Common Errors

MLA errors Extra spacing everywhere! No extra spaces between paragraphs No extra spaces between heading and title, or title and first paragraph TIMES NEW ROMAN: A few people did not use the correct font in the heading, but did in their paper Heading: Write out the date Honors American Literature Page number (top right) Left hand side of page MLA errors

Works Cited errors Many did not put the title (Works Cited) Forgot page number and/or did not continue page number from essay Some did a regular indent instead of a hanging indent Incorrectly formatted (I looked at punctuation placement as well) Did not double space Times New Roman font as well. Works Cited errors

LEAD IN TO EVERY QUOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Many forgot the colon in their sentence lead ins, thus making is appear that the quote DID NOT have a lead in. Blended lead ins: need to change pronouns/tense to fit your sentence. It needs to make sense when you read it. Also, do not put comma before the lead in portion UNLESS it is a comma in your sentence. And do not capitalize the first word in your blended lead in UNLESS it is a proper noun. Cite authors’ last names in parentheses at the end of the sentence. The period comes after the parentheses, not inside the quotation marks Lead ins and citations

Grammar/style errors Please avoid contractions Numbers under 10 you need to write out. Biggest comma mistake: putting the comma right after the conjunction, not before. INCORRECT: She went to the prom but, she went to homecoming first. CORRECT: She went to the prom, but she went to homecoming first. DO NOT USE I, ME OR MY IN YOUR PAPER!!!!!!!!! “This supports my thesis because….” “I believe that….” “To me this shows…” Grammar/style errors

Clear claim!! This is the last sentence of your body paragraph. Introduce the information in your article before you quote from it; the reader (me) needs context. Explain and connect to your theme Conclude properly: many ended their body paragraph on a quote or an idea Content