Formal Writing Guidelines

1. Do not use contractions in formal writing. a. Can’t = cannot or can not c. Couldn’t = could not b. Won’t = will not d. Shouldn’t = should not

2. Do not begin sentences with it, and, but, so or a vague pronoun (like “this”).

3. Do not use personal pronouns like I, me, we, you, yours, us, etc. They should be removed from formal writing. When you want to use a pronoun like “you”, try these substitutes: a. Example: You should not use plastic bags since they are bad for the environment. b. The fix: People should not use plastic bags since they are bad for the environment. c. Example: You might wonder what happens to all of those plastic bags. d. The fix: One might wonder what happens to all of those plastic bags. e. Example: I think that people should not use plastic bags. f. The fix: People should not use plastic bags.

4. Do not include “chatty” language that might appear in an email, text message, or social media post. Slang, symbols, and abbreviations cannot be used. Don’t use idioms since they tend to be very informal. Examples would be: a. & = and e. lol – laugh out loud b. w/ = with f. One bad apple spoils the bunch. c. w/out = without g. “you know?” d. b/c = because h. “as you know”

5. Avoid asking questions in formal writing since they often lead to use of personal pronouns (I, me, we, etc.)

6. Do not use exclamation points in formal writing.

7. Have a clear thesis statement. Do not support both sides of an issue.

8. Paragraphs in formal writing have: a. A topic sentence of some kind b. Several detail sentences c. A concluding or transitional sentence

9. Do not overuse direct quotes and paraphrased material.

10. Use the following guide for mechanics in a formal paper (unless the direction of the assignment tell you to do something else): a. Double space your paragraphs. b. Do not have gaps between paragraphs. c. Have one space after commas and periods. d. Press the “Tab” button to indent each new paragraph. e. Left justify the body of your paper. f. Have one-inch margins all around the paper. g. If spell check is making suggestions in your paper, check them out and then correct them.