can i use don't in an essay

The Editor’s Manual

Free learning resource on English grammar, punctuation, usage, and style.

Contractions

When to Use (and Not Use) Contractions

Contractions, which are words in which some letters or sounds are omitted (e.g., don’t for do not ), are common in speech and informal usage but generally avoided in formal writing.

Informal: We don’t know what happened.
Formal: We do not have sufficient information yet to form a hypothesis.

Graphic titled "When to use contractions." The left panel shows a woman in an urban park, speaking on a mobile phone, saying "Hi, I'm Maya." The right panel has the following rules and examples. Use freely in speech and informal or creative writing. (Hi, I'm Maya. Don't worry. That's not my shoe. There's no right answer.) Avoid in formal writing. (Poor: We don't have sufficient data. Better: We do not have sufficient data.)

Contractions are often used and completely acceptable in everyday speech.

I’m happy to help.
She’s here.
I don’t know.
What’s that?

Only if you want to stress a certain word would you not use a standard contraction in speech and informal usage.

You do not want to get involved in this. The use of do not instead of the contraction don’t helps stress the adverb not .

In informal writing

In writing, contractions convey an informal tone and replace talking to the reader. They sound normal and natural in creative writing and personal communication.

I’m on my way.
That’s fine. Don’t worry.
It’s all right.
Sorry I couldn’t take your call.
Maya knew she shouldn’t answer, but she did.

In ad copy, marketing slogans, and other signage, contractions can help save space and make your message sound conversational and friendly.

Because you’re worth it. ( L’Oreal )
Let’s go places. ( Toyota )
There are some things money can’t buy; for everything else, there’s MasterCard. ( Mastercard )

In creative writing as well, contractions, which are common in speech, can make dialogue sound more natural.

“Now you said you’d do it, now let’s see you do it.” “ Don’t you crowd me now; you better look out.” “Well, you said you’d do it—why don’t you do it?” — Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)

In formal texts

Avoid using contractions in academic and other formal writing. Using the complete instead of contracted form lends an appropriate air of formality to the document.

Informal: We haven’t accounted for changes in pressure in this study. Formal: We have not accounted for changes in pressure in this study.
Informal: We couldn’t collect sufficient real-world data. Formal: We could not collect sufficient real-world data.
Informal: It’s important to account for bias. Formal: It is important to account for bias.
Informal: We haven’t reviewed the financial statements of the subsidiaries yet. Formal: We have not reviewed the financial statements of the subsidiaries yet.

Avoid using contractions in cover letters, personal statements, academic papers, business proposals, and legal documents.

Informal: I’d appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further with you. Formal: I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further with you.
Informal: I’m hardworking and self-motivated. Formal: I am hardworking and self-motivated.

In negative questions

An exception is negative questions, in which contractions are used in both formal and informal usage.

Shouldn’t / Should not we wait until morning? “Should not we wait until morning?” would sound odd and archaic, even in formal usage.
Isn’t / Is not the sample ready yet?

Again, you may use the word not separately if you want to stress it.

Unstressed not : Aren’t you listening? Stressed not : Are you not listening? But not “ Are not you listening?”

Finally, always use the contracted instead of full form in negative question tags.

Poco said he’d call, didn’t he?
We should call back, shouldn’t we?

Share this article

Standard contractions are common and sound natural in everyday speech.

Will not is generally used in its contracted form in speech and informal usage ( won’t ). To emphasize the word not , the full form is used instead.

Contractions sound natural in dialogue, which represents a real conversation.

Contractions, which lend an informal tone to writing, are generally avoided in formal texts.

Negative contractions are used in questions in both formal and informal usage.

164 Phrases and words You Should Never Use in an Essay—and the Powerful Alternatives you Should

This list of words you should never use in an essay will help you write compelling, succinct, and effective essays that impress your professor.

Words and phrases you shouldn't use in an essay

Writing an essay can be a time-consuming and laborious process that seems to take forever.

But how often do you put your all into your paper only to achieve a lame grade?

You may be left scratching your head, wondering where it all went wrong.

Chances are, like many students, you were guilty of using words that completely undermined your credibility and the effectiveness of your argument.

Our professional essay editors have seen it time and time again: The use of commonplace, seemingly innocent, words and phrases that weaken the power of essays and turn the reader off.

But can changing a few words here and there really make a difference to your grades?

Absolutely.

If you’re serious about improving your essay scores, you must ensure you make the most of every single word and phrase you use in your paper and avoid any that rob your essay of its power (check out our guide to editing an essay for more details).

Here is our list of words and phrases you should ditch, together with some alternatives that will be so much more impressive. For some further inspiration, check out our AI essay writer .

Vague and Weak Words

What are vague words and phrases.

Vague language consists of words and phrases that aren’t exact or precise. They can be interpreted in multiple ways and, as such, can confuse the reader.

Essays that contain vague language lack substance and are typically devoid of any concrete language. As such, you should keep your eyes peeled for unclear words when proofreading your essay .

Why You Shouldn’t Use VAGUE Words in Essays

Professors detest vagueness.

In addition to being ambiguous, vague words and phrases can render a good piece of research absolutely useless.

Let’s say you have researched the link between drinking soda and obesity. You present the findings of your literature review as follows:

“Existing studies have found that drinking soda leads to weight gain.”

Your professor will ask:

What research specifically? What/who did it involve? Chimpanzees? Children? OAPs? Who conducted the research? What source have you used?

And the pat on the back you deserve for researching the topic will never transpire.

Academic essays should present the facts in a straightforward, unambiguous manner that leaves no doubt in the mind of the reader.

Key takeaway: Be very specific in terms of what happened, when, where, and to whom.

VAGUE Words and Phrases You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay


	, in combination with a range. Use: “The event was attended by approximately 80-100 people.” Not: “The event was attended by about 100 people.”
	Provide very specific detail in your essay. Use: “When the clinical trials were complete.” Not: “When the research was almost complete.”
	State which area specifically. Use: “There was a significant amount of flooding in the north of Miami.” Not: “There was a significant amount of flooding in the area.”
	Use more specific adjectives to describe the person, place, or thing. Use: “The elephant weighed 18,000 pounds and was 13-foot tall.” Not: “The elephant was big and tall.”
	Delete. Use: “The interesting thing about the character was…” Not: “The character was kind of interesting because…”
	Use: “The results add value to the existing body of knowledge on obesity among youths because…” Not: “The results were meaningful because…”
	Replace with something more precise: Use: “The character’s quest was unsuccessful because…” Not: “The character more or less failed in her quest.”
	State exactly who. Use: “These findings were replicated by Ghott et al. (1990).” Not: “These findings were replicated by other researchers.”
	Qualify what you mean by “poor.” Use: “The essay grade was ten points below a pass.” Not: “The essay grade was poor.”
	Be specific about what situation you are referring to. Use: “This essay will explain the political events that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall.” Not: “This essay will explain the situation that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
	Specifically delineate the “something” you are referring to. Use: “This finding teaches us that the ideal storage temperature is…” Not: “This finding teaches us something.”
	Qualify your opinion with more in-depth information. Use: “The essay was interesting but could be improved by…” Not: “The essay was sort of interesting.”
	Explain what specifically you are referring to: Use: “We added the salt powder to the solution.” Not: “We added the stuff to the solution.”
	Replace with something more precise: Use: “I found this comparison between rich and poor most interesting.” Not: “This was the thing I found most interesting.”

Flabby Words and Expressions

What are flabby expressions.

Flabby expressions and words are wasted phrases. They don’t add any value to your writing but do take up the word count and the reader’s headspace.

Flabby expressions frequently contain clichéd, misused words that don’t communicate anything specific to the reader. For example, if someone asks you how you are feeling and you reply, “I’m fine,” you’re using a flabby expression that leaves the inquirer none the wiser as to how you truly are.

Why Should Flabby Words be Removed from an Essay?

Flabby words are fine in everyday conversation and even blog posts like this.

However, they are enemies of clear and direct essays. They slow down the pace and dilute the argument.

When grading your essay, your professor wants to see the primary information communicated clearly and succinctly.

Removing the examples of flabby words and expressions listed below from your paper will automatically help you to take your essay to a higher level.

Key takeaway: When it comes to essays, brevity is best.

Flabby Words and Expressions You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay


	Use: “I will continue to present the final analysis.” Not: “I will go on to present the final analysis.”
	Use: “This research proved…” Not: “I might add that this research proved…”
	Use: “This essay effectively demonstrated…” Not: “This essay was effective in terms of…”
	Use: “Shakespeare was a talented writer.” Not: “In my opinion, Shakespeare was a talented writer.”
	Use: “Although this paper was written 50 years later, nothing has changed.” Not: “In spite of the fact this paper was written 50 years later, nothing has changed.”
	Use: “If new research emerges, the situation may change.” Not: “In the event that new research emerges, the situation may change.”
	Use: “I concluded that the hypothesis was incorrect.” Not: “In the process of writing the essay, I concluded that the hypothesis was incorrect.”
	Use: “Freud probably believed…” Not: “It seems like Freud was of the opinion…”
	Use: “They reached the United States.” Not: “They made it to the United States.”
	Use: “Kant frequently argued this point.” Not: “Kant argued this point on a regular basis.”
	Use: “In this paper, I will highlight the most relevant findings of my study.” Not: “In this paper, I will pick out the most relevant findings of my study.”
	Use: “It is important to emphasize the implications of this argument.” Not: “It is important to point out the implications of this argument.”
	Use: “Start by describing the research methodology.” Not: “The first step is to describe the research methodology.”
	Use: “It is clear the government must act now to resolve the issues.” Not: “It is clear the government must take action now to resolve the issues.”
	Use: “In Section 6 of the essay, we will examine the research findings.” Not: “In Section 6 of the essay, we will talk about the research findings.”
	Use: “Consider the thesis statement…” Not: “The most important thing is to consider the thesis statement.”
	Use: “Jane Eyre cried because…” Not: “The reason Jane Eyre cried was because…”
	Use: “Students frequently fail this exam.” Not: “This is an exam that students frequently fail.”
	Use: “This essay has demonstrated…” Not: “Time and time again, this essay has demonstrated…”
	Use: “After reviewing the survey outputs, I will determine…” Not: “After reviewing the survey outputs, I will try to figure out…”
	Use: “The argument was fascinating.” Not: “The argument was very interesting.”
	Use: “I then revaluated the research findings.” Not: “I then went back over the research findings.”
	Use: “We must consider the historical context when reviewing George Orwell’s work.” Not: “When it comes to the work of George Orwell, we must consider the historical context.”
	Use: “This essay, written over 100 years ago, offers an insight…” Not: “This essay, which was written over 100 years ago, offers an insight…”
	Use: “Kotler, a renowned marketing expert, claims…” Not: “Kotler, who is a renowned marketing expert, claims…”
	Use: “Every experiment in the study will differ.” Not: “Every experiment in the study will be different.”
	Use: “The thesis statement asserts…” Not: “With reference to the thesis statement…”

Words to Avoid in an Essay: Redundant Words

What are redundant words.

Redundant words and phrases don’t serve any purpose.

In this context, redundant means unnecessary.

Many everyday phrases contain redundant vocabulary; for example, add up, as a matter of fact, current trends, etc.

We have become so accustomed to using them in everyday speech that we don’t stop to question their place in formal writing.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Redundant Words in Essays

Redundant words suck the life out of your essay.

They can be great for adding emphasis in a conversational blog article like this, but they do not belong in formal academic writing.

Redundant words should be avoided for three main reasons:

They interrupt the flow of the essay and unnecessarily distract the reader.
They can undermine the main point you are trying to make in your paper.
They can make you look uneducated.

The most effective essays are those that are concise, meaningful, and astute. If you use words and phrases that carry no meaning, you’ll lose the reader and undermine your credibility.

Key takeaway: Remove any words that don’t serve a purpose.

Redundant Words and Phrases You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay


