Common Writing Error Symbols and Abbreviations
Courses taught by Jane Baas
Writing resource:  MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed.

New idea which requires starting a new paragraph.

#

Space needed between words.

R.O.

Run-on sentence.  Need to divide ideas into two or more complete sentences.

Inc.  

Incomplete sentence.  Typically, subject or verb is missing.

Cite

This statement is not an original thought and source must be cited.

Agmt.

Subject (plural or singular) does not agree with verb.

V.T.S.

Verb tense shifts.  The verb tense should remain the same within a single paragraph in most cases.

Title

Titles of shorter works which are part of longer works should appear in quotation marks.  Titles of full length works should be bolded, underlined OR italicized.  Use one method for setting off titles within a single paper.

CAP

Inappropriate use of or lack of capitalization.

Punc.

Incorrect use or absence of punctuation.

Prep.

Avoid ending sentences in prepositions in formal writing.

Sl.

Avoid use of slang in formal writing.

Sp.

Spelling error.

W.C.

Poor  or inaccurate word choice

AWK

Awkward or unclear phrasing

 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Jane Baas
Professor and Dance Academic Advisor
Department of Dance
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5417

Office: (269) 387-5845
Fax: (269) 387-5820
jane.baas@wmich.edu