Removing the first person from your writing will give it a more objective feel, even if you are writing an argumentative piece, and your reader is more likely to connect with the piece because it will convey a sense of research, knowledge, and expertise.

• Do not end sentences with prepositions.

Read any grammar book... this technique is just bad form, and it often leads to awkward and unclear statements.

• Do not use the word this as a preposition.

Example: “With this comes inevitable backlashes from critics...”

What does this mean? See the point?

• When using the word it the pronoun must always have a preceding subject.

Example: “It is important to also note how much time . . .”

Correction: “Another important element to note is the time spent . . .”

This pronoun rule also applies to gender and plural pronouns. Additionally, check to make sure that your pronouns agree in gender and number.

• Rule of thumb for citations: “when in doubt cite it!”

Always cite anything that comes directly from a reading—a quotation or paraphrase, and anything that is not your own. Most college professors would rather you over cite your paper than under cite it, and in the age of the “information superhighway” professors are getting highly irritable with uncited essays. More often than not, they will assume that you withheld citations because you plagiarized the piece and are trying to hide your evidence.