interesting effect to the paper. In essence he has, instead of telling one how to craft the pinnacle of essays, pointed out ninety percent of what makes reading a paper as desirable as eating tofu.