Commonly Misused Words
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Affect-Effect.
"Affect" is usually used as a verb that means to influence. "Effect" is most commonly used as a noun to mean the result or outcome.
Consensus. : "Consensus" means a collective opinion. It is redundant to use the phrase "consensus of opiniion".
Criterion-Criteria. : "Criterion" is singular; "criteria" is plural. Other related pairs of words are: medium-media, datum-data and spectrum-spectra.
Imply-Infer. : If an author "implies" something about the paper, something is suggested but not explicitly stated. If a reader "infers" something about a paper, something is understood ewven though it was not explicitly stated.
Only. : When using the word "only", place it directly in front of the word it is intended to modify.
Principal-Principle. : A rule or truth is a "principle". "Principal" is a noun or adjective meaning chief or leading.
Unique. : There is only one of a "unique" thing. Do not use the phrases "most unique", "very unique" or "rather unique". Use the words "unusual", "uncommon" or "rare" in place of unique in these phrases.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commonly Misused Abbreviations
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
e.g., : exempli gratias, for example - Use commas before and after it appears in a sentence. Use periods after each letter.
et al. : et alli, and others - Since "et" is a complete latin word, do not use a period after it. The second word is abbreviated so a period must follow it.
i.e,. id est, that is - Use commas before and after it appears in a sentence. Use periods after each letter.
viz. : videlicet, namely - Also set this off with commas before and after. Use a period at the end of the word.
