Zotero

Do you write research papers with more than three references? If so, you probably use or need software that manages your bibliography (or, as we call it in APA style, your reference list).

There is a free software package called Zotero. To quote the Zotero.org web page,

"Zotero (zoh TAIR oh) is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. It lives right where you do your work—in the web browser itself. Zotero requires Firefox 2.0 or 3.0, Netscape Navigator 9.0, or Flock 0.9.1 for Windows, Mac, or Linux."

It might be worth trying.

If It's Removable, Put It Between Commas

A bank official replied to a prospective client, and with the reply enclosed an annual report.  Unfortunately, the official wrote this sentence:

I am enclosing an annual report that shows we are debt-free.

The dependent clause "that shows we are debt-free" is not separated by a comma.  That lack of separation implies that the clause is essential to describe which annual report is being sent. Are there others? Those reports may tell a different financial story!

Conclusion: if the descriptive word(s) are removable (redundant), then use a comma or a pair of commas to set them apart from the sentence.  To imply the bank's integrity, the bank official could have written this sentence:

I am enclosing an annual report, which shows we are debt-free.

Personally, I would have gone on to make the sentence even more precise:

I am enclosing our latest annual report, which shows that we are debt-free.

Unnecessary Colons

A colon announces that something--a series, a restatement, or an explanatory equivalent--will follow and end the sentence. However, do not use a colon when the final word itself implies that something will follow.

Wrong - The Valeria Line is carried in: department stores, men's stores, and on Valeria's own Web site.

Right - The Valeria line is carried in department stores, men's stores, and on Valeria's own Web site.

Wrong - The two files were: created separately, named differently, but backed up on the same hard disk.

Right - The two files were created separately, named differently, but backed up on the same hard disk.