How to Use (Not Abuse) Parentheses
Get tips on how to use parentheses and how to avoid overusing them Read More
Posts Authored by Erika Suffern
Erika Suffern is head of book publications at the MLA. She received degrees from Bard College and the University of Delaware and has worked in academic publishing since 2006. Before joining the MLA staff, she was associate director of the Renaissance Society of America and managing editor of its journal, Renaissance Quarterly.
Impact as a Verb
The MLA recommends restricting the use of impact as a verb . . . Read More
Colons: How to Use Them
Like a semicolon, a colon can connect two independent clauses . . . Read More
Using the Present Tense with Works; or, Othello Still Exists
When to use the present tense in discussing texts. Hint: the key is consistency Read More
Serial Commas and Serial Semicolons
Perhaps no mark of punctuation ruffles feathers more than the serial comma Read More
A Problem with Problematize
Make sure to use problematize correctly Read More
Effective Signposting
Get tips on building signposts to help articulate the structure of your argument . . . Read More
Don’t Bury the Lede
Burying the lede may test the patience of your readers Read More
Adverbs to Avoid
Adverbs you can easily avoid Read More