Style: Use MLA style format and documentation. Spacing counts, so set up
your computer to the proper spacing. Make sure you use black ink
Only and 12 pt. font. Do not wait until the last minute to send
your paper.
Length: You need 7-10 doubled spaced typed pages. Do not print on the
back of the page. Your Works Cited page does not count as one of
the7-10 pages.
Audience: It is uninformed/neutral.
Sources: You need at least five sources. Only two can be credible internet
sources. Journals and other publications reached through the
internet do not count as internet sources, so you can use them. Be
sure to use the sources you critiqued/analyzed for paper #3.
DO NOT USE WIKEPEIDA AS A SOURCE
Outline: While it isn’t required, an outline is a great way to organize your paper.
Format: Be sure to consult your text to see the proper format. Even
though I have mentioned this on other papers, some of you continue to
make mistakes in format. There are examples in the text. Use
them as models.
Requirements: You will turn in your paper, resources, and works cited page .
____Length: Your paper must be 7-10 pages plus the Works Cited pages.
____Number of sources: You need a minimum of five.
____MLA format: This includes spacing, headers, font, documentation etc.
____Audience: It is made up of uninformed, neutral readers. You are the conveyor of
knowledge. That means you must define terms, fill in the blanks,
let your reader know why he/she should care about the issue. Do not
use personal pronouns or put in personal comments.
____Purpose: It is to explain your position and to defend it by backing it up with
others’ research (facts, statistics, expert opinion, etc.).
____Title: This should be in your own words and should be specific and
informative. Do not boldface or underline the title.
____Thesis: Your thesis should be a statement not a question. It should present what side
you are on and should include the points you are going to cover in your paper. It
should be broad enough to cover the points, but not narrowed so much that you
cannot write an effective paper on it.. A thesis should not include any personal
pronouns. Do not write a controlling purpose statement thinking it is a thesis. A
controlling statement of purpose would be: In this paper, I am going to prove why
experimentation on animals is cruel and unnecessary. This is not a thesis. A broad
version of a thesis statement on this subject would be : Animal experimentation is
cruel and unnecessary. This is too broad and does not show where the focus of the
paper will be. A more narrowed and effective thesis would be: The practice of
animal experimentation by cosmetic companies should be abolished because it is
cruel to the animals and because there are other ways to conduct the research
without harming animals. Notice that the last statement limits it to just
experimentation in the cosmetic fields, and it also shows what issues are going to be
the focus of the paper (i.e.: the cruelty and the other methods that can be used).
___ Incorporation of research material: Use of quotations, summaries and paraphrase
blend logically into the surrounding sentences. Don’t overuse quotes. Be sure that
you tie the information together with observations and conclusions throughout the
paper without the use of direct personal opinion or personal pronouns.
____Documentation of sources: This is very important. You can’t just attach a Works
Cited page and think that you aren’t plagiarizing. You must give credit throughout
the paper by using proper parenthetical citations. Don’t be lazy. Your text shows you
how to cite within the document.
___Unity, coherence, emphasis: Your ideas should be organized in a logical order. Vary
the beginnings of sentences. Don’t ramble. Use transitions to make the paper flow
together.
___Mechanics: Proofread your paper several times to catch typos, grammatical errors,
punctuation errors etc.
