Avoid using contractions. Break up the word to get a more academic tone. Do not, instead of Don't. Cannot instead of Can't, etc.
Don't ask questions. Make statements instead. Questions come across as though you're not sure what to write, we call it "hedging".
Watch your capitalization. If you are unsure as to whether something should be capitalized or not, Google is a great resource.
NO USING FIRST OR SECOND PERSON. Try to leave yourself out of your essays from here on out. Instead of sayin "I think coffee is good." Say "Coffee is good." I know that's what you think...you're the one who wrote it. Write as if you are a reporter. Don't address the audience. Instead of saying "you cannot expect someone to..." say "one cannot expect another person to..."
NO TEXTING LANGUAGE. K? Be professional in your writing. This is a type of code-switching and it's important to practice.
DO NOT DO YOUR WORK ON YOUR PHONE! This usually guarantees lots of errors with grammar and formatting.
Support your claims with sources. If it's common knowledge, you don't have to cite it. But anything that isn't considered common knowledge, you need to cite. For example "Donald Trump is the president" is common knowledge. "Donald Trump is a Gemini" is not common knowledge.
Formatting does matter, so check out the MLA sample paper I posted for another glance at what your essay should look like. There are great resources available for this too. The tutoring center, Purdue Owl, and David Taylor on Youtube are some of my favorites for helping you master MLA.
RESOURCE YOURSELF! You already use technology to help you know how to cook, get directions, find restaurants, build something...well, don't stop there! Use it to help you with school too. This is just working smart!