We all want our writing to have impact but realizing that goal is difficult. Prompting specific responses from readers takes savvy and the know-how to wield grammatical tools. This Writer’s Craft addresses the skill of varying emphasis in academic writing through five grammatical tools: italics, bold, dashes, parentheses, and scare quotes. It describes each of these tools, and illustrates when and how to use them effectively.

In the writer’s craft section we offer simple tips to improve your writing in one of three areas: Energy, Clarity and Persuasiveness. Each entry focuses on a key writing feature or strategy, illustrates how it commonly goes wrong, teaches the grammatical underpinnings necessary to understand it and offers suggestions to wield it effectively. We encourage readers to share comments on or suggestions for this section on Twitter, using the hashtag: #how’syourwriting?