The True Meaning

Where does the phrase, "Saved by the Bell," come from? Is it based off of a hit teen tv show in the early 90's? Does it refer to a boxer being saved from a knockout? Or does it refer to the morbid manner that corpses saved themselves from being buried alive?

These options are the subject of a great debate igniting the internet (see www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/311000.html). It is impossible to tell what the correct origin of the phrase is. Therefore, some of the meaning is lost.

In writing academic papers, the true meaning must be clear. The last thing that an academic writer wants is for the professor or other readers to have to guess at the intended meaning of a sentence or paragraph. Even if the meaning is implied and the reader will eventually come to the right information through context, this momentary confusion obstructs the flow and charm of the paper.

Therefore, the following three guidelines should be kept in mind: 1) What is clear in the author's mind may not be clear to the reader; 2) Make sure that pronouns refer back to subjects within the same sentence or at least the sentence before; and 3) Err on the side of being too clear. With these guidelines, writers can ensure that they accurately get their point across to the reader.