PAPER GUIDELINES
APEx | Essay Analysis | Feedback: Evaluation Grid and Editors' Marks
Research Information || Writers' Toolbox
Update: 10 January 2008MANUSCRIPT FORMAT AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS. Refer to the information in Barnet Appendix A (observe some slight changes in headings for English 201) for more information and details on manuscript format.
- Primary Header, for the first page of your paper. Below the top margin, and flush with the left-hand margin. Use the header-footer function in your word processor. For all assignments in class, provide these headings: line three is always the specific name of the assignment, plus word count where required.
4 LINES FOR INDIVIDUAL WORK
Your full name
Name of class: Professor's name
Paper#: Draft #. Word count (text only)
Date of composition for this draft or revision
EXAMPLE HEADING FOR INDIVIDUAL WORK:
Judith Gonzales
English 201: Floren
Paper #1: Draft #3. 1,135 words.
29 August 20074 LINES FOR FOR C0-AUTHORED WORK
Names of individuals, alphabetized
Name of class: Professor's name
Assignment Name/#: Draft#. Word count (text only)
Date of composition for this draft or revisionEXAMPLE HEADING FOR CO-AUTHORED WORK
Kim Hunt, Malika Kalil, Hiroshi Kawasaki, Jo Mendez
English 201: Floren
P2 Annotated Bibliography: Draft #4. 5,167 words
24 September 2007Always check your heading for accuracy of draft #, word count, and date of composition. Your word processor can count all the words in your essay; include the title, but not the headings or Works Cited list in your word count.
- Secondary Headers, for page 2 and all subsequent pages of your paper. For pages 2ff, use a header flush with the right-hand margin with this information: your last name, two spaces, and the page number. EXAMPLES: (a) Gonzales 2, (b) Hunt and Kalil 2, (c) Hunt et al 2 (each of these three examples would be placed at right-hand border). Use the header-footer function in your word processor.
- Cover Sheet: Always use the Assignment Handout itself as the cover sheet, that is, as the first page I see. Write your name on the upper left-hand side of this assignment sheet, and staple it to your completed essay (staple at the upper left-hand corner).
- Title: Give all papers and reports a relevant, appropriate title, set about 1" below the last line of your primary header, and centered on your paper. Capitalize the first letters of the first, last, and all other important words in the title. Do not punctuate your title (unless your title contains another title that must be punctuated).
- Double space, and use Arial or Times Roman Regular 12-point Font. Provide 1" margins all around unless otherwise instructed.
- Page of Works Cited: A Works-Cited page includes the sources for all the works which you actually cite in your paper (paraphrase, summary, quotation, or other borrowed information). The Works-Cited page follows the last page of the most recent draft of your essay. Use MLA format, and alphabetize items in the list by last name of author. Include your secondary headers on this page, with the page numbers consecutive with the rest of the paper. Do not count the words on this page in your paper's total word count.
- Appendix: Some papers may ask for additional material to follow the Works Cited list. You can consider this additional material a kind of appendix to your paper.
- Drafts showing writing process: Use a large paper clip to attach major earlier drafts to the paper you hand in to me, plus any research notes (including RAs).
- Copies: Turn in a total of three copies on the date the paper is due. Two copies will include just your essay from page one through the Works-Cited list (one of these copies is for peer review, and the other is for my files). The third copy goes to me for evaluation and will include these 6 components, arranged in the order given (1) the assignment cover sheet; (2) the most recent draft of your complete essay from first page through Works-Cited list; (3) any special appendix materials required by the assignment. Staple these 3 parts together. Then, using a large paper clip, attach (4) your earlier drafts (labeled) in chronological order, with the first jottings last; and (5) any research notes (labeled). Finally, as a separate paper, turn in your (6) Essay Analysis.
- Essay Analysis (Author Review and Peer Review): For the first two or three papers you write, you will complete an essay analysis, that is, a review of your own paper in the form of a letter to me (a) describing the writing and researching processes you used to get to the draft submitted for a grade and (b) providing a content analysis for that paper. This author analysis is handed in on the same day your paper is due, as a separate essay. You'll also complete two or three peer reviews, which will include a letter to a classmate. The grade you earn on your papers will take into consideration the quality and completeness of your essay analysis and peer review.
