Narrative or Voice

Whenever possible, write using third-person omniscient academic narrative. That is, don’t use: I, me, my, you, your, we, us, one’s or our, to make your point.

 Besides, the omniscient narrative makes it sound like you know what you’re talking about. "In Paradise Lost, Milton demonstrates that predestination robs virtue of its meaning," sounds way better than: "I think that in Paradise Lost, Milton is trying to say that virtue cannot exist unless one has the freedom to make one’s own choices." If you don’t understand, Google it, then go to the university library’s website and read an academic article.

You shouldn't use contractions in academic writing.  This quiz will prepare you for the rigors of knowing when to say "they are coming", as opposed to being totally tacky and accidentally saying, "there coming."

http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/their_vs_there_vs_theyre_1.asp


Besides, you should bookmark the Grammar Blue Book, too.  You'll be using it for four years.