	Use: “The water was freezing.” Not: “The water was absolutely freezing.”
	Use: “The research findings revealed…” Not: “The actual research findings revealed…”
	Use: “Adds an element to the analysis.” Not: “Adds an additional element to the analysis.”
	Use: “We will sum the responses.” Not: “We will add up the responses.”
	Use: “Hamlet had no choice but to…” Not: “Hamlet had no alternative choice but to…”
	Use: “Throughout human history, females have…” Not: “All throughout human history, females have…”
	Use: “The animals included dogs, cats, birds, etc.”Not: “The animals included dogs, cats, birds, and etc.”
	Use: “The survey findings indicated…” Not: “As a matter of fact, the survey findings indicated…”
	Use: “The theme of love overcoming evil is compelling.” Not: “As far as I am concerned, the theme of love overcoming evil is compelling.”
	Use: “This prompts me to question the accuracy of the findings.” Not: “This prompts me to ask the question: ‘Were the findings accurate?’”
	Use: “We assembled the various parts.” Not: “We assembled together the various parts.”
	Use: “We cannot confirm the validity of the findings.” Not: “At the present time, we cannot confirm the validity of the findings.”
	Use: “According to the findings…” Not: “According to the basic findings…”
	Use: “The elements of the story blend well.” Not: “The elements of the story blend together well.”
	Use: “The Romans were defeated.” Not: “The Romans were completely defeated.”
	Use: “I will then connect the main aspects of the analysis.” Not: “I will then connect together the main aspects of the analysis.”
	Use: “Some people argue the trend of using big data to understand customer needs won’t continue.” Not: “Some people argue the current trend of using big data to understand customer needs won’t continue.”
	Use: “The findings were scrutinized.” Not: “The findings underwent careful scrutiny.”
	Use: “The remains were near the dwelling.” Not: “The remains were found in close proximity to the dwelling.”
	Use: “To achieve victory, it was necessary to eradicate the enemy.” Not: “To achieve victory, it was necessary to completely eradicate the enemy.”
	Use: “The organization’s assets depreciated over time.” Not: “The organization’s assets depreciated in value over time.”
	Use: “We identified six kinds of bacteria.” Not: “We identified six different kinds of bacteria.”
	Use: “The test failed because the fire was too hot.” Not: “The test failed due to the fact that the fire was too hot.”
	Use: “During the story…” Not: “During the course of the story…
	Use: “The number of incorrect answers dwindled.” Not: “The number of incorrect answers dwindled down.”
	Use: “Every scenario was tested.” Not: “Each and every scenario was tested.”
	Use: “They are equal in height, but Sarah is a faster runner.” Not: “They are equal to one another in height, but Sarah is a faster runner.”
	Use: “The findings were the same.” Not: “The findings were the exact same.”
	Use: “The result was the fall of the dictatorship.” Not: “The end result was that the dictatorship fell.”
	Use: “Although the weights of the materials were equal, their performance was not comparable.” Not: “Although the weights of the materials were equal to one another, their performance was not comparable.”
	Use: “All participants returned the completed survey.” Not: “Every single person returned the completed survey.”
	Use: “It is interesting to observe how the characters evolve.” Not: “It is interesting to observe how the characters evolve over time.”
	Use: “I completed the test with a classmate.” Not: “I completed the test with a fellow classmate.”
	Use: “I continued to add water until the vessel was filled.” Not: “I continued to add water until the vessel was filled to capacity.”
	Use: “The researcher concluded that the test was reliable.” Not: “The researchers’ final conclusion was that the test was reliable.”
	Use: “Shakespeare remains foremost a poet.” Not: “Shakespeare remains first and foremost a poet.”
	Use: “The idea to test the relationship between speed and weight was conceived when…” Not: “The idea to test the relationship between speed and weight was first conceived when…”
	Use: “First, I was interested in the character’s name.” Not: “First of all, I was interested in the character’s name.”
	Use: “The bird flew rapidly.” Not: “The bird flew through the air rapidly.”
	Use: “The results indicate that imports can be detrimental to the economy.” Not: “The results indicate that foreign imports can be detrimental to the economy.”
	Use: “I am a graduate of HKU.” Not: “I am a former graduate of HKU.”
	Use: “The research fuses a myriad of experimental techniques.” Not: “The research fuses together a myriad of experimental techniques.”
	Use: “My plans for the next stage of the research include…” Not: “My future plans for the next stage of the research include…”
	Use: “Gather your thoughts and develop a new thesis.” Not: “Gather your thoughts together and develop a new thesis.”
	Use: “The study sample consisted of 150 members of the public.” Not: “The study sample consisted of 150 members of the general public.”
	Use: “The specimen had grown by 5 cm.” Not: “The specimen had grown in size.”
	Use: “A Bunsen burner was used to heat the solution.” Not: “A Bunsen burner was used to heat up the solution.”
	Use: “The machine parts were connected using a tube.” Not: “The machine parts were connected using a hollow tube.”
	Use: “It is important that the tools integrate.” Not: “It is important that the tools integrate with each other.”
	Use: “To prove the hypothesis, this essay will…” Not: “In order to prove the hypothesis, this essay will…”
	Use: “This essay will introduce the idea that…” Not: “This essay will introduce the new idea that…”
	Use: “This paper describes a collaboration between…” Not: “This paper describes a joint collaboration between…”
	Use: “Kotler is an expert in the field of marketing.” Not: “Kotler is a knowledgeable expert in the field of marketing.”
	Use: “This idea will be explored in more depth later.” Not: “This idea will be explored in more depth at a later time.”
	Use: “The substance was made of…” Not: “The substance was made out of…”
	Use: “These findings represent a breakthrough in the field of…” Not: “These findings represent a major breakthrough in the field of…”
	Use: “Othello may have been…” Not: “Othello may possibly have been…”
	Use: “Blyton’s use of alliteration was unique.” Not: “Blyton’s use of alliteration was most unique.”
	Use: “The two philosophers respected one another.” Not: “The two philosophers had mutual respect for one another.”
	Use: “Never have I been so amazed.” Not: “Never before have I been so amazed.”
	Use: “Henry Ford presented an innovation that changed the world.” Not: “Henry Ford presented a new innovation that changed the world.”
	Use: “The grade for my essay is pending.” Not: “The grade for my essay is now pending.”
	Use: “The digital form was created by…” Not: “The digital form was originally created by…”
	Use: “My experience has taught me…” Not: “My past experience has taught me…”
	Use: “It was during that period that steam power emerged.” Not: “It was during that period of time that steam power emerged.”
	Use: “Night and day are opposites.” Not: “Night and day are polar opposites.”
	Use: “The findings are not available at present.” Not: “The findings are not available at the present time.”
	Use: “This essay will argue that the reason…” Not: “This essay will argue that the reason why…”
	Use: “At this point, we will refer to the work of…” Not: “At this point, we will refer back to the work of…”
	Use: “This essay will examine…” Not: “This essay will take a look at…”
	Use: “We will perform all the tests within that time frame.” Not: “We will perform all the tests within that time.”
	Use: “The respondents were asked to write their names.” Not: “The respondents were asked to write down their names.”

Colloquial Expressions and Grammar Expletives

What are colloquial expressions.

A colloquial expression is best described as a phrase that replicates the way one would speak.

The use of colloquial language represents an informal, slang style of English that is not suitable for formal and academic documents.

For example:

Colloquial language: “The findings of the study appear to be above board.”

Suitable academic alternative: “The findings of the study are legitimate.”

What are Grammar Expletives?

Grammar expletives are sentences that start with here , there, or it .

We frequently use constructions like these when communicating in both spoken and written language.

But did you know they have a distinct grammatical classification?

They do; the expletive.

Grammar expletives (not to be confused with cuss words) are used to introduce clauses and delay the subject of the sentence. However, unlike verbs and nouns, which play a specific role in expression, expletives do not add any tangible meaning. Rather, they act as filler words that enable the writer to shift the emphasis of the argument. As such, grammar expletives are frequently referred to as “empty words.”

Removing them from your writing can help to make it tighter and more succinct. For example:

Sentence with expletive there : There are numerous reasons why it was important to write this essay. Sentence without expletive: It was important to write this essay for numerous reasons.

Why Should Colloquial Expressions and Grammar Expletives be Removed from an Essay?

While colloquial expressions and grammar expletives are commonplace in everyday speech and are completely acceptable in informal emails and chatroom exchanges, they can significantly reduce the quality of formal essays.

Essays and other academic papers represent formal documents. Frequent use of slang and colloquial expressions will undermine your credibility, make your writing unclear, and confuse the reader. In addition, they do not provide the exactness required in an academic setting.

Make sure you screen your essay for any type of conversational language; for example, figures of speech, idioms, and clichés.

Key takeaway: Grammar expletives use unnecessary words and make your word count higher while making your prose weaker.

Words and Phrases You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay


	Use: “Blood is thicker than water.” Not: “It is a fact that blood is thicker than water.”
	Use: “As logical to expect…” Not: “As it would be logical to expect…”
	Use: “The evidence suggests the hypothesis is correct.” Not: “There is evidence to suggest that the hypothesis is correct.”
	Use: “This essay presents numerous ideas.” Not: “There are numerous ideas presented in this essay.”
	Use: “Future studies will investigate this area further.” Not: “There will be future studies to investigate this idea further.”
	Use: “We expect the outcomes to indicate…” Not: “All things being equal, we expect the outcomes to indicate…”
	Use: “This paper has achieved its objective of…” Not: “For all intents and purposes, this paper has achieved its objective of…”
	Use: “The story predominantly explored the theme of unrequited love.” Not: “For the most part, the story explored the theme of unrequited love.”
	Use: “This essay reviewed the idea of sentiment.” Not: “For the purpose of this essay, the idea of sentiment was reviewed…”
	Use: “Soda consumption is linked with obesity.” Not: “Here’s the thing: Soda consumption is linked with obesity.”
	Use: “The recommendations follow the analysis.” Not: “The recommendations are after the analysis.”
	Use: “We effectively reduced the mistakes.” Not: “We effectively cut down on the number of mistakes.”

Nominalization

What is normalization.

A normalized sentence is one that is structured such that the abstract nouns do the talking.

For example, a noun, such as solution , can be structured to exploit its hidden verb, solve .

The act of transforming a word from a verb into a noun is known as normalization.

Should normalization be Removed from an Essay?

This is no universal agreement as to whether normalization should be removed from an essay. Some scholars argue that normalization is important in scientific and technical writing because abstract prose is more objective. Others highlight how normalizations can make essays more difficult to understand .

The truth is this: In the majority of essays, it isn’t possible to present an entirely objective communication; an element of persuasion is inherently incorporated. Furthermore, even the most objective academic paper will be devoid of meaning unless your professor can read it and make sense of it. As such, readability is more important than normalization.

You will need to take a pragmatic approach, but most of the time, your writing will be clearer and more direct if you rely on verbs as opposed to abstract nouns that were formed from verbs. As such, where possible, you should revise your sentences to make the verbs do the majority of the work.

For example,

Use: “This essay analyses and solves the pollution problem.”

Not: “This essay presents an evaluation of the pollution issue and presents a solution.”

While normalized sentences are grammatically sound, they can be vague.

In addition, humans tend to prefer vivid descriptions, and verbs are more vivid, informative, and powerful than nouns.

Key takeaway: Normalization can serve a purpose, but only use it if that purpose is clear.

normalization You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay


	Use: “I will then analyze the data.” Not: “I will then progress to present an analysis of the data.”
	Use: “She appeared unexpectedly.” Not: “Her appearance was unexpected.”
	Use: “We attempted to reproduce the results but failed.” Not: “Our attempts at reproducing the results were unsuccessful.”
	Use: “Winston believed the state was corrupt.” Not: “It was Winston’s belief that the state was corrupt.”
	Use: “Robert’s carelessness caused John’s death.” Not: “John died because of Robert’s carelessness.”
	Use: “The temperature dropped due to the rain.” Not: “The rain caused a drop in temperature.”
	Use: “Jesus’ behavior confused the priest.” Not: “Jesus’ behavior caused considerable confusion for the priest.”
	Use: “We compared the height and weight of the participants.” Not: “We drew a comparison between the height and the weight of the participants.”
	Use: “The flavor weakened when water was added.” Not: “The flavor decreased in strength when water was added.”
	Use: “Kotler defined strategic marketing as…” Not: “Kotler’s definition of strategic marketing was as follows…”
	Use: “I will conclude by describing the main findings.” Not: “I will conclude with a description of the main findings.”
	Use: “Reproducing the results was difficult.” Not: “I experienced difficulties reproducing the results.”
	Use: “The hero easily won the battle.” Not: “The hero won the battle with ease.”

That’s a lot to take in.

You may be wondering why you should care?

Cutting the fat helps you present more ideas and a deeper analysis.

Don’t be tempted to write an essay that is stuffed with pompous, complex language: It is possible to be smart and simple.

Bookmark this list now and return to it when you are editing your essays. Keep an eye out for the words you shouldn’t use in an essay, and you’ll write academic papers that are more concise, powerful, and readable.

GrammarMill

Using Contractions in Formal Writing: Acceptable or Not?

What are contractions in writing? Contractions are the abbreviated forms of word combinations, such as “don’t” for “do not” or “isn’t” for “is not.” Contractions are like an appendix; they’re not that pretty, sometimes they get in the way, sometimes they can function just fine, but other times it is necessary to remove them for things to run smoothly!

Using contractions in formal writing – such as scholarly works, résumés, essays, or publications – is often frowned upon because some people believe that contractions weaken a statement or make the writing seem too casual for the situation. But is that true? It can be tricky to decipher whether or not using contractions is acceptable when writing a more formal piece. However, contractions are often quite helpful, even in professional writing, and they may even add to the overall style and format of the text.

The History of Contractions

People have been using contractions in speech for quite some time, since around the 16th century, for more or less the same reason we use them today—to save time and get ideas out faster. The use of contractions in the written word came about around the 17th century when printers had only so many vowels to use per page of text, so they began replacing vowels with apostrophes. By the late 18th century, contractions began losing favor in formal writing, although they endured in speech.

Using Contractions in Formal Writing at a Glance

Deciding whether or not to use contractions in formal writing really depends on the format and the expectations within that format. A more formal presentation and writing voice is usually required for scholarly writing, résumés or cover letters, whereas the tone of blog posts or personal essays often can be more relaxed.

When To Use Contractions

Using contractions in formal writing is permissible as it can help the writing seem more natural; however, writers are advised to use discretion. Contractions are acceptable in formal writing under these circumstances:

– When using a direct quote from an individual – When using an idiom that already contains a contraction (removing the contraction would likely take away from the simplistic appeal of the idiom) – When writing the footnotes of a formal piece of writing, where a break in formality is not frowned upon – When displaying a personal voice and writing style – When writing about contractions themselves (obviously you’ll need examples to discuss)

Examples of When To Use Contractions:

– Pollsters have been told “don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” as a sort of warning against deciding the winner of the election too soon. – Steven Huang, a researcher studying human stem cells, reported that while his scientists had been able to refine human stem cells, “The procedure isn’t perfect, and requires a lot of eggs.”

When Not To Use Contractions

It is recommended that writers refrain from using contractions in formal essays, professional reports, and other scholarly writing; however, there is not really a hard and fast rule about when contractions are and are not allowed. Contractions can be found in pieces of writing throughout time, from classic to contemporary literature as well as in scholarly articles and professional compositions, and yet many of those pieces of writing are still considered professional and formal in tone.

Some individuals would recommend that if writers can replace the contraction with the two-word version, then they should do so to help keep the piece formal and proper in tone. However, contractions are used in real life, and not having them in a piece of writing may make the text feel inauthentic and forced. It really all depends on the voice you want to convey and the overall tone of your writing.

That being said, there are some contractions that should definitely be avoided altogether in professional writing:

Examples of When Not to Use Contractions:

– ain’t: far too informal; not considered proper grammar – could’ve/ would’ve/ should’ve: can make the writing awkward, and writing these out sounds the same as the contraction, so use the two-word version

Final Thoughts on Contractions in Formal Writing

When writing reports , articles, or essays, if your professional writing sounds strange without any contractions, then by all means, use them. On the other hand, if your writing sounds too relaxed with all those contractions, then consider taking some out. Whatever you decide to do, do so with careful thought and attention to your tone, audience and purpose.

Are there other grammar rules that confuse you, or do you have some great tips and tricks regarding using contractions in formal writing? Do you have any other questions in regards to, “What are contractions in writing?” Well, that is what the comments are for! Please let us know below if there are other topics you’d like us to cover, or if you have more advice for us regarding contractions in formal writing. If you’re looking for help on grammar rules, check out some of our other GrammarSpot posts.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, can i use contractions like 'don't' in a college essay, or is that too informal.

Quick query for y'all: Are contractions like 'don't' and 'won't' a big no-no in a college essay, or are they okay to use? I want my essay to sound conversational, but I'm worried about coming across as unprofessional.

Hey there! Your question is something many students ponder over while writing their essays. The use of contractions in college essays isn’t a strict taboo. In fact, if contractions will make your essay sound more natural and conversational, they can actually be a plus. While the college essay is a formal piece of writing, you don't want it to sound too academic, as that may make admissions officers lose focus. The key is to ensure your tone matches the message you’re trying to convey.

If you’re sharing a personal story, contractions are entirely appropriate. For instance, if you're writing about a casual conversation with a friend that led to an epiphany, using contractions would match the tone of that experience. However, if you’re discussing a more formal or serious topic, like your work nursing animal back to health during your volunteer work at an animal shelter, it might be better to avoid them.

A good rule of thumb is to read your essay out loud. Does it sound like you? If there are any places where you stumble, there's probably a wrinkle there that needs to be ironed out—you shouldn't be tripping over your own story! Your essay is a chance to showcase your authentic self, so your voice should be naturally yours. So, as long as you feel you're telling the story in the way that feels natural to you, don't agonize over how many or how few contractions you use.

