Few things confound writers, even experienced writers, more than the use of commas. And one place comma rules seem to be all over the place, with little rhyme or reason, is in dates. It’s enough to drive a writer to distraction! And questions on commas are particularly bothersome when it comes to writing an author’s […]
Edit My Paper
Academic writing is tiring. You start with an idea, but then it is up to you to research your point and back it up. The same goes for a non-fiction book – an idea isn’t enough. The research, and documenting that research, is a huge part of both of these enterprises. Finishing a research paper, […]
What are book citations?
What exactly are book citations? For that matter, what are citations, period? Starting with the last question, citations are a way of acknowledging your source, and they’re usually used in academic works—research papers, theses, dissertations and journal articles. If John Jones wrote a book titled “The effective use of white space in advertising” and you […]
What is a Style Guide?
What exactly is a style guide? That is a good question to know the answer to before you begin writing an academic paper. And, which style guide are you supposed to use? Academic writing, whether it is a research paper, a thesis, a dissertation, or a paper to be presented at a conference, has to […]
When NOT to Use a Comma
One of the most common mistakes writers make is to insert commas where they are not needed. Because the comma is so helpful and its uses so varied, many writers sprinkle them liberally throughout their text – even when they do not quite belong. But however unassuming they seem, a misplaced comma can lead to […]