Writing Tips

If you haven't had much experience with written English, or you want to check your grammar, I'd recommend finding a copy of The Little, Brown Handbook (Amazon link). I've compiled a list of common errors and examples here, however, to help you avoid the most common pitfalls as you prepare your paper. This list is in no way exhaustive, and should not serve as a substitute for a good book on writing and the help of a more experienced writer.

Punctuation

    1. Comma usage can be very complicated and, if done incorrectly, can easily confuse or discourage a reader. Chapters have been written on comma usage. That being said, here are a few thoughts on commas:

      • Commas can be used for inserting parenthetical expressions: "Plasmons may, and likely will, revolutionize life as we know it."

      • A comma should be inserted before a conjunction to link two complete sentences. If there is a phrase before or after a conjunction that is not a complete sentence, do not use a comma:

        • Incorrect: "I spent a really long time writing my paper today, and took a nap."

        • Correct: "I spent a really long time writing my paper today and took a nap."

        • Correct: "I spent a really long time writing my paper today, so I took a nap."

      • A comma should be inserted after an introductory word at the beginning of a sentence. When similar words are used in the middle of a sentence, a comma should be inserted before and after the word:

        • "Interestingly, dark plasmon modes cannot be identified in extinction spectra because they are not dipole active."

        • "Bright plasmon modes, however, result in large peaks because they have strong dipole moments."

Mechanics

    1. Capitalize only words that must be capitalized. You must capitalize the first word in a sentence, words in titles, proper nouns (people, places, and things), proper adjectives (e.g. Shakespearean), days of the week, events, trade names, etc. However, unless there is a specific rule dictating that a word is capitalized, it should be lower case. Example: "plasmon," not "Plasmon."

Formatting

    1. When using superscript references, be sure to put them after commas and periods and before colons:

      • As shown in my previous work,14 plasmons are very useful.23

      • A nanoshell plasmon can be modeled by18:

    2. Make sure your equations are centered and properly labeled with right-aligned sequential numbers in parenthesis.

    3. In general, it is a good idea to put an extra line of space before headings for new sections and before and after figures. Good use of white space will help the reader more easily understand how your paper is organized.