If you're wondering how your essay will come across to other readers, you can check out CollegeVine's free peer essay review service, or submit your essay for a paid review by an expert advisor. Asking friends or teachers to read it over can also be a good idea, but having someone who doesn't already know you take a look can help give you a clearer sense of how admissions officers will read it.

Best of luck with your writing!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Use of cookies

Lund University uses cookies to ensure that the website functions properly and to improve your experience.

DOs & DON'Ts

General information on dictionary use
Online dictionary resources
What is a corpus?
Examples of the usefulness of a corpus
Using the World Wide Web as a corpus
Online corpus resources
Different kinds of sources
The functions of references
Paraphrasing
Summarising
Reference accuracy
Reference management tools
Different kinds of reference styles
Style format
Elements of the reference list
Documentary note style
Writing acknowledgements
What is academic integrity?
Academic integrity and writing
Academic integrity at LU
Different kinds of plagiarism
Avoiding plagiarism
About Awelu

Start here AWELU contents Student writing resources Research writing resources Administrative writing resources LU language policy
Genres Introduction The Nature of Academic Writing Student writing genres Writing in Academic Genres Writing for Publication Writing for Administrative Purposes
Writing The writing process Pre-writing stage Writing stage Rewriting stage
Language Introduction Common problems and how to avoid them Selective mini grammar Coherence Punctuation Spelling Focus on vocabulary Register and style Dictionaries Corpora - resources for writer autonomy References
Referencing Introduction Different kinds of sources The functions of references How to give references Reference accuracy Reference management tools Using a reference style Quick guides to reference styles Writing acknowledgements
Academic integrity What is academic integrity? Academic integrity and writing Academic integrity at LU Plagiarism


Do not use slang, jargon, colloquialisms, or sexist language.	Use formal language
Do not use shortened verb forms (contractions), such as , , .	Use the full verb form instead, e.g.
Do not use common vocabulary, such as , , , .	Make more formal vocabulary choices , the other issue/problem/notion/idea/topic etc..
Do not use conversational opening phrases, such as , , , .	Leave out conversational phrases. Use appropriate connectors and introductory phrases.
Do not write - especially not at the beginning of a sentence, i.e. do not write, for example,	Leave out , e.g.
Do not use personal pronouns e.g. , , (unless specifically required), i.e. do not write .	Be non-personal, e.g.
Do not use sweeping generalisations	State main ideas clearly and concisely in your own words in topic sentences.
Do not use bullet points or lists, unless it is in a report.	use complete sentences and link these into logical paragraphs.
Avoid making assumptions or giving your opinion (unless specifically asked).	Be objective.
Avoid waffling or repeating yourself.	Be clear and concise.
Do not plagiarize (see the AWELU section on 'Academic Integrity').	Provide references whenever you say something that is not your own (see the AWELU sections 'Academic Integrity' and 'Sources and Referencing').
Do not take for granted that the spell check on your computer is accurate or will spot all spelling mistakes, since for example, your spell check will not pick up on vs	Check spelling, grammar and punctuation etcetera. Proofread and use a dictionary. Ask somebody to proofread your text for you.
Do not pose (direct) questions in the running text, that is, do not write, for instance	Convert questions into statements, for example, .
Do not mix words and numbers unsystematically.	Use words for numbers nine and below and numbers for 10 and above.

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
Never include personal opinion.
Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to footer

Essentials in Writing

Where learning to write well has never been so easy

By: Danielle Nettleton February 22, 2019

Top Ten Do/Don’t Tips for Writing in MLA Format

As a scorer for Essentials in Writing, I grade compositions according to the guidelines of MLA: the Modern Language Association, also known as the group that discerns what is and is not permissible in written compositions.

Along with the other scorers, I grade according to this standard not only because it provides consistency but also because it is the standard by which the average college professor grades written assignments (depending, of course, on the department and the class).

If your student uses Essentials in Writing and/or our scoring service, they will be prepared for any writing assignment that comes their way because of this standard, should they decide to attend college.

MLA format, however, is an ever-changing thing and also contains many rules that the average student may not know. This is perfectly normal—much of the frustration regarding writing formats like MLA and APA is that the rules do not always seem like common sense!

As a result, when I am grading students’ submissions, I often notice several types of mistakes that are common across compositions. These errors may not necessarily impede the reader’s understanding of the composition, but they do not adhere to what MLA prescribes—and the more your student learns about MLA now, the better prepared they will be for any writing assignments down the road.

With that in mind, below is a list of the top ten do/don’t rules when writing in MLA format:

Don’t forget the info tag.

Do indent paragraphs., don’t forget double-spacing., do spell out numbers that are two words or fewer., don’t use contractions., do write in the third person., don’t forget to check your commas..

After reading the blog post, I had learned more about MLA format.

I wrote the sentence, and I used commas correctly.

Do hyphenate adjectives with multiple words.

Don’t use vague pronouns..

It is difficult to describe such an idea.

Describing such an idea is difficult.

Since infinitive verbs (“to [verb]”) often follow the subject “it,” transforming the infinitive verb into the subject of the sentence is an easy way to not only avoid that vague pronoun but also make the sentence more interesting. (This rule also applies to “there,” though that word is technically an adverb.)

Don’t hesitate to check your work.

This list is not a comprehensive guide to MLA format but simply some of the mistakes I often see when grading students’ compositions. I urge you and your student to often check Purdue OWL or additional resources in order to keep up with changes in MLA or just to brush up on the general guidelines.

Additionally, writing within certain guidelines takes time and practice, so don’t be surprised if your student feels frustrated by the many rules of MLA format that can often feel unnecessary. Writing well according to any format is, after all, an arduous process within an ever-changing language.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Explore More Popular Posts

By: Essential in Writing January 2, 2018

Welcome to Our New Blog

Welcome to our new blog! We are very excited to launch a new addition to our website that we believe will be beneficial for students, teachers, and home school parents. This blog will be devoted to all aspects of writing, literature, and teaching. We are excited to partner with you on your homeschool journey and…

By: Matthew Stephens January 9, 2018

Improving the Homeschool Writing Experience

Teaching homeschool writing can be frustrating especially for those of us who write well and do not have to be bothered by checking for such things as capitalization and punctuation errors. Those writing rules come naturally for us. But, it doesn’t always come easy for our students. What seems to be such an “easy to…

Try Before You Buy

Still unsure whether Essentials in Writing is a good fit or not? Try it before you buy it!

Writing Courses

Level 1 (ages 6-7)
Level 2 (ages 7-8)
Level 3 (ages 8-9)
Level 4 (ages 9-10)
Level 5 (ages 10-11)
Level 6 (ages 11-12)
Level 7 (ages 12-13)
Level 8 (ages 13-14)
Level 9 (ages 14-15)
Level 10 (ages 15-16)
Level 11 (ages 16-17)
Level 12 (ages 17-18)

Literature Courses

Level 7 (ages 12–13)
Level 8 (ages 13–14)
Level 9 (ages 14–15)
Level 10 (ages 15–16)

Other Services

Scoring Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Home School Resource Center
Supplemental Writing Program (18-week plan)
Summer Writing Program (10-week plan)
EIL Corrective Plans
Charter Schools
Homeschool Heroes
Giving Back
International Customers
Terms of Use

(417) 256-4191

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

Knowledge Base
How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

Make a claim
Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
Cite data to support your claim
Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
Highlight the problems with this position
Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Ad hominem fallacy
Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
False cause fallacy
Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

Choosing Essay Topic
Write a College Essay
Write a Diversity Essay
College Essay Format & Structure
Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

(AI) Tools

Grammar Checker
Paraphrasing Tool
Text Summarizer
AI Detector
Plagiarism Checker
Citation Generator

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved June 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/argumentative-essay/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write a thesis statement | 4 steps & examples, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, how to write an expository essay, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Tips & Guides

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

Posted on October 27, 2022 October 27, 2022

Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective.

One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like “we,” “you,” and “I.” These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker – the opposite of your goal.

While it may seem difficult at first, some tricks can help you avoid personal language and keep a professional tone.

Let’s learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Pronouns are words used to refer to a noun indirectly. Examples include “he,” “his,” “her,” and “hers.” Any time you refer to a noun – whether a person, object, or animal – without using its name, you use a pronoun.

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun. A personal pronoun is a pronoun you use whenever you directly refer to the subject of the sentence.

Take the following short paragraph as an example:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. Mr. Smith also said that Mr. Smith lost Mr. Smith’s laptop in the lunchroom.”

The above sentence contains no pronouns at all. There are three places where you would insert a pronoun, but only two where you would put a personal pronoun. See the revised sentence below:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. He also said that he lost his laptop in the lunchroom.”

“He” is a personal pronoun because we are talking directly about Mr. Smith. “His” is not a personal pronoun (it’s a possessive pronoun) because we are not speaking directly about Mr. Smith. Rather, we are talking about Mr. Smith’s laptop.

If later on you talk about Mr. Smith’s laptop, you may say:

“Mr. Smith found it in his car, not the lunchroom!”

In this case, “it” is a personal pronoun because in this point of view we are making a reference to the laptop directly and not as something owned by Mr. Smith.

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

We’re teaching you how to avoid using “I” in writing, but why is this necessary? Academic writing aims to focus on a clear topic, sound objective, and paint the writer as a source of authority. Word choice can significantly impact your success in achieving these goals.

Writing that uses personal pronouns can unintentionally shift the reader’s focus onto the writer, pulling their focus away from the topic at hand.

Personal pronouns may also make your work seem less objective.

One of the most challenging parts of essay writing is learning which words to avoid and how to avoid them. Fortunately, following a few simple tricks, you can master the English Language and write like a pro in no time.

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

How to not use “I” in a paper? What are the alternatives? There are many ways to avoid the use of personal pronouns in academic writing. By shifting your word choice and sentence structure, you can keep the overall meaning of your sentences while re-shaping your tone.

Utilize Passive Voice

In conventional writing, students are taught to avoid the passive voice as much as possible, but it can be an excellent way to avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing.

You can use the passive voice to avoid using pronouns. Take this sentence, for example:

“ We used 150 ml of HCl for the experiment.”

Instead of using “we” and the active voice, you can use a passive voice without a pronoun. The sentence above becomes:

“150 ml of HCl were used for the experiment.”

Using the passive voice removes your team from the experiment and makes your work sound more objective.

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Another answer to “how to avoid using ‘we’ in an essay?” is the use of a third-person perspective. Changing the perspective is a good way to take first-person pronouns out of a sentence. A third-person point of view will not use any first-person pronouns because the information is not given from the speaker’s perspective.

A third-person sentence is spoken entirely about the subject where the speaker is outside of the sentence.

Take a look at the sentence below:

“In this article you will learn about formal writing.”

The perspective in that sentence is second person, and it uses the personal pronoun “you.” You can change this sentence to sound more objective by using third-person pronouns:

“In this article the reader will learn about formal writing.”

The use of a third-person point of view makes the second sentence sound more academic and confident. Second-person pronouns, like those used in the first sentence, sound less formal and objective.

Be Specific With Word Choice

You can avoid first-personal pronouns by choosing your words carefully. Often, you may find that you are inserting unnecessary nouns into your work.

Take the following sentence as an example:

“ My research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

In this case, the first-person pronoun ‘my’ can be entirely cut out from the sentence. It then becomes:

“Research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

The second sentence is more succinct and sounds more authoritative without changing the sentence structure.

You should also make sure to watch out for the improper use of adverbs and nouns. Being careful with your word choice regarding nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives can help mitigate your use of personal pronouns.

“They bravely started the French revolution in 1789.”

While this sentence might be fine in a story about the revolution, an essay or academic piece should only focus on the facts. The world ‘bravely’ is a good indicator that you are inserting unnecessary personal pronouns into your work.

We can revise this sentence into:

“The French revolution started in 1789.”

Avoid adverbs (adjectives that describe verbs), and you will find that you avoid personal pronouns by default.

Closing Thoughts

In academic writing, It is crucial to sound objective and focus on the topic. Using personal pronouns pulls the focus away from the subject and makes writing sound subjective.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

When working on any formal writing assignment, avoid personal pronouns and informal language as much as possible.

While getting the hang of academic writing, you will likely make some mistakes, so revising is vital. Always double-check for personal pronouns, plagiarism , spelling mistakes, and correctly cited pieces.

You can prevent and correct mistakes using a plagiarism checker at any time, completely for free.

Quetext is a platform that helps you with all those tasks. Check out all resources that are available to you today.

Sign Up for Quetext Today!

Click below to find a pricing plan that fits your needs.

How to Use AI to Enhance Your Storytelling Process

Posted on June 12, 2024

Essential Comma Rules for Business Emails

Posted on June 7, 2024

How to Write Polished, Professional Emails With AI

Posted on May 30, 2024

A Safer Learning Environment: The Impact of AI Detection on School Security

Posted on May 17, 2024

Rethinking Academic Integrity Policies in the AI Era

Posted on May 10, 2024 May 10, 2024

Jargon Phrases to Avoid in Business Writing

Posted on May 3, 2024 May 3, 2024

Comparing Two Documents for Plagiarism: Everything You Need to Know

Posted on April 26, 2024 April 26, 2024

Mastering Tone in Email Communication: A Guide to Professional Correspondence

Posted on April 17, 2024

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

September C. Fawkes - Editor & Writer

Write better with an editor.

The Triarchy Method of Story
Editing Services
Writing Tip Index
Recommended Books
Testimonials
Glossary of Writing Terms
Lifestyle Tools
Conferences & Conventions

Writing Tips

My philosophy, monday, april 24, 2017, breaking writing rules right: "don't use 'was'".

What's the Rule

Malinda saw that there was a beautiful sunrise outside her window. The color was an early-morning yellow-orange color, and there were smooth clouds. A sunbeam was going through a cloud to the east. Most of the sun was still hiding behind the hill. Half of it was concealed, like it was just waking. It was so peaceful outside. Birds were chirping. Malinda imagined that critters were wandering down to the river to get a drink. She was happy she noticed this beautiful morning.

Why it's a Rule

Malinda saw a beautiful sunrise outside her window. The sky's color, an early-morning yellow-orange, complemented its smooth clouds. A sunbeam pierced through a cloud in the east. Half the sun still hid behind the hill, as if just waking. The entire outside emanated peace. Birds chirped. Malinda imagined critters wandering down to the river to get a drink. She smiled and soaked in the beautiful morning.

Malinda was happy.

A beautiful sunrise was seen by Malinda. To the east, a cloud was pierced by a sunbeam. Chirping was coming from birds. Critters wandering down to the river were imagined by Malinda. The beautiful morning was noticed by Malinda.

How (and How Not) to Follow the Rule

How to (correct).

