What to “Fix” in your Graduation Project Papers Or, how to make the papers even better!

Enough papers had these errors that it makes sense for all of us to learn what to do Your job will be to go back to your paper and correct any of these errors that you find. You will want to look the following problems in your copy of your rough draft. FIX THEM NOW!

Let’s start with numbers What you have: The phrase “housing market shift in 2 years” “73 percent” vs. 73% 32 years 1920’s What you should have: “housing market shift in two years” Either is okay, as long as you are consistent-- do it the same way all the way through Thirty-two years (spell out numbers with one or two words), except in %! 1920s (no apostrophe)

Do Not Use Contractions! In other words, don’t is “do not” Won’t is “will not” Can’t is “cannot” Isn’t is “is not” Didn’t is “did not” When in doubt, spell it out!

Next, the paper is FORMAL Which means it is in “third person,” so there should be no “I” “me” “my” “we” “us” “our” Instead, try to write without the pronoun, or, use “one” or “a person” or “someone”

Also, avoid sentences with “you” (which is 2nd person). Instead, write, “When a person is addicted to hot chocolate, he never knows when to stop drinking it” For example, don’t say “When you are addicted to hot chocolate, you never know when to stop drinking it”

With in-text citations, put the period AFTER the end parentheses. WHAT With in-text citations, put the period AFTER the end parentheses. WHAT? Do like this: blah blah (Smith).

Were you asleep? More than a few of you DID NOT INCLUDE IN-TEXT CITATIONS. That means you need to go back into your paper NOW! TODAY! and start inserting sources into your paper. If you don’t include in-text citations, your paper can be failed by the readers. Please, just do it!

Here’s another challenge: Let’s say you have a great article, and in that article, the writer quotes another person. For example, in an article by Susan Smith, she quotes Bob Jones. How do you indicate that in your in-text citation? There are two ways: 1– write: Susan Smith quotes Bob Jones as saying, “ . . . “ and do a regular citation (Smith) Or, 2– write: Bob Jones says, “ . . . “ and

Continued . . . In the in-text citation, put, (qtd. in Smith). This way, your reader knows that Smith quoted Jones, and will not look for a Jones on the Works Cited page. Remember, you have easybib.com & the YouTube tutorials to help you!!!

A basic typing rule concerns spaces after end punctuation. You know, “ A basic typing rule concerns spaces after end punctuation. You know, “.” “?” and “!” You need to put two spaces after the end punctuation before you start the next sentence. Just like I did here.

The format monkey insists: Your margins must be one inch (1”). Pay attention to bottom margins! Word will automatically move you on to the next page, you don’t have to do it yourself. Demonstrate by opening word and showing how to do this!!!!

The format monkey also requires that everything in your paper be typed in Times New Roman (TNR) 12 point font. Or Arial 12. This does not mean a “12.5” setting for the size and style of the words. It means size 12 in the specific style of Times New Roman, which is the font of this slide! Even the Works Cited page!

And what about spacing?

Let us go back to our sample document and try again . . . Go back to word and show how everything must look!

Everything needs to be at “0” Go to “Page layout” Make sure numbers that show in “indent” and “spacing” are ALL “0” and nothing else! 3. Then, click the little arrow below those areas for “paragraph” and make sure “double” is selected and then hit “default” And now, save your document!

Are you creating a “hard” end line? If your spacing still looks wrong, then make sure you are not hitting the enter key at the end of each line. You aren’t on a typewriter. Word wraps.

Lastly, we need to talk about the “hanging indent” required on the works cited page. The hanging indent is the last step to do once you have the page set up!

Your Works Cited page should look like the one in the book, page 1373 Any entry over one line should have what is called a “hanging indent” A hanging indent is easily created if you follow these steps: Arrange all entries on your page correctly, that is, alphabetical by author’s last name or by title of article/web page. Highlight the first entry that is more than two lines.

Hanging Indents, continued 3. Go to the “page layout” tab, and select the small arrow to open the “paragraph” dialog box. 4. Leaving everything else the same, go to the “indent” section, and change the “none” drop down to “hanging.” 5. Automatically, a 0.5 pops up in the box to the right. That’s fine. 6. Now hit the okay button. 7. You’ve now converted your entry into the correct format for “hanging indents.” 8. Do the same for each subsequent entry.

Of course, if you used easybib. com, this isn’t a problem Of course, if you used easybib.com, this isn’t a problem. When you create the citation in easybib, just copy and paste it onto your works cited page. It will already have a hanging indent. Just make sure the font is correct.

Go ahead and make these changes NOW! Don’t look so surprised! Don’t wait around until the last minute. Some of you will have more substantial changes to make to your papers. Read my comments carefully & see me if you have questions!

And don’t forget your primary source! Write, call, email, or interview someone, or find an unedited documentary or interview online and include important information from it in your paper!

I am very proud of all of you!!! But We Are Not Finished Yet . . . Just Remember: The FINAL Draft is due soon! Don’t hang around, get busy!!!