1. Formatting your essay

2. Add a heading In the UPPER LEFT corner – DOUBLE SPACED Name Teacher
Class
Date (should be written as 21 December 2016)
** This should only be on the first page.
NOTE: This is NOT written as a heading (in the heading section)!

3. Add a header In the UPPER RIGHT corner (Insert – page number)
Last Name Page Number
Cryderman 1
** This should be on every page

4. Appearance
Double space the entire text of essay (ctrl+2 OR doublespace icon on toolbar OR format+spacing)
Choose a plain font (like Arial or Times New Roman)
The entire essay is size 12—no bigger, no smaller – EVEN THE TITLE
Make sure you have standard margins

5. Format your title Centered Capitalize important words Not bolded
Not underlined
No wordart
Same font and size as the rest of the essay

6. Authors and Titles Titles of novels are italicized NOT underlined
Check spelling of novel (Pudd’nhead Wilson), author (Mark Twain), and character names

7. Introduction Attention getter Starts broad Mentions title and author
- Mark Twain
- Pudd’nhead Wilson
Clear thesis statement – last sentence of introduction (subject + specific opinion you want to prove in your paper)

8. Check topic sentences
Make sure you have used key words from thesis in topic sentences.
Make sure you do not have any examples or quotations in your topic sentences.
Make sure they state the purpose of the entire paragraph.

9. Body Paragraphs Topic Sentence Concluding Sentence
Supports for topic (facts, events, quotes)
Quotations connect to topic and are supported (introduced & explained) –NO FLOATING QUOTES

10. Quotations
Check for floating quotes—a quotation must be PART of a sentence. Part of the sentence must be YOUR words.
Cite your quote: (#)
Period goes AFTER closing parentheses.
John reveals Abigail’s intentions when he tells the court “she thinks
Your own words part of quote
to dance with me on my wife’s grave” (Miller 110).
part of quote citation with page number
Explain your quote – new insight

11. Conclusion Restates the thesis differently than introduction
Brings closure to the essay – Ends broad
No new topics

12. Check for run-ons and fragments
Start at the end
Read each sentence separately—listen for sentence structure problems
Work backward through the essay

13. No “I” or “You” Words (Except in Quotes)
Click the “Find” function under the home tab
Type “I”
Check “find whole words only”
Click “Find Next”
Any time you have the word I, replace it or rewrite the sentence
Repeat the above steps for “you”

14. Homonym check Check for words you tend to misuse
10th grade non-negotiables
Common offenders:
Then/than
Effect/affect
Their/there/they’re

15. Turnitin.com Wednesday at midnight ID: 14248009 ID:14248016
Submit your paper to turnitin.com by
Wednesday at midnight
3rd Hour 5th Hour
ID: ID:
PW: LA103 PW:LA105