As I showed above, one of the ways to avoid "was" is to switch it out for a strong verb.

A sunbeam was going through a cloud. --> A sunbeam pierced a cloud.

Use an appositive. If you aren't familiar with appositives, review this very short article explaining them at Purdue Owl. Appositives are a noun or pronoun that works as a modifier of another noun.

The color was an early-morning yellow-orange color , and there were smooth clouds. --> The sky's color, an early-morning yellow-orange (appositive), complemented the smooth clouds.

The sky's color complemented the smooth clouds.

Switch passive voice for active voice.

A cloud was pierced by a sunbeam. --> A sunbeam pierced a cloud.

In some cases, you switch out telling for a showing action (verb).

She was happy. --> She smiled.

How Not to (Incorrect)

Do not take out the to-be verb without making sure there is another verb (or replacement verb) for the subject of the sentence (or, more accurately, of the independent clause).

The color was an early-morning yellow-orange color. --> The color an early-morning yellow-orange color. (incorrect)

The color was an early-morning yellow-orange color (independent clause), and there were smooth clouds (independent clause). --> The color an early-morning yellow-orange color, and there were smooth clouds. (incorrect)

Do not simply repeatedly (and frequently) exchange "was" for another similar word, such as "had," "seemed," "appeared," or "existed."

It was so peaceful outside. --> It appeared so peaceful outside. (not great)

She was happy. --> She seemed happy. (not great)

The color was an early-morning yellow-orange color. --> The sky had an early-morning yellow-orange color. (not great)

It was so peaceful outside. --> Peace existed outside. (not great)

Do not avoid "was" by combining too many ideas into a single sentence (this usually appears as someone getting appositive- or modifier-happy . . . or as a really long sentence).

Malinda saw a beautiful sunrise outside, the color an early-morning yellow-orange shade with smooth clouds and a sunbeam going through one in the east while its source still hid behind the hill, which made it look like it had just woken up. Peace existed in the image as birds chirped high in the trees, which had willowy branches, some with new leaf-buds beginning to grow like little peanuts that Malinda's little brother had strung up in his creative hour, where he often got brain fog like an elderly patient with dementia in a rest home stuck only with Crayola crayons, but Malinda smiled as she imagined critters, rabbits with white tails that stuck out like cotton from cottonwoods that grew wild yet uniform, similar to an orchard she had spent much of her childhood in, daydreaming about her future husband, and muskrats wandering down to the river to drink while Melinda took in the beautiful morning.

When to Break the Rule

Use to-be verbs in dialogue, use to-be verbs in deeper points in viewpoint penetration, use to-be verbs to create emphasis and focus., use to-be verbs to tone down overpowering styles, use to-be verbs for easy "digestion" and easy reading, 10 comments:.

This is brilliant. Thank you for explaining the why behind the rule. I'm bookmarking this post.

Absolutely fantastic post. This subject of the to-be verbs is far more compext that writers may think it to be (like every aspect of writing... err...) I like your articles because they always go deep in the matter

Great tips.I am a beginner writing.I would like to follow your tips.I like your writing style and language.Thank you so much for sharing this information. best essay writing service

Hey Roger, Glad you found it helpful.

Very well said! I only just found your blog, but I like your style, and you've made excellent points. If I may say, another time you might use "was" without it being a problem is as part of the past progressive tense. Ex. "Gene opened the door just as Arthur was coming up the drive." I feel like that gets left out of the discussion a lot of the time.

Yes, that's true. Good point. Thanks for reading my blog! Sorry my reply is so late--I just discovered a bunch of comments I didn't get any notifications for!

I'm only a half decade late to the game. But great post! "Was" is definitely WAY overused - especially by novice writers. I'm not against "was" - as in never use it, but I tell writers to use it mindfully, because sometimes you do want to put emphasis on the verb and not the subject. But ~90% of the time, an active voice will server your story/prose better.

Yes, it can definitely get annoying when you are reading "was" in nearly every sentence O_o Using it "mindfully" is a great way to say it.

Thank you!!! I'm always hyperaware of how often I use to-be verbs, especially when I'm writing in first person. It takes a little joy out of it, because sometimes I can't figure out where to remove them in a way that keeps the flow and sounds natural. It's genuinely a relief knowing I don't have to completely remove all of them to make my writing strong

Oh yes, first person definitely has a valid reason to use more to-be verbs. If you cut too many, it probably wouldn't sound natural for most characters. Glad this was helpful. Best wishes.

I love comments :)

Popular Writing Tips

Helpful Links

Search articles.

September C. Fawkes

Let's be Social

Get writing tips by email:

Editing Testimonials

Find more of my tips on ...

Recommended for Writers!

Recommended Reading
Conferences & Conventions
Icon Credit

Using “I” in Academic Writing

Traditionally, some fields have frowned on the use of the first-person singular in an academic essay and others have encouraged that use, and both the frowning and the encouraging persist today—and there are good reasons for both positions (see “Should I”).

I recommend that you not look on the question of using “I” in an academic paper as a matter of a rule to follow, as part of a political agenda (see webb), or even as the need to create a strategy to avoid falling into Scylla-or-Charybdis error. Let the first-person singular be, instead, a tool that you take out when you think it’s needed and that you leave in the toolbox when you think it’s not.

Examples of When “I” May Be Needed

You are narrating how you made a discovery, and the process of your discovering is important or at the very least entertaining.
You are describing how you teach something and how your students have responded or respond.
You disagree with another scholar and want to stress that you are not waving the banner of absolute truth.
You need “I” for rhetorical effect, to be clear, simple, or direct.

Examples of When “I” Should Be Given a Rest

It’s off-putting to readers, generally, when “I” appears too often. You may not feel one bit modest, but remember the advice of Benjamin Franklin, still excellent, on the wisdom of preserving the semblance of modesty when your purpose is to convince others.
You are the author of your paper, so if an opinion is expressed in it, it is usually clear that this opinion is yours. You don’t have to add a phrase like, “I believe” or “it seems to me.”

Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Project Gutenberg , 28 Dec. 2006, www.gutenberg.org/app/uploads/sites/3/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm#I.

“Should I Use “I”?” The Writing Center at UNC—Chapel Hill , writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/should-i-use-i/.

webb, Christine. “The Use of the First Person in Academic Writing: Objectivity, Language, and Gatekeeping.” ResearchGate , July 1992, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01974.x.

J.S.Beniwal 05 August 2017 AT 09:08 AM

I have borrowed MLA only yesterday, did my MAEnglish in May 2017.MLA is of immense help for scholars.An overview of the book really enlightened me.I should have read it at bachelor's degree level.

Your e-mail address will not be published

Dr. Raymond Harter 25 September 2017 AT 02:09 PM

I discourage the use of "I" in essays for undergraduates to reinforce a conversational tone and to "self-recognize" the writer as an authority or at least a thorough researcher. Writing a play is different than an essay with a purpose.

Osayimwense Osa 22 March 2023 AT 05:03 PM

When a student or writer is strongly and passionately interested in his or her stance and argument to persuade his or her audience, the use of personal pronoun srenghtens his or her passion for the subject. This passion should be clear in his/her expression. However, I encourage the use of the first-person, I, sparingly -- only when and where absolutely necessary.

Eleanor 25 March 2023 AT 04:03 PM

I once had a student use the word "eye" when writing about how to use pronouns. Her peers did not catch it. I made comments, but I think she never understood what eye was saying!

Join the Conversation

We invite you to comment on this post and exchange ideas with other site visitors. Comments are moderated and subject to terms of service.

If you have a question for the MLA's editors, submit it to Ask the MLA!

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, using first person in an academic essay: when is it okay.

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 by Jenna Pack Sheffield

Related Concepts: Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community ; First-Person Point of View ; Rhetorical Analysis; Rhetorical Stance ; The First Person ; Voice

In order to determine whether or not you can speak or write from the first-person point of view, you need to engage in rhetorical analysis. You need to question whether your audience values and accepts the first person as a legitimate rhetorical stance. Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person (“I,” “we,” “my,” “us,” and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course.

By now, you’ve probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that used first person. After all, how could you write a personal essay about yourself, for instance, without using the dreaded “I” word?

However, academic essays differ from personal essays; they are typically researched and use a formal tone . Because of these differences, when students write an academic essay, they quickly shy away from first person because of what they have been told in high school or because they believe that first person feels too informal for an intellectual, researched text. While first person can definitely be overused in academic essays (which is likely why your teachers tell you not to use it), there are moments in a paper when it is not only appropriate, but also more effective and/or persuasive to use first person. The following are a few instances in which it is appropriate to use first person in an academic essay:

Including a personal anecdote: You have more than likely been told that you need a strong “hook” to draw your readers in during an introduction. Sometimes, the best hook is a personal anecdote, or a short amusing story about yourself. In this situation, it would seem unnatural not to use first-person pronouns such as “I” and “myself.” Your readers will appreciate the personal touch and will want to keep reading! (For more information about incorporating personal anecdotes into your writing, see “ Employing Narrative in an Essay .”)
Establishing your credibility ( ethos ): Ethos is a term stemming back to Ancient Greece that essentially means “character” in the sense of trustworthiness or credibility. A writer can establish her ethos by convincing the reader that she is trustworthy source. Oftentimes, the best way to do that is to get personal—tell the reader a little bit about yourself. (For more information about ethos, see “ Ethos .”)For instance, let’s say you are writing an essay arguing that dance is a sport. Using the occasional personal pronoun to let your audience know that you, in fact, are a classically trained dancer—and have the muscles and scars to prove it—goes a long way in establishing your credibility and proving your argument. And this use of first person will not distract or annoy your readers because it is purposeful.
Clarifying passive constructions : Often, when writers try to avoid using first person in essays, they end up creating confusing, passive sentences . For instance, let’s say I am writing an essay about different word processing technologies, and I want to make the point that I am using Microsoft Word to write this essay. If I tried to avoid first-person pronouns, my sentence might read: “Right now, this essay is being written in Microsoft Word.” While this sentence is not wrong, it is what we call passive—the subject of the sentence is being acted upon because there is no one performing the action. To most people, this sentence sounds better: “Right now, I am writing this essay in Microsoft Word.” Do you see the difference? In this case, using first person makes your writing clearer.
Stating your position in relation to others: Sometimes, especially in an argumentative essay, it is necessary to state your opinion on the topic . Readers want to know where you stand, and it is sometimes helpful to assert yourself by putting your own opinions into the essay. You can imagine the passive sentences (see above) that might occur if you try to state your argument without using the word “I.” The key here is to use first person sparingly. Use personal pronouns enough to get your point across clearly without inundating your readers with this language.

Now, the above list is certainly not exhaustive. The best thing to do is to use your good judgment, and you can always check with your instructor if you are unsure of his or her perspective on the issue. Ultimately, if you feel that using first person has a purpose or will have a strategic effect on your audience, then it is probably fine to use first-person pronouns. Just be sure not to overuse this language, at the risk of sounding narcissistic, self-centered, or unaware of others’ opinions on a topic.

Brevity – Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence – How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow – How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity – Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style – The DNA of Powerful Writing

Suggested Edits

Please select the purpose of your message. * - Corrections, Typos, or Edits Technical Support/Problems using the site Advertising with Writing Commons Copyright Issues I am contacting you about something else
Your full name
Your email address *
Page URL needing edits *
Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Featured Articles

Student engrossed in reading on her laptop, surrounded by a stack of books

Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community

Professional Writing – How to Write for the Professional World

Credibility & Authority – How to Be Credible & Authoritative in Speech & Writing

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, getting college essay help: important do's and don’ts.

College Essays

If you grow up to be a professional writer, everything you write will first go through an editor before being published. This is because the process of writing is really a process of re-writing —of rethinking and reexamining your work, usually with the help of someone else. So what does this mean for your student writing? And in particular, what does it mean for very important, but nonprofessional writing like your college essay? Should you ask your parents to look at your essay? Pay for an essay service?

If you are wondering what kind of help you can, and should, get with your personal statement, you've come to the right place! In this article, I'll talk about what kind of writing help is useful, ethical, and even expected for your college admission essay . I'll also point out who would make a good editor, what the differences between editing and proofreading are, what to expect from a good editor, and how to spot and stay away from a bad one.

What Kind of Help for Your Essay Can You Get?

What's Good Editing?

What should an editor do for you, what kind of editing should you avoid, proofreading, what's good proofreading, what kind of proofreading should you avoid.

What Do Colleges Think Of You Getting Help With Your Essay?

Who Can/Should Help You?

Advice for editors.

Should You Pay Money For Essay Editing?

The Bottom Line

What's next, what kind of help with your essay can you get.

Rather than talking in general terms about "help," let's first clarify the two different ways that someone else can improve your writing . There is editing, which is the more intensive kind of assistance that you can use throughout the whole process. And then there's proofreading, which is the last step of really polishing your final product.

Let me go into some more detail about editing and proofreading, and then explain how good editors and proofreaders can help you."

Editing is helping the author (in this case, you) go from a rough draft to a finished work . Editing is the process of asking questions about what you're saying, how you're saying it, and how you're organizing your ideas. But not all editing is good editing . In fact, it's very easy for an editor to cross the line from supportive to overbearing and over-involved.

Ability to clarify assignments. A good editor is usually a good writer, and certainly has to be a good reader. For example, in this case, a good editor should make sure you understand the actual essay prompt you're supposed to be answering.

Open-endedness. Good editing is all about asking questions about your ideas and work, but without providing answers. It's about letting you stick to your story and message, and doesn't alter your point of view.

Think of an editor as a great travel guide. It can show you the many different places your trip could take you. It should explain any parts of the trip that could derail your trip or confuse the traveler. But it never dictates your path, never forces you to go somewhere you don't want to go, and never ignores your interests so that the trip no longer seems like it's your own. So what should good editors do?

Help Brainstorm Topics

Sometimes it's easier to bounce thoughts off of someone else. This doesn't mean that your editor gets to come up with ideas, but they can certainly respond to the various topic options you've come up with. This way, you're less likely to write about the most boring of your ideas, or to write about something that isn't actually important to you.

If you're wondering how to come up with options for your editor to consider, check out our guide to brainstorming topics for your college essay .

Help Revise Your Drafts

Here, your editor can't upset the delicate balance of not intervening too much or too little. It's tricky, but a great way to think about it is to remember: editing is about asking questions, not giving answers .

Revision questions should point out:

Places where more detail or more description would help the reader connect with your essay
Places where structure and logic don't flow, losing the reader's attention
Places where there aren't transitions between paragraphs, confusing the reader
Moments where your narrative or the arguments you're making are unclear

But pointing to potential problems is not the same as actually rewriting—editors let authors fix the problems themselves.

Want to write the perfect college application essay? We can help. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will help you craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay to proudly submit to colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Bad editing is usually very heavy-handed editing. Instead of helping you find your best voice and ideas, a bad editor changes your writing into their own vision.

