Guidelines to Formal Writing
1) Always use the correct MLA format for headings, quotes, margins, etc. Failure to use correct MLA formatting will negatively affect the essay’s organization score.
2) Always coherently introduce and conclude formal written work. Failure to add clarity to the controlling idea and conclusion of any paragraph or essay will negatively affect the written work’s organization score.
3) When writing about literature, always write in the present tense. Failure to abide this rule will negatively affect the essay’s word choice score.
4) Always use active voice in formal writing. Let the subject do the action; do not let the action be done to the subject of any sentence. Failure to follow this rule will negatively affect the essay’s sentence fluency score.
5) Always write without the use of second person pronouns (you, your, yours) when writing formal paragraphs or essays. Failure to follow this rule will be cause for an essay or paragraph to be rewritten.
6) Always write without the use of first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our) when writing formal paragraphs or essays. Failure to follow this rule will be cause for an essay or paragraph to be rewritten.
7) Always write without the use of contractions (don’t, wouldn’t, won’t, could’ve) when writing formal paragraphs or essays. Failure to follow this rule will be cause for an essay or paragraph to be rewritten.
8) When writing a formal essay or paragraph, do not end sentences with prepositions. Failure to follow this rule will result in a lower sentence fluency score.
9) When writing a formal essay or paragraph, make sure that all pronouns agree with their antecedents in number. Failure to follow this rule will negatively affect the sentence fluency score of the formally written work.
10) A formal writing assignment in this class is not considered complete until the full process of the writing assignment is completed: brainstorm, outline, peer edited rough draft, teacher edited rough draft, and final draft.