Spelling rules are guidelines that help us consistently spell words correctly in the English language.
English spelling can be thorny, so there are exceptions to every rule. But these are some common spelling rules you can usually count on and how to break them the right way in order to avoid spelling mistakes.
Continue reading: 7 Important Spelling Rules (And How to Break Them Correctly)
Patchwork plagiarism is when a writer copies information from other writers and rearranges it without properly citing each source. It’s also known as mosaic plagiarism.
Patchwork plagiarism is not as straightforward as complete plagiarism, which involves stealing an entire document. It can include direct plagiarism, or copying whole paragraphs, sentences, or phrases.
However, it’s a bit more insidious because the writer often creates a harlequin composition that includes their own writing style as well.
Of all the diverse types of plagiarism, patchwork plagiarism can be one of the easiest to commit and one of the hardest to spot. Once you know what you’re looking for, however, you’ll be able to avoid it completely.
Continue reading: What Is Patchwork Plagiarism?
Is ChatGPT plagiarism free? It’s designed not to plagiarize, but it may draw from other writers’ work in a way that may be plagiarism or that may be perceived as plagiarism.
You can use ChatGPT and still create original writing by fact-checking, citing, and editing carefully while relying on it as an assistant, not a substitute writer.
Continue reading: ChatGPT and Plagiarism: Academic Authenticity
Proper capitalization is all about specificity and signaling the start of a new thought.
Nearly every grammar rule in English can be broken at certain times or in certain ways. Styles diverge when the rules are more like suggestions and there’s more than one right way.
The capitalization rules below are nearly unbreakable, but the style choices depend on who you’re writing for.
Continue reading: The Ultimate Guide to Capitalization Rules
What are the top words to avoid in academic writing? To communicate credibly, clearly, and concisely, replace words and phrases that are too casual, too ambiguous, or too verbose.
Unlike some other types of writing, academic writing comes with certain restrictions because it’s meant to accomplish specific goals. Academic writers aim to share information and make arguments in a way that other scholars will clearly understand.
Using the wrong words is one of the most common academic writing mistakes. To achieve the goals above, choose words and phrases that help readers take your writing seriously, understand your meaning, and stay with you until the end.
Continue reading: 3 Types of Words and Phrases to Avoid in Academic Writing
Most people know what a bibliography is—a list of sources at the end of a document. But what does it mean for it to be annotated? An annotated bibliography is a list of sources along with the compiler’s comments on each one.
Each reference gives complete citation information for the source and includes a single-paragraph comment, also called an annotation, at the end.
Continue reading: What Is an Annotated Bibliography? Purpose, Types, and Format
Disinterested means you have nothing to gain, but uninterested means you just don’t care.
The difference between the prefixes in these words is relatively subtle, so it might seem like you could use them interchangeably. However, these words are commonly confused and cannot be used in place of one another.
Continue reading: Disinterested vs Uninterested: Examples & Meaning
Whose or who’s, which should you use? Since these two words look and sound similar but have different meanings, care is key. You don’t want to confuse your readers or look uneducated by making a basic error.
Whose shows that something belongs to someone, while who’s means “who is.”
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker provides a dependable way to double-check your work, but it’s still smart to learn the how and when of using who’s and whose. Read on to do just that.
Continue reading: Whose vs. Who’s: Meaning and How to Use Them
Prewriting is the first stage of the writing process, and using effective prewriting strategies will set you up for success from start to finish.
Continue reading: Prewriting Strategies: How to Get Started on Your Writing
Numerous writers struggle to tell the difference between apart and a part because they sound alike—they’re homophones. However, they’re nearly opposites, and you can learn to use them correctly by reading this post.
Continue reading: Apart vs. a Part: What’s the Difference?