You may be dealing with a bad editor if they:

Add material (examples, descriptions) that doesn't come from you
Use a thesaurus to make your college essay sound "more mature"
Add meaning or insight to the essay that doesn't come from you
Tell you what to say and how to say it
Write sentences, phrases, and paragraphs for you
Change your voice in the essay so it no longer sounds like it was written by a teenager

Colleges can tell the difference between a 17-year-old's writing and a 50-year-old's writing. Not only that, they have access to your SAT or ACT Writing section, so they can compare your essay to something else you wrote. Writing that's a little more polished is great and expected. But a totally different voice and style will raise questions.

Where's the Line Between Helpful Editing and Unethical Over-Editing?

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your college essay editor is doing the right thing. Here are some guidelines for staying on the ethical side of the line.

An editor should say that the opening paragraph is kind of boring, and explain what exactly is making it drag. But it's overstepping for an editor to tell you exactly how to change it.
An editor should point out where your prose is unclear or vague. But it's completely inappropriate for the editor to rewrite that section of your essay.
An editor should let you know that a section is light on detail or description. But giving you similes and metaphors to beef up that description is a no-go.

Proofreading (also called copy-editing) is checking for errors in the last draft of a written work. It happens at the end of the process and is meant as the final polishing touch. Proofreading is meticulous and detail-oriented, focusing on small corrections. It sands off all the surface rough spots that could alienate the reader.

Because proofreading is usually concerned with making fixes on the word or sentence level, this is the only process where someone else can actually add to or take away things from your essay . This is because what they are adding or taking away tends to be one or two misplaced letters.

Laser focus. Proofreading is all about the tiny details, so the ability to really concentrate on finding small slip-ups is a must.

Excellent grammar and spelling skills. Proofreaders need to dot every "i" and cross every "t." Good proofreaders should correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They should put foreign words in italics and surround quotations with quotation marks. They should check that you used the correct college's name, and that you adhered to any formatting requirements (name and date at the top of the page, uniform font and size, uniform spacing).

Limited interference. A proofreader needs to make sure that you followed any word limits. But if cuts need to be made to shorten the essay, that's your job and not the proofreader's.

A bad proofreader either tries to turn into an editor, or just lacks the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job.

Some signs that you're working with a bad proofreader are:

If they suggest making major changes to the final draft of your essay. Proofreading happens when editing is already finished.
If they aren't particularly good at spelling, or don't know grammar, or aren't detail-oriented enough to find someone else's small mistakes.
If they start swapping out your words for fancier-sounding synonyms, or changing the voice and sound of your essay in other ways. A proofreader is there to check for errors, not to take the 17-year-old out of your writing.

What Do Colleges Think of Your Getting Help With Your Essay?

Admissions officers agree: light editing and proofreading are good—even required ! But they also want to make sure you're the one doing the work on your essay. They want essays with stories, voice, and themes that come from you. They want to see work that reflects your actual writing ability, and that focuses on what you find important.

On the Importance of Editing

Get feedback. Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College )

Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head. This exercise reveals flaws in the essay's flow, highlights grammatical errors and helps you ensure that you are communicating the exact message you intended. ( Dickinson College )

On the Value of Proofreading

Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well—such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend—and ask for feedback. Remember that you ultimately have control over your essays, and your essays should retain your own voice, but others may be able to catch mistakes that you missed and help suggest areas to cut if you are over the word limit. ( Yale University )

Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread for you. Although we want substance, we also want to be able to see that you can write a paper for our professors and avoid careless mistakes that would drive them crazy. ( Oberlin College )

On Watching Out for Too Much Outside Influence

Limit the number of people who review your essay. Too much input usually means your voice is lost in the writing style. ( Carleton College )

Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we're probably going to notice. ( Vanderbilt University )

Now let's talk about some potential people to approach for your college essay editing and proofreading needs. It's best to start close to home and slowly expand outward. Not only are your family and friends more invested in your success than strangers, but they also have a better handle on your interests and personality. This knowledge is key for judging whether your essay is expressing your true self.

Parents or Close Relatives

Your family may be full of potentially excellent editors! Parents are deeply committed to your well-being, and family members know you and your life well enough to offer details or incidents that can be included in your essay. On the other hand, the rewriting process necessarily involves criticism, which is sometimes hard to hear from someone very close to you.

A parent or close family member is a great choice for an editor if you can answer "yes" to the following questions. Is your parent or close relative a good writer or reader? Do you have a relationship where editing your essay won't create conflict? Are you able to constructively listen to criticism and suggestion from the parent?

One suggestion for defusing face-to-face discussions is to try working on the essay over email. Send your parent a draft, have them write you back some comments, and then you can pick which of their suggestions you want to use and which to discard.

Teachers or Tutors

A humanities teacher that you have a good relationship with is a great choice. I am purposefully saying humanities, and not just English, because teachers of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, and any other classes where you do a lot of writing, are all used to reviewing student work.

Moreover, any teacher or tutor that has been working with you for some time, knows you very well and can vet the essay to make sure it "sounds like you."

If your teacher or tutor has some experience with what college essays are supposed to be like, ask them to be your editor. If not, then ask whether they have time to proofread your final draft.

Guidance or College Counselor at Your School

The best thing about asking your counselor to edit your work is that this is their job. This means that they have a very good sense of what colleges are looking for in an application essay.

At the same time, school counselors tend to have relationships with admissions officers in many colleges, which again gives them insight into what works and which college is focused on what aspect of the application.

Unfortunately, in many schools the guidance counselor tends to be way overextended. If your ratio is 300 students to 1 college counselor, you're unlikely to get that person's undivided attention and focus. It is still useful to ask them for general advice about your potential topics, but don't expect them to be able to stay with your essay from first draft to final version.

Friends, Siblings, or Classmates

Although they most likely don't have much experience with what colleges are hoping to see, your peers are excellent sources for checking that your essay is you .

Friends and siblings are perfect for the read-aloud edit. Read your essay to them so they can listen for words and phrases that are stilted, pompous, or phrases that just don't sound like you.

You can even trade essays and give helpful advice on each other's work.

If your editor hasn't worked with college admissions essays very much, no worries! Any astute and attentive reader can still greatly help with your process. But, as in all things, beginners do better with some preparation.

First, your editor should read our advice about how to write a college essay introduction , how to spot and fix a bad college essay , and get a sense of what other students have written by going through some admissions essays that worked .

Then, as they read your essay, they can work through the following series of questions that will help them to guide you.

Introduction Questions

Is the first sentence a killer opening line? Why or why not?
Does the introduction hook the reader? Does it have a colorful, detailed, and interesting narrative? Or does it propose a compelling or surprising idea?
Can you feel the author's voice in the introduction, or is the tone dry, dull, or overly formal? Show the places where the voice comes through.

Essay Body Questions

Does the essay have a through-line? Is it built around a central argument, thought, idea, or focus? Can you put this idea into your own words?
How is the essay organized? By logical progression? Chronologically? Do you feel order when you read it, or are there moments where you are confused or lose the thread of the essay?
Does the essay have both narratives about the author's life and explanations and insight into what these stories reveal about the author's character, personality, goals, or dreams? If not, which is missing?
Does the essay flow? Are there smooth transitions/clever links between paragraphs? Between the narrative and moments of insight?

Reader Response Questions

Does the writer's personality come through? Do we know what the speaker cares about? Do we get a sense of "who he or she is"?
Where did you feel most connected to the essay? Which parts of the essay gave you a "you are there" sensation by invoking your senses? What moments could you picture in your head well?
Where are the details and examples vague and not specific enough?
Did you get an "a-ha!" feeling anywhere in the essay? Is there a moment of insight that connected all the dots for you? Is there a good reveal or "twist" anywhere in the essay?
What are the strengths of this essay? What needs the most improvement?

Should You Pay Money for Essay Editing?

One alternative to asking someone you know to help you with your college essay is the paid editor route. There are two different ways to pay for essay help: a private essay coach or a less personal editing service , like the many proliferating on the internet.

My advice is to think of these options as a last resort rather than your go-to first choice. I'll first go through the reasons why. Then, if you do decide to go with a paid editor, I'll help you decide between a coach and a service.

When to Consider a Paid Editor

In general, I think hiring someone to work on your essay makes a lot of sense if none of the people I discussed above are a possibility for you.

If you can't ask your parents. For example, if your parents aren't good writers, or if English isn't their first language. Or if you think getting your parents to help is going create unnecessary extra conflict in your relationship with them (applying to college is stressful as it is!)

If you can't ask your teacher or tutor. Maybe you don't have a trusted teacher or tutor that has time to look over your essay with focus. Or, for instance, your favorite humanities teacher has very limited experience with college essays and so won't know what admissions officers want to see.

If you can't ask your guidance counselor. This could be because your guidance counselor is way overwhelmed with other students.

If you can't share your essay with those who know you. It might be that your essay is on a very personal topic that you're unwilling to share with parents, teachers, or peers. Just make sure it doesn't fall into one of the bad-idea topics in our article on bad college essays .

If the cost isn't a consideration. Many of these services are quite expensive, and private coaches even more so. If you have finite resources, I'd say that hiring an SAT or ACT tutor (whether it's PrepScholar or someone else) is better way to spend your money . This is because there's no guarantee that a slightly better essay will sufficiently elevate the rest of your application, but a significantly higher SAT score will definitely raise your applicant profile much more.

Should You Hire an Essay Coach?

On the plus side, essay coaches have read dozens or even hundreds of college essays, so they have experience with the format. Also, because you'll be working closely with a specific person, it's more personal than sending your essay to a service, which will know even less about you.

But, on the minus side, you'll still be bouncing ideas off of someone who doesn't know that much about you . In general, if you can adequately get the help from someone you know, there is no advantage to paying someone to help you.

If you do decide to hire a coach, ask your school counselor, or older students that have used the service for recommendations. If you can't afford the coach's fees, ask whether they can work on a sliding scale —many do. And finally, beware those who guarantee admission to your school of choice—essay coaches don't have any special magic that can back up those promises.

Should You Send Your Essay to a Service?

On the plus side, essay editing services provide a similar product to essay coaches, and they cost significantly less . If you have some assurance that you'll be working with a good editor, the lack of face-to-face interaction won't prevent great results.

On the minus side, however, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the service before working with them . If they are churning through many application essays without getting to know the students they are helping, you could end up with an over-edited essay that sounds just like everyone else's. In the worst case scenario, an unscrupulous service could send you back a plagiarized essay.

Getting recommendations from friends or a school counselor for reputable services is key to avoiding heavy-handed editing that writes essays for you or does too much to change your essay. Including a badly-edited essay like this in your application could cause problems if there are inconsistencies. For example, in interviews it might be clear you didn't write the essay, or the skill of the essay might not be reflected in your schoolwork and test scores.

Should You Buy an Essay Written by Someone Else?

Let me elaborate. There are super sketchy places on the internet where you can simply buy a pre-written essay. Don't do this!

For one thing, you'll be lying on an official, signed document. All college applications make you sign a statement saying something like this:

I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials—is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented... I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades, and degree, should the information I have certified be false. (From the Common Application )

For another thing, if your academic record doesn't match the essay's quality, the admissions officer will start thinking your whole application is riddled with lies.

Admission officers have full access to your writing portion of the SAT or ACT so that they can compare work that was done in proctored conditions with that done at home. They can tell if these were written by different people. Not only that, but there are now a number of search engines that faculty and admission officers can use to see if an essay contains strings of words that have appeared in other essays—you have no guarantee that the essay you bought wasn't also bought by 50 other students.

You should get college essay help with both editing and proofreading
A good editor will ask questions about your idea, logic, and structure, and will point out places where clarity is needed
A good editor will absolutely not answer these questions, give you their own ideas, or write the essay or parts of the essay for you
A good proofreader will find typos and check your formatting
All of them agree that getting light editing and proofreading is necessary
Parents, teachers, guidance or college counselor, and peers or siblings
If you can't ask any of those, you can pay for college essay help, but watch out for services or coaches who over-edit you work
Don't buy a pre-written essay! Colleges can tell, and it'll make your whole application sound false.

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications and then explore our step-by-step guide to writing a great college essay .

Using the Common Application for your college applications? We have an excellent guide to the Common App essay prompts and useful advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you . Wondering how other people tackled these prompts? Then work through our roundup of over 130 real college essay examples published by colleges .

Stressed about whether to take the SAT again before submitting your application? Let us help you decide how many times to take this test . If you choose to go for it, we have the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Customer Reviews
Extended Essays
IB Internal Assessment
Theory of Knowledge
Literature Review
Dissertations
Essay Writing
Research Writing
Assignment Help
Capstone Projects
College Application
Online Class

8 Types of Words Not to Use in an Essay (And Why You Shouldn’t)

by Antony W

October 6, 2021

Academic writing is different from creative writing mostly because it’s formal. And although creativity is welcome in essay assignments, there are words and phrases that can cost you important marks if you use them in college assignments.

We know how hard writing essays can be, especially because you don’t have the opportunity to implement the elements of creative writing. Plus, it’s time and energy consuming because you have to do a lot of research, write a working thesis , build an outline, defend arguments , and have an impressive paper at the end of it all.

As challenging as essay writing can be, it’s not impossible. You can take your research and put it on the paper before the deadline elapse. However, the words you use to write is what will count towards enticing (convincing) your readers or boring them altogether.

To be clear, not words are useful in essay writing. While you can use idioms and self-made sayings and quotes in creative writing, essay writing requires a 100% forma approach. That’s why it’s important to avoid these words if you want your essays to read well.

Word to Avoid in Essay Writing

1. contractions .

By definition, contractions are a combination of words linked together with apostrophes. Since they shorten words, contractions tend to lower the number of words in written and spoken communication. As interesting as contractions sound when read verbally, they hardly have a place in formal academic writing. You can use them in college application essays to personalize your application, but they won’t be appropriate for other types of formal essays or research assignments.

Words such as “can’t” and “mustn’t” should not appear in your academic paper, even in the case where you have to write a persuasive essay in your own voice. You should write the words in full instead.

2. Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are okay for college admissions essays, persuasive essay writing, and opinion essays but bad for everything else in academic writing.

Take argumentative essay writing , for example. A writer must academically reflect on arguments that correspond with their opinions and be 100% free from personal feelings. Given that they have to speak facts, which are practically difficult to explain in first person pronouns, you should avoid using words such as “I” and “We” in the essay.

To be clear, academic essays must never sound subjective. An essay that sounds subjective tends to be full of bias and sounds more like a narrative paper. As such you should avoid using personal pronouns in an essay unless otherwise instructed to do so.

3. Rhetorical Questions

People read academic essays because they’re looking for answers to the questions that they have. So asking questions is an essay makes your writing irrelevant to a great degree.

