The Essay Checklist
q Title Paper has a snappy title drawn from within the text
q Title Center and bold title on first page only (no
underline or quotes)
q Title Capitalize all important words in title (especially
first and last)
q Hook Catch their attention
with the title and keep it with the hook – be interesting or die trying!
q Spacing Double space only (no 1.5 or triple)
q Margins 1”
on top and bottom; 1.25” on the left and right
q Indent Indent first line of each paragraph one TAB
q Spelling & Grammar In the “Tools
Options” menu, correct the spelling and grammar check to peruse at the
highest-level possible.
q Page Numbers Insert page numbers at bottom center
q Heading Name, Due Date, Class single-spaced
in the top, right-hand corner. Like
this:
John
Doe
26
October 2003
Second
Period
q Parenthesis Avoid parenthesis.
Insert all information directly into sentences.
q Abbreviations Avoid all
abbreviations, symbols such as & and contractions.
q Numbers Spell out all numbers three
syllables or under, i.e. “seven,” not 7, but definitely 4,865.32.
q Tone Do not write as you
converse. Be formal. Use professional, academic language. Do not use slang or vague verbs, i.e. “get.”
q Avoid “you” Formal writing uses the third person form of
address. The word you or any
form of it should never appear, nor should it be implied. Use, instead, words like person, people,
one, mankind, and humanity.
q Avoid Repetition Avoid using the same term more than once every three
sentences.
q Semi-Colons Each side of a semi-colon must be a
sentence in its own right.
q Avoid “I think” Be confident enough in your writing to state your
own mind without qualifying; I know it is what you think because it is your
paper.
q Avoid Passive Avoid the passive tense. Instead of, “Black is worn by many students”, say, “Many students
wear black”.
q Tense Never time travel
between past and present tense. Pick
one and stay with it. (Present tense is
better!)
q General Be constant in everything you
do. If you bold page numbers, bold them
all. If you italicize book titles,
italicize them throughout the paper. If
you underline book titles, underline them all. Be constant everywhere.
If you are not sure how to do something, at least do it the same
throughout.
q Ink Be sure you print
your paper in black ink only.
q Paper Be sure you print your paper on white paper only.
q Font Use twelve-point
Times New Roman font.
q Formatting Do not use CAPitalization, italics,
underlines, or bolding to make your point. Reserve word processing functions for
titles, etc.
q Cover Do not put a cover
sheet on your paper unless specifically requested!
q Quotations Indent long quotations and passages
of over three sentences or fifty words.
Do not single space quotations!
q Quotations Insert elipses anywhere you omit material in
a quote. Proper format is dot-space-dot-space-dot-space,
or . . .
q Quote Integration Integrate quotes into sentences. Avoid simply “chunking” them in. Instead, make a quote sandwich: explain the
quote, give the quote, and then explain why you chose to use it.
q Citations Credit must be cited for the source of your
information. Failing to give credit
when quoting is plagiarism, a serious form of cheating, resulting in a zero on
the assignment and a notation on your permanent record. You must cite all sources correctly or
paraphrase and cite!
q Citations Be sure you are using the correct
form for your citations:
space-paren.-author-space-page-paren.
It looks like this: (Smith 98)
q
Bibliography Be
sure your bibliography is in the same size and font style as your paper. Delete your name from your bibliography!
q Brackets When quoting from your sources, if
it is necessary to insert a name or different word to make the quote clear, use
[brackets] instead of parenthesis.