Mechanics
32 Paper Format
When you hand in a paper for any of your courses, probably the first thing you will be judged on is its format. It is important, then, that you do certain things to make your papers look attractive, neat, and easy to read.
Here are guidelines to follow in preparing a paper for an instructor:
1 Use full-size theme or typewriter paper, 81⁄2 by 11 inches.
2 Leave wide margins (1 to 11⁄2 inches) on all four sides of each page. In particular, do not crowd the right-hand or bottom margin. The white space makes your paper more readable; also, the instructor has room for comments.
3 If you write by hand:
a Use a pen with blue or black ink (not a pencil).
b Be careful not to overlap letters or to make decorative loops on letters. On narrow-ruled paper, write only on every other line.
c Make all your letters distinct. Pay special attention to a, e, i, o, and u—five letters that people sometimes write illegibly.
d Keep your capital letters clearly distinct from small letters. You may even want to print all the capital letters.
e Make commas, periods, and other punctuation marks firm and clear. Leave a slight space after each period.
4 Center the title of your paper on the first line of page 1. Do not put quotation marks around the title, do not underline it, and do not put a period after it. Capitalize all the major words in a title, including the first word. Short connecting words within a title like of, for, the, in, and to are not capitalized. Skip a line between the title and the first line of your text.
5 Indent the first line of each paragraph about five spaces (half an inch) from the left-hand margin.
6 When you type or word-process, use double-spacing between lines. Also double-space after a period.
7 Whenever possible, avoid breaking (hyphenating) words at the end of lines. If you must break a word, break only between syllables (see page 501). Do not break words of one syllable.
8 Write your name, the date, and the course number where your instructor asks for them.
Also keep in mind these important points about the title and first sentence of your paper:
9 The title should simply be several words that tell what the paper is about. It should usually not be a complete sentence. For example, if you are writing a paper about one of the most frustrating jobs you have ever had, the title could be just “A Frustrating Job.”
10 Do not rely on the title to help explain the first sentence of your paper. The first sentence must be independent of the title. For instance, if the title of your paper is “A Frustrating Job,” the first sentence should not be “It was working as a baby-sitter.” Rather, the first sentence might be “Working as a baby-sitter was the most frustrating job I ever had.”
Activity 1
Identify the mistakes in format in the following lines from a student theme. Explain the corrections in the spaces provided. One correction is provided as an example.
“an unpleasant dining companion”
My little brother is often an unpleasant dining companion. Last
night was typical. For one thing, his appearance was disgusting.
His shoes were not tied, and his shirt was unbuttoned and han-
ging out of his pants, which he had forgotten to zip up. Traces
of his afternoon snack of grape juice and chocolate cookies were
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Activity 2
As already stated, a title should tell in several words (but not a complete sentence) what a paper is about. Often a title can be based on the topic sentence—the sentence that expresses the main idea of the paper. Following are five topic sentences from student papers. Write a suitable and specific title for each paper, basing the title on the topic sentence. (Note the example.)
Example
Learning how to compromise is essential to a good relationship.
1. Title:
Some houseplants are dangerous to children and pets.
2. Title:
A number of fears haunted me when I was a child.
3. Title:
You don't have to be a professional to take good photographs if you keep a few guidelines in mind.
4. Title:
My husband is compulsively neat.
5. Title:
There are a number of drawbacks to having a roommate.
Activity 3
As has already been stated, you must not rely on the title to help explain your first sentence. In four of the five sentences that follow, the writer has, inappropriately, used the title to help explain the first sentence.
Rewrite these four sentences so that they stand independent of the title. Write Correct under the one sentence that is independent of the title.
Example Title: My Career Plans
First sentence: They have changed in the last six months.
Rewritten:
1. Title: Contending with Dogs
First sentence: This is the main problem in my work as a mail carrier.
Rewritten :
2. Title: Study Skills
First sentence: They are necessary if a person is to do well in college.
Rewritten :
3. Title: Summer Vacation
First sentence: Contrary to popular belief, a summer vacation can be the most miserable experience of the year.
Rewritten :
4. Title: My Wife and the Sunday Newspaper
First sentence: My wife has a peculiar way of reading it.
Rewritten :
5. Title: Cell Phones
First sentence: Many motorists have learned the hard way just how dangerous these handy tools can be.
Rewritten :
Review Test
In the space provided, rewrite the following sentences from a student paper. Correct the mistakes in format.
“disciplining our children”
My husband and I are becoming experts in disciplining our child-
ren. We have certain rules that we insist upon, and if there are
any violations, we are swift to act. When our son simply doesn't
do what he is told to do, he must write that particular action
twenty times. For example, if he doesn't brush his teeth, he
writes, “I must brush my teeth.” If a child gets home after the