Here’s why:

Every time you ask a rhetorical question in an essay , you shift the burden to answer from the writer (you) to the reader (your audience). Unfortunately, the question itself doesn’t add value because they don’t provide any clue, information, or explanation. Not to mention that they’re so much irritating that they tend to easily draw attention away from the essay.

Keep in mind that what might seem obvious to you won’t be so for someone reading your essay. So instead of filling your writing with questions that will otherwise disinterest your audience, use rhetorical statements.

4. Quotes

There’s nothing wrong with starting an essay with a quote provided it’s relevant to the issue under investigation. To make sure your readers understand the quotation, you have to explain what the quote means and its significance in the essay.

You can also end an essay with a quote provided it’s relevant to the topic.

The problem comes in when you don’t know exactly how to use quotes in the essay.

From an academic writing standpoint, you should never include a quote that you’ve made up yourself. If you must include a quote in your work, make sure it’s from a well-known author whose work is academic worthy.

Second, don’t just copy the quotation to your writing. Explain what it is about and demonstrate how it’s significant to the topic you’re investigating. Also, you have to reference the quote so that your professor knows where you found it.

While the idea of using quotes in your work may seem Interesting, it’s best to avoid them entirely. Unless you strongly believe there’s a need to include a quote from Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Hemingway, or Obama in your work, stick to a tone that presents your personality and thoughts.

5. Passive Voice

You should not use passive voice in an essay for the simple reason that it weakens your writing. Given its kind of grammar construction, passive voice lacks reference to who the subject (or actor) is and can make your content difficult to consume.

Use active voice in essay writing. It will make your statements clear to your reader and therefore make your paper easy and interesting to read.

6. Vague Words

How often do you mention words such as bad, good, thing, stuff, and big? We believe these are words you use in every day talk. However, they’re not appropriate for essay writing because they tend to make your work sound vague and elementary.

Once you finish writing your essay, re-read it, highlight the most all the inappropriate words or phrases, and then replace them with synonyms and phrases accepted in academic writing.

7. Slang

We can’t deny that jargon, teen speak, and slang have taken root in the society. However, Buzzfeed’s style of writing isn’t something your teachers will appreciate. You need to train yourself to write and speak in a formal language, for the sake of your essay assignment at least. Leave slang to where it belongs and stick to formal writing instead.

8. Idioms

Aren’t idioms good for enriching written works? Well, they’re but are too informal to be appropriate in academic writing. Remember, academic writing must be formal. Any idiom you include in the article breaks that rule and ruins your chances of scoring good grades.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Using You in Academic Writing

side view of woman in illuminated city at night

Using You in Academic Writing Podcast

Using you in academic writing transcript.

This is Kurtis Clements with another effective writing podcast. In this episode, I am going to talk about using the second person, you and your, in academic writing.

Many folks are confused when it comes to using the second person pronouns “you” and “your” in their academic writing, in large part because such pronouns are used often in other kinds of writing, so it seems natural to use such words in academic writing.

What is “academic writing”? Academic writing is writing that is generally formal; by and large, it’s the kind of writing produced in school when you are writing a report or an essay. Academic writing usually does not contain contractions or slang, nor does academic writing use emoticons or exclamation points. Academic writing sticks to a fairly objective point of view and avoids personal pronouns such as “I, we, us, our, you,” and “your,” for example. Now this is not to say that academic writing will never use such pronouns, but as a guiding general principle such pronouns are not used often in academic writing.

I don’t want to confuse you, but not all writing produced in school is “academic.” For example, if you were taking a creative writing course, while you may write essays that require a formal approach to writing, you will also be writing “creatively”—short stories and poems and other genres that would not require you to use “academic writing.”

Imagine a poem like Gwendolyn Brook’s “We Real Cool” in which the speaker, a thug without much of a future, says, “We real cool. We left school. We lurk late” written in formal academic writing like this: “They were indifferent to the conventional values of society. They left school. They lurked late at night.” Big difference, right? Of course. Academic writing is not the kind of writing to use when writing creatively.

Ok, so back to our discussion of second person. Second person is the use of the pronouns “you” and “your” in writing. In this podcast, I sometimes relate what I am talking about to my audience—to you folks listening right now—so I will make statements like “I don’t want to confuse you, but…” In my podcast, which is not a formal writing situation, it’s fine to use the pronouns “you” and “your.”

As a guiding principle, the second person pronouns “you” and “your” should not be used in academic writing. Using “you and your” is informal and lacks the kind of professional tone found in academic writing. “You” may work fine in some situations (like this podcast, for example), but in academic writing, such usage can be downright confusing. When I use “you” in my podcast, it’s clear that I am addressing my listeners.

But let’s say you were reading a paper about recycling, something that you already do. What would your reaction be if every now and then the writer included a sentence like “All you would need to do is set up a few extra bins in your home for glass, paper, metal, and plastic, and then put each item into its respective bin.” What would your response be? You would likely be confused, right? After all, you already recycle. And imagine other instances of the writer referring to “you” in a sentence. Every time you read “you,” you stop in your tracks and think, “Me?”

Let’s say the recycling paper’s purpose is to persuade and thus the logical audience would be folks who don’t recycle. Would “you” be appropriate then? No. While there would clearly be less confusion on the part of readers, writing of a more formal nature should be as objective as possible and not refer directly to readers.

Imagine reading a formal academic essay that is arguing for greater individual effort to recycle, and throughout the paper the writer uses the objective third person point of view, making such statements as “Individuals have a responsibility to future generations to do what they can to cut down on waste” and “Individuals must be proactive in recycling at home and work,” and then all of a sudden, out of the blue, the writing shifts to second person and makes a statement like “You might be busy, but if you make recycling a top priority then you would probably be successful.”

Whoa, right?

Where did that sentence come from? As a reader, you were engaged in the persuasive but objective discussion of the need to recycle, when all of a sudden the writing shifts to second person, and it seems like the writer is pointing a finger at you.

The use of second person can be confusing, awkward, and off-putting in academic writing, so it’s best to avoid the pronouns “you” and “your.”

A good way to ensure such pronouns don’t appear in your paper is to read your work slowly aloud. Mark each “you” or “your” you find and revise accordingly. With a little practice, keeping the second person out of your writing will come naturally.

Thanks for listening, everyone. Happy writing.

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive email notifications of new posts.

Email Address

RSS - Posts
RSS - Comments
COLLEGE WRITING
USING SOURCES & APA STYLE
EFFECTIVE WRITING PODCASTS
LEARNING FOR SUCCESS
PLAGIARISM INFORMATION
FACULTY RESOURCES
Student Webinar Calendar
Academic Success Center
Writing Center
About the ASC Tutors
DIVERSITY TRAINING
PG Peer Tutors
PG Student Access

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

College Writing
Using Sources & APA Style
Learning for Success
Effective Writing Podcasts
Plagiarism Information
Faculty Resources
Tutor Training

Twitter feed

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Use "you" or "one" in formal writing?

Sometimes people tell me that I should avoid using "you" in formal writing and insist on telling me to use "one" ("One should not use 'you'" as opposed to "You should not use 'you'"). Are there any rules governing the use of these two words in formal writing?

word-choice

google.com/search?q=grammar+Pronoun+One+vs+you – mplungjan Commented Aug 23, 2013 at 13:40
I cannot speak to the general case, but styles are changing. I n the style guide for my old company, I specifically instructed writers to address the reader as "you" in active voice. It was just so much simpler and less pretentious. These were formal documents like RFPs and Statements of Work and so on. – SAJ14SAJ Commented Aug 23, 2013 at 14:14

2 Answers 2

Using "one" when you want to address a person in general, not specifically the reader. This was considered good practice in general. Consider this:

You might prefer the former to the latter because the latter comes across as very accusatory. This is really the only circumstance I will use "one" as opposed to "you." Generally, except in very formal writing, "one" comes across as rather pretentious or old fashioned. It puts distance between the reader and writer which might be a good thing, but often isn't.

As another commentator mentioned, often it is possible to rewrite in such a way as to avoid both. For example:

A re-writing that's closer to the original meaning would be 'When the stakes are high, there is a temptation to cheat.' – smithkm Commented Aug 24, 2013 at 0:35

It's to avoid writing in the second person. When you refer to someone with the phrase 'you', you act as if you are speaking to them. However, when one uses the word "one", it is as if one is speaking in general terms, not refering to any specified individual.

It isn't a hard rule that every use of 'you' is writing in the second-person, but rather more a guideline to help a writer avoid overuse of the word 'you'.

What a GOOD writer can do, instead of just replacing every instance of 'you' with 'one', is write out their essay in such a way as to avoid referring to individuals at all. This avoids the problem of referring to individuals specifically and prevents the work from sounding pretentious from the overuse of 'one'.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged word-choice word-usage formality or ask your own question .

Featured on Meta
Upcoming sign-up experiments related to tags

Hot Network Questions

Would you be able to look directly at the Sun if it were a red giant?
Is it appropriate to award points for this answer? (experimental physics)
Is this gap in framing a mistake or normal, and is any remediation needed?
Does every proof need an axiom saying it works?
Ideal test/p-value calculation for difference in means with small sample size and right skewed data?
What was Jessica and the Bene Gesserit's game plan if Paul failed the test?
Why do we need unit vectors in a differential bit of area?
Can the laser light, in principle, take any wavelength in the EM spectrum?
If electromagnetic waves are indeed created by a changing electric and magnetic field, then why don't we see magnet based antennas?
Is the work I do on the object always equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to the work the object does on me?
How should I report a Man-in-the-Middle attack in my workplace?
I did not contest a wrong but inconsequential accusation of plagiarism – can this come back to haunt me?
Why do some GA aircraft need weights on the control surfaces?
How long is it okay for pin to be floating during MCU startup?
Is it a "shifting of the burden of proof" if I show evidence in favor of a position, and ask the audience to debate that evidence if they disagree?
Finding a mystery number from a sum and product, with a twist
50 ohm vs HiZ setting on function generator?
Docker as for deployments on servers
Why do trombones often play differently?
Numbers that are 4 times their reverse
Can RF-S lenses mount on Canon EOS C70?
Should I practise a piece at a metronome tempo that is faster than required?
What are the potential advantages/disadvantages of a hyper maneuverable aircraft that operates similar to Armored Core's mechs?
Can we study scientifically the set of facts and behaviors if we have no scientific explanation for the source, origin or underlying mechanism of it?

Get Started
Join Our Team
(212) 262-3500
Initial Consultation
IvyWise Roundtable
School Placement
Test Prep & Tutoring
Early College Guidance
College Admissions Counseling
Academic Tutoring
Test Prep Tutoring
Research Mentorship
Academic Advising
Transfer Admissions
Graduate Admissions
School Partnerships
Webinars and Events
IvyWise By The Numbers
Testimonials
Dr. Kat Cohen
IvyWise In The News
IvyWise Gives Back
IvyWise Blog
Just Admit It! Podcast
Helpful Links
Admission Statistics
U.S. Admissions Guide for International Students
College Admissions Guide
College Planning and Academics Checklist

10 College Application Essay Dos and Don’ts

Check out our Just Admit It! Podcast

IvyWise counselors Rachel and Zach share their top tips on how to brainstorm and write college application essays, and what admissions officers are looking for when they read them on the Just Admit It! college admissions podcast , giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers.

Writing college application essays is often the most stressful part of the admissions process for students, and as a result many tend to put them off until the last minute.

Delaying your work on college application essays isn’t the best move, particularly because the National Association for College Admission Counseling classifies application essays as the most important “soft” factor, or non-quantitative elements, that colleges consider when making admissions decisions, right behind “hard” factors, or quantitative components, like grades, curriculum, and test scores. And in a year where more colleges than ever are test-optional , soft factors like the essay will carry even more weight in the admissions process this fall.

However, if you’re behind on your college admissions essays, don’t panic. There are a number of steps that students can take to put together the most accurate and compelling personal statements and school-specific supplements that will help their chances of gaining admission to their top-choice colleges.

Here are some college application essay dos and don’ts for students to keep in mind as they complete their applications before Jan. 1 deadlines.

DON’T use the personal statement essay to repeat your activities list.

This can’t be stressed enough. The personal statement is your opportunity to reveal something about yourself that can’t be found anywhere else in your application — use it! Many students use this essay to expound upon activities or interests that are already heavily demonstrated in their application through courses, the activity list, and more. Instead of reinforcing a top activity or interest, write about something that reveals another dimension of your life or personality. If your top activity is swimming, don’t write about the big championship meet. Find something else that reveals something new and that shows you put a lot of thought into your essay. If your study of AP biology conflicts with your religious views, write about that and how you reconciled the two. Dig deep to find a topic that’s meaningful.

DO show a slice of your life.

When developing a topic that reveals something new, find a way to frame the story or idea that shows a slice of your life or the event. Be descriptive and give details that appeal to the senses – taste, touch, smell, etc. When writing about a meaningful experience or event, you don’t have to give a long timeline of events. Instead, give the reader the piece of the puzzle that conveys your message. Particularly when you’re feeling stressed for time, it can be helpful to remember that your job isn’t necessarily to tell a full-length story; it’s to focus on something smaller that demonstrates who you are and what you stand for.

DON’T copy and paste.

With upwards of 25 or more essays to write for a balanced college list of 10-12 schools, it’s tempting for students to repurpose essays across applications if the prompts are similar, especially when working down to the wire. While students can use the same main essay on the Common App for multiple schools, we always recommend that students tailor their supplemental essays to the individual colleges. Telling Caltech why you want to attend MIT is a quick way to end up in the “no” pile.

At the end of the day, attempting to repurpose essays isn’t the time-efficient solution either. While it might seem like a quick-fix, you’ll likely spend more time trying to rework an existing piece than you would if you started from scratch. Instead, give each essay a fresh start and set aside time to give every prompt your all.

DO show your knowledge of the college.

When tailoring responses to individual college prompts, it’s important to use specific details you’ve learned through visiting and research. Not only does this show colleges that you’ve have done your homework, but it also demonstrates your interest in the college – and colleges want to admit students who are likely to enroll. Show your knowledge of the college by mentioning specific courses, professors, places of interest, and more. Show how you fit into the campus culture and how you will impact the community through specific examples.

DON’T say what you think the admissions office wants to hear.

So many students think that they “know” what colleges want from an applicant , and this can have a big influence over their essays. Students will overuse the thesaurus and write about strange topics in an effort to impress and stand out. Instead of writing what you think the admissions office wants to read, write about what you want them to know.

Again, the essay is a great space to reveal something new about you, so stand out by being authentic and showing another side of yourself. For students who feel like they’re pressed for time, being genuine is likely also your most efficient strategy. Forget about trying to concoct a version of yourself that you think the admissions office wants to see and let your authentic personality shine through.

DO use your voice.

Using lofty language and complex sentence structure can make you sound sophisticated, but is that really how you speak? Don’t let your voice get lost in the pursuit to impress readers. Instead, write like you speak – keeping in mind that proper grammar and spelling is still important.

