Advice+on+papers

=Seminar papers for Pol Sci 3155 etc? Look here.=

=Beginning research?= Check out our [|Library subject expert's pages here.] = =

=Proofreading & mechanics:=

Advice from William Safire on common mistakes to avoid

 * “The Fumblerules” (see also discussion of [|fumblerules] at wikipedia)**

1. The passive voice should never be used. 2. Don’t use contractions in formal writing. 3. Verbs has to agree with their subjects. 4. Watch out for colloquial verbs which have cropped up or snuck into our language. 5. About sentence fragments. No incomplete sentences. 6. Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read. 7. Avoid commas, that are not necessary. 8. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out. 9. Be sure each pronoun agrees with their antecedent. 10. If you reread your work you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing. 11. A writer must not shift your point of view. 12. A good writer of clear English who writes well for clarity to communicate ideas of great importance avoids the stringing of too many prepositional phrases together. 13. Also, avoid awkward or affected alliteration. 14. Never, ever use repetitive redundancies. 15. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixed metaphors. 16. Reserve the apostrophe for it’s proper use and omit it when its not necessary. 17. Use the semicolon properly, always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it isn’t. 18. Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.