CONVENTIONS OF FORMAL WRITING
What to Include
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What to Avoid
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Format your paper in the style required by your major: APA, MLA, Turabian/Chicago/Chicago
Standard English grammar, spelling, and mechanics
Active verbs; minimal “to be” verbs
Analysis (cited examples and/or quotes) to support assertions
Scholarly research (e.g., professional journals—General Writing Resources and Requirements
Present tense unless referring to historical background or context
Transitional words and phrases between sentences and paragraphs
Use characters’ and authors’ first and last names once; after that, use last names only
Vary sentence structure and word usage in close proximity
Times New Roman, size 12
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Acronyms (unidentified)
Anecdotes
Informal/conversational tone
Everyday speech
· First or second person personal pronouns
· Slang, colloquialisms, regionalisms
· Clichés
· Idioms
References to “the reader” (of this paper) –which is 2nd person voice
Personal opinions, commentaries, or suppositions
Obvious or simple with which your audience is familiar,
Pretentious language
Non-scholarly material—online or printed. (e.g., encyclopedias, general websites, Spark Notes)
Italics—Use italics sparingly
Announcements—Avoid phrases such as the following:
· “This paper will address”—Do not literally tell your audience what you will be accomplishing in your paper.
· “In Conclusion”—If it’s your final paragraph, your audience know it’s your conclusion.
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If you have questions, please email your professor.
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