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usage
word choice
writing tips
Contemporary as a Kind of Janus Word
Reasons to be mindful of the ambiguity of the word contemporary . . . Read More
usage
word choice
writing tips
The Danger of Deploy
Deploy is not a good synonym for use, utilize, or employ Read More
grammar
usage
word choice
writing tips
It is . . . that; or, How Not to Edit Jane Austen
The formula it is . . . that is common in academic writing Read More
punctuation
spelling
usage
word choice
writing tips
President’s Day: A Singular Holiday?
Authorities disagree about the name Presidents' Day . . . Read More
abbreviations
capitalization
punctuation
spelling
usage
writing tips
MLK Day the MLA Way
Martin Luther King Day? Martin Luther King, Jr., Day? MLK Day? . . . Read More
capitalization
usage
word choice
writing tips
Celebrate the New Year in (MLA) Style
Should you write, “Happy New Year,” “Happy new year,” or “Happy New Year’s”? . . . Read More
usage
word choice
writing tips
When Not to Include
On the use of include to mean are . . . Read More
conference presentations
paraphrases
quotations
using sources
works-cited lists
5 Tips for Documenting Sources in a Talk
Read these 5 easy tips for crediting the work of others in a talk . . . Read More
usage
word choice
writing tips
Overhedging
Some writers are timid—or pretend to be—about making a statement, so they hedge Read More