General Rules for Writing Papers

1. Readability
   1. If I do not specifically request that the paper be a computer printout, then it may be handwritten.
   2. If it is handwritten it must be legible if the student wishes to receive full credit for the assignment.
   3. If your printer is printing badly, I may not be able to read the text. Please assure readable printing. (I am not concerned with small defects in the print.)
   4. Feel free to use recycled paper to hand in class work. It must be clear though, what side of the paper I am to be grading.
2. Paper Style
   1. Any computer printout must follow these guidelines:
   2. Font size will be 12 to 14 point or larger if the student has a reading disability. I prefer Times or Times New Roman. I do not want to read Helvetica or Arial.
   3. If I do not explicitly require a title page or cover, then I do not want one at all.
   4. Every paper turned in will have these elements: 1.) Student name; 2.) Course title; 3.) Date paper is due; 4.) Assignment name.
   5. Margins will be 1.25 inches all around and type will be double spaced. This is to allow adequate room for corrections and comments.
3. Paper Length
   1. If papers are assigned with word lengths or pages required, those requirements are average.
   2. If the papers exceed the required length by a great deal, there is probably excess material not required by the assignment.
   3. If the papers are much shorter than the assignment it is likely that some essential material is left out.
4. Citations
   1. If no particular format (MLA, Chicago or Turabian) is required, then any format will be acceptable.
   2. In any case every quotation of three words or more in your paper will require a citation.
   3. This is true whether the quote is direct or paraphrased.
   4. Every book used (with the exception of a centrally featured text from class) will have a reference either at the bottom of the page of the first citation or the end of the paper in a standard bibliography.
   5. Every subsequent citation will follow the text quoted or be footnoted with the author's name and page number.
   6. Failure to cite quotations properly can result in a paper being given a mark of "0" when it is clear that you have taken material from a book or web site.
5. Electronic Submission
   1. If you wish to submit your paper by email, please feel free.
   2. The paper must be in either Microsoft Word or RTF format from other word processing programs.
   3. Only in desparate cases where the paper will be late because of some problem with your printing, emailing or other issue will I take a paper as text in the body of the email. There will be no penalty for a plain text submission.