Proper Paper Format
(Under Construction - not agreed upon)
Students must submit papers following a simple set of guidelines.
1. Paper - Use standard-sized (8 ½ x 11 inch) notebook
paper for handwritten classwork. Avoid using spiral notebook
paper unless as part of a diary or journal. And use
standard-sized (8 ½ x 11 inch), 20-pound (standard), white,
multi-purpose or photocopy or typing paper for printed work.
2. Margins - Top, bottom, and side margins shall be 1", no more,
no less. Your teacher may choose to use the space for comments.
3. Typeface Size - Use a 12 point typeface. Smaller
typefaces are tiring for your teacher to read. Larger typefaces
suggest that you are trying to make a small amount of work look larger,
drawing more attention to the work’s inadequacies.
4. Typeface Style - Use a standard typeface with serifs like the
one used in this document. These typefaces have names like Book,
Times, Roman, 20th Century, etc. Serifs are the small lines at
the ends of the parts that make up each letter. Avoid stylized
type faces, script, ultra-bold, light, etc. When reading hundreds
of papers, these typefaces create fatigue in the reader.
5. Heading - Your heading must be placed on your paper. The
heading must include your first and last name, your
class/period/instructor, and the date. The information makes
returning a lost paper easy. It should look like this:
Elmer Fudd
English II, P3, Mr. Aristotle
September 1, 2007
6. Line Spacing - Most handwritten work should be single-spaced
unless directed otherwise. All printed work must be
double-spaced; this allows your teacher to place comments between the
lines.
7. Paragraphing - Each paragraph must have its first word
indented 5 spaces. Do not insert empty lines between
paragraphs. In single-spaced business letters and advertising,
paragraphs may not have the first word indented; the paragraphs are
identified with an empty line between the paragraphs. Do not use
this style in your English class.
8. Integration of Quotations - All quotations must be placed
within quotation marks. Every quotation must be integrated into
one of your sentences: a quotation must not stand by itself as its own
sentence.
9. Cover Sheet and Rubric - Many teachers will ask you to include
an assignment cover sheet and blank rubric when you submit your
paper. Proper heading information must appear on both the cover
sheet and the rubric.
10. Drafts - Save all drafts of your paper. In particular,
save drafts on which you or others have made suggestions or
corrections. The drafts are a record of your process and may help
you illustrate your effort on a composition.
11. Printer Problems / Computer Problems - If you have a problem
with your printer or computer, you must solve the problem before the
paper is due. “My printer isn’t working” will not be an
acceptable excuse. Make sure you back-up all work onto media
other than your hard drive so that you will have a copy when your hard
drive crashes. When you have a computer malfunction or when your
friend or your teacher loses your paper, you will have a back-up copy
which you can use. Your Turnitin.com copy is also a back-up.
12. Turnitin.com - All writing significant writing assignments
will be submitted to Turnitin.com. If you have trouble using the
web-site, make a copy of the assignment on alternate media, and try to
submit the assignment again from another computer. Turnitin.com
does a good job of checking to see if any part of your work has been
written by someone else. Microsoft Works format (not Microsoft
Word) is
incompatible with most every other word processing program.
Microsoft Word = .doc and Microsoft Works = .wps.
13. All work shall be placed in your student portfolio after it
has been reviewed by you and your parents/family/tutor/mentor.