Question marks and exclamation marks

Many students are reluctant to use question marks, but these are common and proper in academic writing. Indeed, sharp questions are one of the best ways to infuse prose with a bit of energy and to focus the reader's attention on a key point:

　　How might this anomaly be explained?

　　Does Beatrice's decision make sense?

　　Do our beliefs affect our work? To what extent do metaphysical reflections, religious faith, or scientific dogma influence the science, as distinct from the weekend thought, of scientists? It would be nice to think that nothing would influence a scientist's search for the objective facts. Reality often says otherwise. . . .

　　Brian L. Silver, The Ascent of Science （New York: Oxford University Press, 1998）, 103.

　　Exclamation marks, on the other hand, should be avoided except in the rarest of occasions, as for instance in the New York Times headline of August 15, 1945:"Japan Surrenders, End of War!" If you're reporting the end of a world war, feel free to use an exclamation mark. Otherwise, resist the temptation. As Lewis Thomas notes, exclamation marks tend to backfire.