English 1301
Angelina College
Mr. Hall
30 January 1649
MLA Format for Essay Writing
An essay for this class
must be typed and double-spaced on plain white paper whose dimensions are 8 1/2
x 11 inches. The preferred type is Bookman
Old Style, Times New Roman, Verdana or something similar; the pitch is 12. Please observe that there are no extra spaces
between any parts of an essay, and that the title is centered and the important
words in the title are capitalized; nothing is set in a different size or
font. Set one-inch margins all around;
most word-processing programs default to this.
Insert a header and set it to type automatically your last name and the page
number in the upper right-hand corner.
If you do not know how to do this, find any eighteen-year-old named Ryan
to show you. Staple your paper at the
upper left-hand corner on the diagonal so that when your beloved instructor
reads your brilliant work the pages fold back neatly.
Grammar, spelling,
syntax, and structure are important; your final draft must demonstrate almost
perfect control. Remember to indent five
spaces for the beginning of each paragraph, and to hit the space bar twice
after every end stop. Paragraphs in
university-level writing tend to be longer and more complex than those in high
school writing, but are still based on a single idea. Sentences, too, are longer and more complex,
but still must be controlled. Learn to
use semi-colons to join independent clauses; semi-colons really impress
instructors; I don't know why. Joining
two independent sentences with just a comma is an error called a comma splice,
this sentence is an example of a comma splice.
In this class you may enjoy substantial assistance with page setup,
grammar, spelling, syntax, and structure; indeed, I prefer that you work
together on these matters and help each other learn.
Your content must be
free of cliches', unsupported allegations, the shoddy, the second-hand, and the
second-rate. On your first draft don't
try to be fancy; just write a simple, straightforward narrative. Once you are satisfied that your essay
communicates clearly and effectively you may then add adjectives and adverbs to
make a good essay even better. Do not
write in CBS-speak – no “boots on the ground,” “crossed a red line,” or
"trees snapped like matchsticks."
Write the subject, not your feelings about the subject.
I am reasonably sure
that I have forgotten something; we'll sort it out as we go along. Welcome to English 1301, and, if this is your
first college class ever, welcome to one of life's more pleasant adventures.
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