An exclamation mark can be defined as the type of punctuation that goes at the end of a sentence. It looks like a period with a vertical life over it. It is best explained as an abrupt excited utterance or an n exclamatory rhetorical device. As an academic writer, you do not have to use too many exclamation points; in fact, there will no need for them as the teachers will not be happy if they see emotionally charged words or symbols in a research paper. However, on the other hand, with ever-changing standards and the type of assignments you are given to work on, there might be some places where the use of exclamation might is appropriate and even required.
There are a few cases when you will have to end a sentence with this punctuation mark. As the definition and boundaries of academic writing have expanded, creating writing has become a key part of it and this might be the only place where you can use exclamation marks to help readers understand what you are trying to say. This article discusses the do’s and don’ts for using exclamation marks in assignment writing and helps you understand when and how to use them for adding more meaning and impact to your content.
Don’ts:
- Whether you are writing a brief review or a comprehensive research paper, every formal text must contain a neutral tone of voice and punctuation. An exclamation point is a convenient method of conveying emotions in writing, particularly in fiction. But academic texts require us to stay impartial and put forward the research as it has been conducted and its results. That means you should keep your vocabulary formal and end sentences with a full stop.
- Academic writing is highly formal which is why you do not use exclamation points because they will signify either a rhetorical question or statement or affect the readers’ judgment that you will not want as it will ruin all the efforts you have making to come up with objective and independent arguments and methodologies you have used.
- Even if you are writing an assignment on religion or gender, it is better to avoid using exclamation as there can be a lot of emotions involved with these topics and you do not want to give rise to any heated debate, siding with one.
Do’s:
- Exclamation marks can be used in a quote to help the readers understand what meaning the writer wants them to derive. If you are writing an essay in English literature and quoting Shakespeare, you can place plenty of exclamation points and they will not be considered offensive. At this point, it does not matter what you are quoting, it is the source text that contains exclamation marks; you will have to put them in your assignment too, even if it is appearing in a formal piece of writing.
- The use of this emotionally charged punctuation in academic writing is completely justified if it is not your own words that it is accentuating. When you are using quotes, you are just trying to accurately repeat or convey what has already by stated by the author.
- It is important to remember that if you are analyzing scholarly articles or doing a review of academic literature, you should keep it format and avoid using exclamation marks, leaving them for opinion essays or other types of creative work. While you might be tempted to use them for highlighting several important sentences, you need to remember that the review must remain impartial and neutral, and adding an exclamation point might change the way people take the results.
- If the assignment requires your personal opinion, thoughts, and ideas, you can use an exclamation mark to connect with the readers to let them see what you believe. It is best to consult your teacher and ask about possible stylistic restrictions to work on the assignment. With a style guide, learn the dos and don’ts of using an exclamation mark and align your writing to help readers understand what you are trying to say.