Writing Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:

The following criteria are intended to help junior high students write essays that follow general and consistent guidelines.

FORMAT GUIDE

All paragraphs and essays must include…

• brainstorming (web cluster, thinking map)

• a handwritten rough draft on white, standard loose-leaf notebook paper without spiral edges

• several revisions with self-editing and peer-editing in red (or colored) pen.

(All peer-editors must sign their first and last name on the bottom of the last page. Include a positively worded CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENT.)

FORMAT:

• Write neatly in blue/black ink pen (revisions only).

• Write or type on one side of the paper only.

• FINAL DRAFT typed on standard white 8 ¹/₂ x 11-inch typing paper (margins set at 1" all around).

• TYPED FORMAT: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced

• Include a standard MLA heading and formatting requirements.

All paragraphs should…

• be indented (whenever there is a change in speaker [dialogue] or a change in idea or action)

• be written in Standard American English

• have a beginning, a middle, and an end

• consist of complete sentences (no fragments or run-ons)

A well-written paper has…

• a clearly stated main idea

• details and examples to thoroughly develop and support the main idea

• a clear and unified presentation of the information

• a logical sequence or organization of ideas, including an introduction, a body, and a conclusion

• smooth transitions from one idea to the next

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STYLE GUIDE:

Avoid using 1^st person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, myself, we, us, our, ourselves) and 2^nd person pronouns (you, your, yours, yourself) unless instructed to do so.

The title of a paper should have each important word capitalized. Do not put quotations around the title or underline it. Underline or italicize only titles of books, plays, magazines, CDs, and other whole works by other writers.

Use a dictionary if even slightly unsure of a word's spelling.

Use only generally accepted abbreviations, such as A.M., P.M., Mrs., or Dr.

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MAJOR ERRORS:

• Sentence Fragments

• Run-ons

  • Comma Splices (_____________, _____________)

  • Fused Sentences (____________ ______________)

• Vague Pronoun Reference

• Passive Voice (Taught in Q4 - 7Honors responsible)

  • No-No Formula: Form of "be" + Past Participle (Make the subject ACTIVE!)

• Inconsistent Verb Shifts

• Contractions (Taught the 1st week of school)

• THESIS STATEMENT (Must be included in the INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH of every 5-paragraph essay!)

• Do not use “i” for the subject pronoun “I”.

• NO "TEXT-TYPING"!!!!!

  • ("ur" = first 2 letters in "urine" or "uranium"... This is NOT how you write "your"!)

• Do not use "impt." for important, "w/" for with, or "b/c" for because.

• Do not use "etc." or "&."

• Avoid No-No Words: (We will add to this list.)

  • thing

  • stuff

  • a lot

  • very

  • okay/OK

  • good

  • kind of/sort of (kinda/sorta)

  • CONTRACTIONS

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GENERAL ADVICE:

• Use numbers and numerals correctly.

• Use the dictionary to divide words properly between their syllables.

• CANNOT is always one word.

• A LOT is always two words.

• HISSELF, THEIRSELVES, IRREGARDLESS, and ALRIGHT are not words. Use “himself”, “themselves”, “regardless”, and “all right”.

• Do not use contractions in a formal paper.

• Do not write "The End" at the end of your paper or begin with “this paper will tell you about.”