DON’T rely only on spellcheck.

Spellcheck won’t catch every spelling or grammatical error! Take the time to read over all your essays carefully and keep an eye out for things like “out” when you meant to say “our” and other common typos. Especially when you’re short on time, it can be easy to overlook spelling and grammar, but it’s always worth the few extra minutes to make sure you have error-free content. To be extra safe, have a parent or counselor read over the essay, too, to catch any errors you might have missed. Spelling and grammar errors can take away from an otherwise stellar essay – so be mindful.

DO double check that you’ve addressed the prompt.

This is one of the most common mistakes that students make . In the pursuit to write the perfect essay, many forget to connect it to the original prompt. While the Common Application prompts for the main essay are general enough to allow students to write about whatever they choose, it still needs to be clear how that essay addresses the prompt. The same applies to school-specific essays. Check and double check that a clear connection is made between the topic of your essay and the question the prompt is asking.

DON’T panic.

Working down to the wire can undoubtedly be stressful. Instead of beating yourself up for not starting sooner or worrying that you won’t be able to finish everything on time, focus on what you can control. Put all of your energy toward your application essays and devote as much time to writing and editing as possible. Keep tabs on every admissions deadline and prioritize what you will work on first accordingly. Create a strategy for completing every essay and stay accountable to the timeline you’ve created.

DO seek feedback when you can.

While it’s imperative that students write their own essays and use their authentic voice, every writer can benefit from a second set of eyes. Your college counselor can provide valuable insight into how to improve your college application essays, so seek feedback on your drafts as soon as possible. School-based counselors have a lot of students to advise and are very busy, so don’t wait!

Essays are an important component in the college application process. While the essay alone won’t gain you admission to your top-choice college, a poorly written one can send you to the “no” pile pretty quickly. Consequently, it’s important to give every essay your all and seek guidance when you need it – especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed leading up to critical deadlines.

If you need additional help with your college application essays, IvyWise offers a number of services designed to help high school seniors with their college applications . Contact us today for more information on our programs for seniors!

KnowledgeBase Resources

The IvyWise KnowlegeBase provides the most current information about the admissions process. Select from the content categories below:

Admission Decisions
Admission Rates
Admissions Interviews
Admissions Trends
Athletic Recruiting
Choosing a College
College Application Tips
College Essay Tips
College Lists
College Majors
College Planning
College Prep
College Visits
Common Application
Course Planning
Demonstrated Interest
Early Decision/Early Action
Executive Functioning
Extracurricular Activities
Financial Aid
Independent Project
International Students
Internships
Law School Admissions
MBA Admissions
Medical School Admissions
Middle School
Outside Reading
Recommendation Letters
Summer Planning
Test Prep Tips
U.K. Admissions

Home » IvyWise KnowledgeBase » IvyWise Resources » All Articles » 10 College Application Essay Dos and Don’ts

The Motivated Ignorance of Trump Supporters

They can’t claim they didn’t know.

Listen to this article

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

O n the morning of August 8, 2022 , 30 FBI agents and two federal prosecutors conducted a court-authorized search of Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, estate. The reason for the search, according to a 38-count indictment , was that after leaving office Trump mishandled classified documents, including some involving sensitive nuclear programs, and then obstructed the government’s efforts to reclaim them.

On the day before the FBI obtained the search warrant, one of the agents on the case sent an email to his bosses, according to The New York Times . “The F.B.I. intends for the execution of the warrant to be handled in a professional, low key manner,” he wrote, “and to be mindful of the optics of the search.” It was, and they were.

Over the course of 10 hours, the Times reported, “there was little drama as [agents] hauled away a trove of boxes containing highly sensitive state secrets in three vans and a rented Ryder box truck.”

On the day of the search, Trump was out of the state. The club at Mar-a-Lago was closed. Agents alerted one of Trump’s lawyers in advance of the search. And before the search, the FBI communicated with the Secret Service “to make sure we could get into Mar-a-Lago with no issues,” according to the testimony of former Assistant FBI Director Steven D’Antuono. It wasn’t a “show of force,” he said. “I was adamant about that, and that was something we all agreed on.”

The search warrant itself included a standard statement from the Department of Justice’s policy on the use of deadly force. There was nothing exceptional about it. But that didn’t prevent Trump or his supporters from claiming that President Joe Biden and federal law-enforcement agents had been involved in a plot to assassinate the former president.

In a fundraising appeal, Trump wrote,

BIDEN’S DOJ WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHOOT ME! It’s just been revealed that Biden’s DOJ was authorized to use DEADLY FORCE for their DESPICABLE raid in Mar-a-Lago. You know they’re just itching to do the unthinkable … Joe Biden was locked & loaded ready to take me out & put my family in danger.

On May 23, Trump publicly claimed that the Department of Justice “authorized the use of ‘deadly force’ in their Illegal, UnConstitutional, and Un-American RAID of Mar-a-Lago, and that would include against our Great Secret Service, who they thought might be ‘in the line of fire.’”

Read: The two-time Trump voters who have had enough

Trump supporters echoed those claims, as he knew they would. Steve Bannon, one of the architects of the MAGA movement, said , “This was an attempted assassination attempt on Donald John Trump or people associated with him. They wanted a gunfight.” Right-wing radio hosts stoked one another’s fury, claiming that there’s nothing Trump critics won’t do to stop him, up to and including attempting to assassinate him and putting the lives of his Secret Service detail in danger.

The statement by Trump went beyond inflaming his supporters; it created a mindset that moved them closer to violence, the very same mindset that led thousands of them to attack the Capitol on January 6 and threaten to hang Vice President Mike Pence. Which is why Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion asking the judge overseeing Trump’s classified-documents case to block him from making public statements that could put law enforcement in danger. “Those deceptive and inflammatory assertions irresponsibly put a target on the backs of the FBI agents involved in this case, as Trump well knows,” he wrote.

M otivated ignorance refers to willfully blinding oneself to facts. It’s choosing not to know. In many cases, for many people, knowing the truth is simply too costly, too psychologically painful, too threatening to their core identity. Nescience is therefore incentivized; people actively decide to remain in a state of ignorance. If they are presented with strong arguments against a position they hold, or compelling evidence that disproves the narrative they embrace, they will reject them. Doing so fends off the psychological distress of the realization that they’ve been lying to themselves and to others.

Motivated ignorance is a widespread phenomenon; most people, to one degree or another, employ it. What matters is the degree to which one embraces it, and the consequences of doing so. In the case of MAGA world, the lies that Trump supporters believe, or say they believe, are obviously untrue and obviously destructive. Since 2016 there’s been a ratchet effect, each conspiracy theory getting more preposterous and more malicious. Things that Trump supporters wouldn’t believe or accept in the past have since become loyalty tests. Election denialism is one example. The claim that Trump is the target of “lawfare,” victim to the weaponization of the justice system, is another.

I have struggled to understand how to view individuals who have not just voted for Trump but who celebrate him, who don’t merely tolerate him but who constantly defend his lawlessness and undisguised cruelty. How should I think about people who, in other domains of their lives, are admirable human beings and yet provide oxygen to his malicious movement? How complicit are people who live in an epistemic hall of mirrors and have sincerely—or half-sincerely—convinced themselves they are on the side of the angels?

Throughout my career I’ve tried to resist the temptation to make unwarranted judgments about the character of people based on their political views. For one thing, it’s quite possible my views on politics are misguided or distorted, so I exercise a degree of humility in assessing the views of others. For another, I know full well that politics forms only a part of our lives, and not the most important part. People can be personally upstanding and still be wrong on politics.

But something has changed for me in the Trump era. I struggle more than I once did to wall off a person’s character from their politics when their politics is binding them to an unusually—and I would say undeniably—destructive person. The lies that MAGA world parrots are so manifestly untrue, and the Trump ethic is so manifestly cruel, that they are difficult to set aside.

If a person insists, despite the overwhelming evidence, that Trump was the target of an assassination plot hatched by Biden and carried out by the FBI, this is more than an intellectual failure; it is a moral failure, and a serious one at that. It’s only reasonable to conclude that such Trump supporters have not made a good-faith effort to understand what is really and truly happening. They are choosing to live within the lie, to invoke the words of the former Czech dissident and playwright Vaclav Havel.

One of the criteria that need to be taken into account in assessing the moral culpability of people is how absurd the lies are that they are espousing; a second is how intentionally they are avoiding evidence that exposes the lies because they are deeply invested in the lie; and a third is is how consequential the lie is.

It’s one thing to embrace a conspiracy theory that is relevant only to you and your tiny corner of the world. It’s an entirely different matter if the falsehood you’re embracing and promoting is venomous, harming others, and eroding cherished principles, promoting violence and subverting American democracy.

I n his book The Bible Told Them So: How Southern Evangelicals Fought to Preserve White Supremacy , J. Russell Hawkins tells the story of a June 1963 gathering of more than 200 religious leaders in the White House. President John F. Kennedy was trying to rally their support for civil-rights legislation.

Among those in attendance was Albert Garner, a Baptist minister from Florida, who told Kennedy that many southern white Christians held “strong moral convictions” on racial integration. It was, according to Garner, “against the will of their Creator.”

“Segregation is a principle of the Old Testament,” Garner said, adding, “Prior to this century neither Christianity nor any denomination of it ever accepted the integration philosophy.”

Two months later, in Hanahan, South Carolina, members of a Southern Baptist church—they described themselves as “Christ centered” and “Bible believing”—voted to take a firm stand against civil-rights legislation.

“The Hanahan Baptists were not alone,” according to Hawkins. “Across the South, white Christians thought the president was flaunting Christian orthodoxy in pursuing his civil rights agenda.” Kennedy “simply could not comprehend the truth Garner was communicating: based on their religious beliefs, southern white Christians thought integration was evil.”

A decade earlier, the Reverend Carey Daniel, pastor of First Baptist Church in West Dallas, Texas, had delivered a sermon titled “ God the Original Segregationist ,” in response to the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education . It became influential within pro-segregationist southern states. Daniel later became president of the Central Texas Division of the Citizens Council of America for Segregation, which asked for a boycott of all businesses, lunch counters included, that served Black patrons. In 1960, Daniel attacked those “trying to destroy the white South by breaking the color line, thus giving aid and comfort to our Communist enemies.”

Now ask yourself this: Did the fierce advocacy on behalf of segregation, and the dehumanization of Black Americans, reflect in any meaningful way on the character of those who advanced such views, even if, say, they volunteered once a month at a homeless shelter and wrote a popular commentary on the Book of Romans? Readers can decide whether MAGA supporters are better or worse than Albert Garner and Carey Daniel. My point is that all of us believe there’s some place on the continuum in which the political choices we make reflect on our character. Some movements are overt and malignant enough that to willingly be a part of them becomes ethically problematic.

Read: The voters who don’t really know Trump

This doesn’t mean those in MAGA world can’t be impressive people in other domains of life, just like critics of Trump may act reprehensibly in their personal lives and at their jobs. I’ve never argued, and I wouldn’t argue today, that politics tells us the most important things about a person’s life. Trump supporters and Trump critics alike can brighten the lives of others, encourage those who are suffering, and demonstrate moments of kindness and grandeur.

I understand, too, if their moral convictions keep them from voting for Joe Biden.

But it would be an affectation for me, at least, to pretend that in this particular circumstance otherwise good people, in joining the MAGA movement, in actively advocating on its behalf, and in planning to cast a vote for Trump, haven’t—given all we know—done something grievously wrong.

Some of them are cynical and know better; others are blind to the cultlike world to which they belong. Still others have convinced themselves that Trump, although flawed, is the best of bad options. It’s a “binary choice,” they say, and so they have talked themselves into supporting arguably the most comprehensively corrupt man in the history of American politics, certainly in presidential politics.

Whichever justification applies, they are giving not just their vote but their allegiance to a man and movement that have done great harm to our country and its ideals, and which seek to inflict even deeper wounds in the years ahead. Many of them are self-proclaimed evangelicals and fundamentalists, and they are also doing inestimable damage to the Christian faith they claim is central to their lives. That collaboration needs to be named. A generation from now, and probably sooner, it will be obvious to everyone that Trump supporters can’t claim they didn’t know.

Supported by

Surgeon General Calls for Warning Labels on Social Media Platforms

Dr. Vivek Murthy said he would urge Congress to require a warning that social media use can harm teenagers’ mental health.

Share full article

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy speaking and holding a microphone. He is wearing a dark blue military jacket.

By Ellen Barry and Cecilia Kang

The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, announced on Monday that he would push for a warning label on social media platforms advising parents that using the platforms might damage adolescents’ mental health.

Warning labels — like those that appear on tobacco and alcohol products — are one of the most powerful tools available to the nation’s top health official, but Dr. Murthy cannot unilaterally require them; the action requires approval by Congress.

The proposal builds on several years of escalating warnings from the surgeon general. In a May 2023 advisory, he recommended that parents immediately set limits on phone use, and urged Congress to swiftly develop health and safety standards for technology platforms.

He also called on tech companies to make changes: to share internal data on the health impact of their products; to allow independent safety audits; and restrict features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scroll, which he says “prey on developing brains and contribute to excessive use.”

In an interview, Dr. Murthy said he had been deeply frustrated by the platforms’ reluctance to do so.

“I don’t think we can solely rely on the hope that the platforms can fix this problem on their own,” he said. “They’ve had 20 years.”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

Want all of The Times? Subscribe .

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Add accounts
Import passwords
Back up accounts
Restore accounts
Troubleshooting
Entra authentication for IT admins
What is two-step or multi-factor authentication?
Signing in with a passkey
Passkeys for Windows
Passkeys for IT admins

Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator

You can resolve problems with Microsoft Authenticator by checking the tips in this article and reviewing some of the known errors.

If you're using mobile data, try switching to Wi-Fi and vice-versa. Make sure Airplane mode is off.

Make sure you're using the latest version of Authenticator - Microsoft does not support any app versions more than 12 months old. Tap Settings and make sure App updates is turned on. Get the latest .

Tap Settings and select Turn off battery optimization for better sync performance.

Tap  Settings  > Notification Settings  and make sure  Show notifications is turned on.

Make sure your device is up to date, and that any other security apps (such as Microsoft Defender and Intune Company Portal) are also up to date. Make sure the device's  Date & time  are correct too.

If you're using VPN, try disconnecting to see if the issue persists.

Select the headings below to see more information.

Microsoft Authenticator account tile gray and inactive

Microsoft Authenticator acts as a secure repository for your account credentials to help you authenticate and access various applications conveniently.

Authenticator may list inactive accounts that are created by other applications that use Authenticator for single sign-on support. These inactive accounts don't need any management and can be safely ignored.

Microsoft Authenticator sign-in denied

Authenticator will deny authentications where there is a discrepancy between GPS-reported locations.

