A Problem with Problematize
By Erika SuffernThough some writers still consider it jargon, the word problematize has gained general acceptance, at least in academic writing. But make sure to use it correctly . . .
Published 8 June 2017
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A Few Kinds of Redundancy
By Michael KandelLearn to recognize redundancy in your writing . . .
Published 31 July 2017
Adverbs to Avoid
By Erika SuffernI’m not going to tell you to cut adverbs out of your prose entirely. Instead, I’m going to review a particular category of adverbs that you can easily avoid and thereby tighten your prose . . .
Published 22 March 2017
The Danger of Deploy
By Michael KandelDeploy is not a good synonym for use, utilize, or employ, because it has a narrower sense and specific associations . . .
Published 8 March 2017
It is . . . that; or, How Not to Edit Jane Austen
By Barney LatimerThe formula it is . . . that is one of the most common rhetorical tics in academic writing. This formula also provides a great opportunity to edit for concision, since it can usually be removed easily from a sentence without changing the meaning . . .
Published 8 February 2017
President’s Day: A Singular Holiday?
By Jennifer RappaportWhen it comes to styling the holiday variously known as President’s Day, Presidents’ Day, and Presidents Day, authorities disagree not only about what to call the holiday but also about what the holiday celebrates.
Published 17 February 2017
MLK Day the MLA Way
By Jennifer RappaportMartin Luther King Day? Martin Luther King, Jr., Day? MLK Day? There seems to be no consensus on how to style the name of this federal holiday.
Published 13 January 2017
Celebrate the New Year in (MLA) Style
By Jennifer RappaportShould you write, “Happy New Year,” “Happy new year,” or “Happy New Year’s”? It depends on how much happiness you want to impart.
Published 10 January 2017
When Not to Include
By Michael KandelMany of the MLA’s authorities on English usage frown on the use of include to mean are.
Published 6 January 2017
Overhedging
By Michael KandelKeep an eye out for overhedging. Some writers are timid—or pretend to be—about making a statement, so they hedge: “I believe,” “it seems to me,” “may be,” “suggests that,” et cetera. The problem is that, having hedged, they often worry that they still have been too positive, so they hedge again, often in the same . . .
Published 9 December 2016