Using the correct markers for titles of works enables your
reader to know where to look for further information.
Novels
are works of fiction, and historical works are not. Do not refer to a historical work as a
novel, unless it is historical fiction.
Then, and only then, do you refer to the book as historical fiction
or a historical novel.
This notation is a pet peeve of most college professors,
particularly because many of them have non-fiction books out. Accordingly, only call a book a novel if it
is a work of fiction (Stephen King and Clive Barker are examples of fiction
writers).
Do not
use contractions in formal writing.
Contractions are representations of how we talk, and your
college essays should be a step or two above everday speech. Remember, your essay audience is for a
scholarly audience—not the cats you hang with at the local bar.
Avoid
chatty and colloquial phrases in formal writing.
Example of
colloquial: “back in the 20s” “by
this time” “in the olden days” “some form of
flag art” “In short” Example of
chatty: “in addition to that” “in a way”
Again, these phrases are markers of everyday speech. Also, they are distracting from essay
content, they take up space, and they rarely add concrete evidence to an
essay.
Avoid
the first person in formal writing.
The first person is the use of the word I or me, or in the more
colloquial sense “one” or you.