Microsoft Authenticator notifications show an incorrect address or location

Authenticator push notifications can include your location to provide better sign-in security. The app uses your phone's operating system to provide the location, and in some cases, may show an incorrect or approximate address.

Microsoft Authenticator notifications always expired

Authenticator requires your mobile device clock to accurately report your local time. If your device clock is set to manual, reconfigure your system clock to automatic. After updating your clock, restart your device and make sure the new time is set correctly.

No Microsoft Authenticator notifications when the app is closed

If you're getting notifications, but not an alert, even with your ringer on, you should check your app settings. Make sure the app is turned on to use sound or to vibrate for notifications. If you don't get notifications at all, you should check the following conditions:

Is your phone in Do Not Disturb or Quiet mode? These modes can prevent apps from sending notifications.

Can you get notifications from other apps? If not, it could be a problem with the network connections on your phone, or the notifications channel from Android or Apple. You can try to resolve your network connections through your phone settings. You might need to talk to your service provider to help with the Android or Apple notifications channel.

Can you get notifications for some accounts on the app, but not others? If yes, remove the problematic account from your app, add it again allowing notifications, and see if that fixes the problem.

Error message "Enable push notifications to receive alerts"

Go to your device's Settings and make sure push notifications are enabled and you have network connectivity. You can also remove your account and attempt the sign-in again. If you are still not able to add your account, please contact Support for personal accounts or reach out to your IT admin for work/school accounts.

Error message "Google Play services are currently unavailable on this device"

In order to use Authenticator on Android for your work or school account, push notifications for the app must be enabled and Google Play Services and the Google Play Store must be downloaded and enabled.

If you still have trouble, check these settings:

Make sure the device requires a PIN or biometric to unlock. Try to re-enable faceID or fingerprint in the device settings and restart the device. Use the faceID or fingerprint to unlock the device after restart, then try to re-enable passwordless for the account in Microsoft Authenticator.

If you are using Android for Work or Work Profile, make sure the PIN or biometric is enabled for the profile in Microsoft Authenticator.

Make sure the device has hardware encryption enabled. For steps to enable hardware encryption, see Encrypt your Android device .

Make sure the device is registered. Open Authenticator > Settings > Device Registration. Make sure the account is registered for passwordless and is joined to you work or school. Sign-in with this account on the device registration page, then try enabling passwordless for the account.

Check that your phone is not running any malware like a rootkit for example.

If you are still not able to add your account, please contact Support or reach out to your IT admin.

Error message "Please ensure push notifications are enabled in Settings"

Error message "the account you're trying to add is not valid at this time".

Please contact Support for personal accounts or reach out to your IT admin for work/school accounts.

Error message "Sorry, only part of the set up completed successfully"

If you are using Android for Work or Work Profile, make sure the PIN or biometric is enabled for the profile in Microsoft Authenticator.

Make sure the device has hardware encryption enabled. For steps to enable hardware encryption, see Encrypt your Android device .

Make sure the device is registered. Open Authenticator > Settings > Device Registration. Make sure the account is registered for passwordless and is joined to your work or school. Sign-in with this account on the device registration page, then try enabling passwordless for the account.

Check that your phone is not running any malware like a rootkit for example.

Error message "We could not complete the sign-in at this time."

Go to Settings and make sure push notifications are enabled and you have network connectivity. You can also remove your account and attempt the sign in again. If you are still not able to add your account, please contact Support or reach out to your IT admin.

Troubleshooting password import and export

The most common cause of failed imports is incorrect formatting in the CSV file. One of the following steps could help you troubleshoot the issue.

If we don’t currently support importing the format of your password manager, try creating your CSV file manually using the steps in Export by creating a CSV , above.

Ensure that the first row of your exported CSV contains a header with three columns: URL , username , and password , and ensure that each row contains a value in the URL and password columns.

If nothing else works, please report your issue using the Send Feedback link from Authenticator settings.

Need more help?

If you tried all of these steps and are still having issues, we recommend sending your log files for diagnostics. Open the app, go to the app’s top-level menu, and then select Send feedback .

After that, contact Support or go to the Microsoft Authenticator app forum and explain the problem you're seeing and the steps you tried.

After that, reach out to your IT admin.

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

IMAGES

Thesis Writing Format with Example and Rules
How to pick an essay topic?
Dos and Don’ts in Writing an Essay
Write an Excellent Summary Essay
Formal Essay Writing Dos and Don’ts for More Confidence!
Do's and don'ts of essay writing : UPSC CSE

VIDEO

Difference Between Don't And Can't, Didn't And Couldn't (Learn English Speaking with Easy formula)
COLIN, DON'T USE THE PUPPET 😱🤣 COLIN JOST #shorts
I don't believe I can't catch you this time
Указание на отсутствие обязательства в конструкциях (needn't, don't need/have to, haven't got to)
АНГЛИЙСКИЙ УЧУ УЧИТЬ. don't и doesn't в Present Simple. Как сделать отрицательное предложение
"I am not able to make sentences in English

COMMENTS

Using contracted forms ("don't", "let's") in a formal text
If you find that "don't" is more natural than "do not," use "don't." Don't fall prey to traditionalists. Share. Improve this answer. Follow edited Jan 19, 2012 at 3:42. waldyrious. 417 3 3 gold badges 8 8 silver badges 16 16 bronze badges. answered Mar 13, 2011 at 16:55.
Words and Phrases to Avoid in Academic Writing
It is also more formal than the ways in which we normally speak. The following words and phrases are considered too informal for a dissertation or academic paper. Taboo. Example. Alternative. A bit. The interviews were a bit difficult to schedule. The interviews were (difficult/somewhat difficult) to schedule. A lot of, a couple of.
When to Use (and Not Use) Contractions
Contractions, which are words in which some letters or sounds are omitted (e.g., don't for do not ), are common in speech and informal usage but generally avoided in formal writing. Examples. Informal: We don't know what happened. Formal: We do not have sufficient information yet to form a hypothesis. Contractions in informal vs. formal usage.
164 Phrases You Should Never Use in an Essay—and the ...
Don't be tempted to write an essay that is stuffed with pompous, complex language: It is possible to be smart and simple. Bookmark this list now and return to it when you are editing your essays. Keep an eye out for the words you shouldn't use in an essay, and you'll write academic papers that are more concise, powerful, and readable. ...
Using Contractions in Formal Writing: Acceptable or Not?
When To Use Contractions. Using contractions in formal writing is permissible as it can help the writing seem more natural; however, writers are advised to use discretion. Contractions are acceptable in formal writing under these circumstances: - When using a direct quote from an individual. - When using an idiom that already contains a ...
Are contractions like "didn't" forbidden in written English?
(b) your teacher knows deep down that contractions are used in writing, but they're taking a practical stance of "teaching a simplistic rule that won't lose you marks in an exam"-- I don't know what language exams are like in Singapore, but if they're anything like they are in the UK, it wouldn't be the first time that an exam tests against a ...
Can I use contractions like 'don't' in a college essay, or is that too
The use of contractions in college essays isn't a strict taboo. In fact, if contractions will make your essay sound more natural and conversational, they can actually be a plus. While the college essay is a formal piece of writing, you don't want it to sound too academic, as that may make admissions officers lose focus.
DOs & DON'Ts
The following is a chart that supplies the standard DOs and DON'Ts of academic writing at university. Some of these points may vary depending on the writing style and the departmental guidelines. Always check for style guides before starting the writing process to ensure that there are no additional style requirements or variations in preference.
Grammar Do's, Don't of College Application Essays
Don't Use Contractions, Slang or Cliches Avoid contractions like "don't," "it's" and "they're" in your essay because they will give your writing an informal feel. Instead, separate and ...
Should I Use "I"?
Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs. Don't begin a sentence with "and" or "because.". Never include personal opinion. Never use "I" in essays. We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds.
Top Ten Do/Don't Tips for Writing in MLA Format
Additionally, writing within certain guidelines takes time and practice, so don't be surprised if your student feels frustrated by the many rules of MLA format that can often feel unnecessary. Writing well according to any format is, after all, an arduous process within an ever-changing language. Danielle Nettleton. Curriculum Editor
PDF Five Things NOT to do in an Essay
1. Fail to address the question's topic in your introduction. The test of a good introduction is whether someone can guess what the essay question is just from reading it. If not, the introduction has failed. Therefore, a good introduction briefly sets out what the topic is and what your position is regarding the question.
How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim. Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim) Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives. The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don't have to use these specific ...
How To Avoid Using "We," "You," And "I" in an Essay
Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective. One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like "we," "you," and "I.". These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker - the opposite of your goal.
Breaking Writing Rules Right: "Don't Use 'Was'"
Use to-be verbs in deeper points in viewpoint penetration. The deeper you get into your character's viewpoint, the more it resembles dialogue (but with one person--the character's self). Don't be afraid to use to-be verbs. In fact, you should. As I noted in my article on viewpoint penetration, humans think in "telling" sentences. The character ...
Using "I" in Academic Writing
Using "I" in Academic Writing. by Michael Kandel. Traditionally, some fields have frowned on the use of the first-person singular in an academic essay and others have encouraged that use, and both the frowning and the encouraging persist today—and there are good reasons for both positions (see "Should I"). I recommend that you not ...
Using First Person in an Academic Essay: When is It Okay?
Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person ("I," "we," "my," "us," and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course. By now, you've probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that ...
Getting College Essay Help: Important Do's and Don'ts
Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College) Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head.
8 Types of Words Not to Use in an Essay (And Why You Shouldn't)
Words such as "can't" and "mustn't" should not appear in your academic paper, even in the case where you have to write a persuasive essay in your own voice. You should write the words in full instead. 2. Personal Pronouns. Personal pronouns are okay for college admissions essays, persuasive essay writing, and opinion essays but bad ...
Using You in Academic Writing
The use of second person can be confusing, awkward, and off-putting in academic writing, so it's best to avoid the pronouns "you" and "your.". A good way to ensure such pronouns don't appear in your paper is to read your work slowly aloud. Mark each "you" or "your" you find and revise accordingly. With a little practice ...
word choice
8. It's to avoid writing in the second person. When you refer to someone with the phrase 'you', you act as if you are speaking to them. However, when one uses the word "one", it is as if one is speaking in general terms, not refering to any specified individual. It isn't a hard rule that every use of 'you' is writing in the second-person, but ...
10 College Application Essay Dos and Don'ts
DON'T copy and paste. With upwards of 25 or more essays to write for a balanced college list of 10-12 schools, it's tempting for students to repurpose essays across applications if the prompts are similar, especially when working down to the wire. While students can use the same main essay on the Common App for multiple schools, we always ...
The Motivated Ignorance of Trump Supporters
Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration. On the morning of August 8, 2022, 30 FBI agents and two federal prosecutors conducted a court-authorized search of Mar-a-Lago ...
Welcome to Copilot on Windows
You can resize, move, and use Snap Assist with Copilot, just like you can with other Windows apps. You can use Alt + Tab to switch focus between Copilot and other open apps. If you need to close Copilot, just select the Close button at the top like you would for any other app. When you reopen Copilot, it opens exactly how you left it with your ...
Gov. Little's statement on progress toward proving water certainty in
The progress made this week shows the plan can work this year. However, as Director Weaver said, the approved mitigation plans are showing their age; the most recent is nearly a decade old, and there are better ways to do things in the future. I have always believed Idahoans should control their own destiny, and I strongly encourage all water ...
Surgeon General Calls for Warning Labels on Social Media Platforms
Dr. Vivek Murthy said he would urge Congress to require a warning that social media use can harm teenagers' mental health. By Ellen Barry and Cecilia Kang The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek ...
TEA Releases 2024 STAAR End-of-Course Assessment Results
Parents of High School Students Can Access Their Child's STAAR EOC Scores Beginning Today, Including Detailed Information and Resources AUSTIN, TX - June 7, 2024 --The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today released the spring 2024 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) End-of-Course (EOC) assessment results. These results, a key measure of student performance and ...
Moving from Official SAT Practice to Official Digital SAT Prep on Khan
If you or your students use Official SAT Practice this year to prepare for an SAT administration date in 2023, we recommend printing or screenshotting any data from the Official SAT Practice that you wish to retain into 2024 (Khan Academy district administrator partners can also download this data). Between now and December 31, 2023 all users ...
Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator
If we don't currently support importing the format of your password manager, try creating your CSV file manually using the steps in Export by creating a CSV, above. Ensure that the first row of your exported CSV contains a header with three columns: URL , username , and password , and ensure that each row contains a value in the URL and ...
Why Republicans Don't Abandon 'Felon' Trump
Why Republicans Don't Abandon 'Felon' Trump. They see the Democrats' political use of the justice system as a more serious threat to democracy. By . Michael W. McConnell.

When to Use (and Not Use) Contractions

In informal writing

In formal texts

In negative questions

Share this article

164 Phrases and words You Should Never Use in an Essay—and the Powerful Alternatives you Should

Vague and Weak Words

Why You Shouldn’t Use VAGUE Words in Essays

VAGUE Words and Phrases You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay

Flabby Words and Expressions

Why Should Flabby Words be Removed from an Essay?

Flabby Words and Expressions You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay

Words to Avoid in an Essay: Redundant Words

Why You Shouldn’t Use Redundant Words in Essays

Redundant Words and Phrases You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay

Colloquial Expressions and Grammar Expletives

What are Grammar Expletives?

Why Should Colloquial Expressions and Grammar Expletives be Removed from an Essay?

Words and Phrases You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay

Nominalization

Should normalization be Removed from an Essay?

normalization You Shouldn’t Use in an Essay

GrammarMill

Using Contractions in Formal Writing: Acceptable or Not?

The History of Contractions

Using Contractions in Formal Writing at a Glance

When To Use Contractions

When Not To Use Contractions

Final Thoughts on Contractions in Formal Writing

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Calculate for all schools

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

Use of cookies

DOs & DON'Ts

Should I Use “I”?

Expectations about academic writing

Effective uses of “I”:

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Personal experience in academic writing

Top Ten Do/Don’t Tips for Writing in MLA Format

Don’t forget the info tag.

Do hyphenate adjectives with multiple words.

Don’t hesitate to check your work.

Explore More Popular Posts

Welcome to Our New Blog

Improving the Homeschool Writing Experience

Try Before You Buy

Writing Courses

Literature Courses

Other Services

Have a language expert improve your writing

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Table of contents

Argumentative writing at college level

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Toulmin arguments

Rogerian arguments

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Cite this Scribbr article

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

Utilize Passive Voice

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Be Specific With Word Choice

Closing Thoughts

Sign Up for Quetext Today!

You May Also Like

How to Use AI to Enhance Your Storytelling Process

Essential Comma Rules for Business Emails

How to Write Polished, Professional Emails With AI

A Safer Learning Environment: The Impact of AI Detection on School Security

Rethinking Academic Integrity Policies in the AI Era

Jargon Phrases to Avoid in Business Writing