Bethany Qualls's Study - Assignment Example

Formality in academic writing is a vital aspect. An academic paper should be free of slang and informal words including contractions (Beard 474). Qualls’ essay satisfies the standards of formality in academic writings. It is free of informal words and contractions. Besides formality, a clear statement of a writer’s point of view is imperative. While stating the point of view, writers avoid using second-person pronouns. Instead, third-person pronouns are best applicable with the exceptions of instances when first-person pronouns use is justified. Qualls’ essay is appropriate in expressing views using third-person pronouns and, in some instances, the first person.

Although Qualls’ essay conforms to the standards of a formal and well-written academic paper, there are notable points that demand improvement. In some instances, Qualls does not use direct and succinct statements. Sentences appear vague, long, or complicated and, therefore, unclear. An example is the use of shortened words in Qualls’ essay. The sentence, “I wasn’t enthusiastic about his visit,” contains a shortened word. Instead of using “wasn’t,” Qualls should use “was not.”