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Full-Text Articles in Legal Writing and Research
Pronoun References: Part Ii-A Case For Pronouns, K.K. Duvivier
Pronoun References: Part Ii-A Case For Pronouns, K.K. Duvivier
Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship
Pronouns can be efficient writing tools: they save space and provide variation. Without them, we would repeat the original noun continually each time we referenced it.
Pronoun References: Part I-When No Substitute Will Do, K.K. Duvivier
Pronoun References: Part I-When No Substitute Will Do, K.K. Duvivier
Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship
In our writing we know who is who and what is what, but we often fail to let our readers know. Readers follow easily if we give them specific information. A pronoun can be a good substitute for specific information, but to avoid confusion, a pronoun must clearly refer back to its antecedent-the word or words for which it substitutes.
Gender Neutral Ii, K.K. Duvivier
Gender Neutral Ii, K.K. Duvivier
Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship
Continuation of article above including discussions of personal pronouns, use of "they," and sex-neutral terms.
Gender Neutral, K.K. Duvivier
Gender Neutral, K.K. Duvivier
Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship
Regardless of your preference, you should be aware that the use of "he" as a universal gender pronoun now is controversial, and your reader probably will follow only one of two very divergent ideologies. Therefore, fall back on a primary rule of persuasive writing: avoid any words or structures that alienate your rader or distract from your message.