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Formatting Notes for Class Papers

· Title your work.
· Include your name, my name (Professor Moskos), and the class number and section.
· There is no need for a separate cover sheet.
· Use a normal font in normal size (Times New Roman 12 is preferred).
· Use a single column.
· Use black ink.
· Double space your paper (see exception for long quotes below). Reading responses may
be 1.5 spacing.
· Margins should be 1.25 inches.
· Left justify your text for even character spacing.
· Use page numbers from the second page on.
· Staple your paper.
· Quotes longer than 3 lines of text (in your paper) should be preceded by a colon, single
spaced, indented, be of a smaller font size, and should not be in quotation marks (see
example below).
· References in the text should include the author’s last name and the year of
publication (see examples below).
· A complete citation for all references should be included at the end of the paper. Use any
standard academic form for your citations.
· A list of references should be alphabetized by author’s last name and should include, as
appropriate: the author’s name, the publication year, the article’s name and/or the title of the book or journal, relevant pages numbers, and the place and name of the publisher (for a book) or the volume and
date (for a journal).

10 General Rules for Writing

1. Grammar matters. Write well. You'll seem smarter.
2. Title your work. Don't forget your name. Use page numbers.
3. Think of your reader: have a point, be interestingm, and don't ramble. If you clearly state your overall point in your title, the first sentence, or the first paragraph, it will be easier for readers to follow you.
4. Use the active voice. Strong verbs strengthen writing. Avoid passive verbs; avoid the verb "to be."
5. Don't write in the 1st person, at least not in academic writing.
6. Use short and complete sentences: subject, verb, object, period. Next sentence, please.
7. One thought, one paragraph. Every sentence in a paragraph relates to the same concept. Paragraphs should never be a page long.
8. Short is good; long is bad. Edit. Be concise. Can you cut anything? If a word doesn't add anything, cut it. If a sentence doesn't add anything, cut it. Don't say in five words what you can say in two. Rewrite to shorten, clarify, and enliven.
9. Print your writing out before you proofread. Proofreading on a screen is hard. Have other people edit and proofread your work. It's much harder for you to catch your own errors. Remember: it's easy to downgrade a mistake-filled paper. Right before you turn in your paper, read and edit your work one more time. You will find mistakes. Correct these mistakes by hand.
10. Have time. A good but unfortunate rule of thumb: one page equals one day. On a good day -- and every day is not a good day -- I can write 1,000 words. I doubt you can do better. Do not start a paper the day before your deadline. Writing is never a one-day project.

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Copyright Peter Moskos 2012-current year