Reminders for submitting papers to Dr. K Or, “Gain yourself a few points by remembering these tips…”

Why should you bother? On average, students lose between 8-12 points per paper on these items. That can move a 91 paper down to a 79—two full letter grades. Careful preparation is a signal to your reader of thoughtful preparation. It gives you credibility which carries over to the reader’s opinion of your writing.

Format Must be in MLA style Use New MLA style from link on class calendar Don’t forget the header “Lastname #” (use the “header” function in Word!) Normal margins (1-1.25”, 12 pt Times or 10 pt Arial) Turn the correct draft into Turnitin.com. I grade what you give me!

Easy, points-adding tips: Does your paper include everything the assignment calls for? For instance, if it says “You must have at least two quotes from the reading in your paper,” have you done that? It only takes a minute to review the assignment and double-check.

Did you run your spell-check, and then proofread behind it Did you run your spell-check, and then proofread behind it? (Use the exercise from WA ch. 19 as a guide!) This prevents mistakes like substituting “preform” for “perform” or leaving crucial word or leters out. Give your brain time to flush out before you do the manual proofreading—at least half an hour. Use a blank sheet of paper to cover all but the line you’re proofreading—this makes you slow down and catch more problems

Did you double-check your MLA forms? Remember that those periods, spaces, commas, and colon all count. Remember that there’s a difference between the form you cut and paste from InfoTrac or similar databases and the actual up-to-date MLA form. The online handout or the NEW 2nd edition of PH have the best section on forms, including those for Facebook, etc.

Submission Turn in by deadline unless you’re taking an extension.* Take your extension wisely. You only get ONE. Submit to www.turnitin.com using class ID # and password I’ve given you *See syllabus for conditions.

If you’ve done all this Upload your paper to www.turnitin.com and keep the e-mailed receipt in case of problems Go on your way rejoicing