WRITING PROCESS. With all the papers and reports you do in English 201, you'll follow a writing process to discover, shape, and refine your idea. During the writing process, you look at your idea from various angles, probe for depth of thinking, evaluate your evidence, and modify or add new evidence and reasoning in order to more fully focus on and develop your idea. Normally, the process begins with a discussion of the assignment to be sure you clearly understand my expectations as well as the limitations and freedoms you have to address that assignment successfully. Then, usually, you think about it and draft up an informal "first response": a brainstorm of notes, lists, or cluster. After you have some sense of direction, you move to an outline and then to a first draft. You continue to refine your rough first draft in a revision process of at least two more drafts as you think more, do some research, and consult with me and with your classmates and other helpers on what you really want to say and how best to say it. In fact, talking with me, with classmates, with friends and families, with other helpers any time during the writing process is a real plus. The same can be said for research of any kind: research your topic early and often, read as much as you can, and give yourself plenty of time for gathering and digesting what you learn so you can incorporate it well into your own writing.
Once you have in writing the gist of something you think is worthwhile, you'll work to improve clarity, coherence, development, organization and logic, language skills, style, and originality as you continue to move through the writing process. Save time for proofreading after you have printed up the last draft you have time to work on, so you can go back in and correct your mistakes and make final changes before you move to writing your essay analysis.
Save your initial brainstorms and all significant drafts. Save each significant revision as "draft 1" - "draft 2" and so on (with dates checked to be sure they are the date of composition of that particular draft). True revisions (different drafts) are substantively different from previous drafts (re + vision). I'm looking significant content changes (deletions, additions, corrections) and major refinements in language and style to improve fluency and vigor. Don't save or number as a new draft anything that has merely minor changes of words, spelling, etc., unless this is the draft you are turning in for evaluation. Editing usually comes in the last draft you are able to complete before the deadline (checking spelling, grammar, usage, punctuation). Sometimes your best work is completed with only a few drafts; sometimes it takes several more drafts, with consultations with me, other writing consultants, and peer reviewers, to achieve a satisfactory piece of writing.
Turn in all your major drafts to show your work (your first draft may be sketchy, in outline form, or some kind of mind map, for example). The different drafts should reflect deep critical and creative thinking—not just cosmetic improvements. Sometimes these drafts will be due for workshop or writing-process checks; in these cases, be sure to meet the deadlines for (a) the essay plan, (b) the rough draft, (c) the revised draft, and of course (d) the "final" draft, the one you turn in by the deadline for evaluation (is it ever really "final"? remember that "writing is never finished—only submitted to a deadline").
Why use the writing process as described above? So that the paper you turn in for evaluation represents your best effort as well as your commitment to the discipline required to improve your writing. Since this is a class in improving your writing, and since one of the stated objectives of the MiraCosta English 201 course curriculum states that you will demonstrate an understanding of the writing process, your grade will take into consideration the level of time you devote and attention you pay to this writing process. One of the primary principles here is learning by doing, improving through practice. Papers that have been extensively revised and edited usually pass.
TITLE, INTRODUCTION, CONCLUSION: Give your essay an original, relevant, and catchy title. Follow Barnet's advice about titles and about introductory and concluding paragraphs.
ORIGINALITY, PERSONALITY, COHERENCE. Be original, bold, and creative as you explore your idea. Use standard, college-level English, of course; but make this essay your own as much as possible. Work on your writing so that the ideas and expressions in the paper can be identified as yours, no one else's; infuse your writing with your personality, your values, your concerns, your dreams, your fears, your experiences, your knowledge, your understanding, your rhythms, your style. Choose the words and phrases, and shape the sentences and paragraphs, to reflect your voice, your style. As you are still developing your voice and style, be sure to take risks and exercise your critical and creative thinking and writing skills; for example, incorporate new vocabulary even though you may not be entirely comfortable. Be true to yourself, but also stretch yourself; be genuine, but keep growing. You are a dynamic human being, and in this class you will learn how to be flexible and open as you express your originality and personality.
DEVELOPMENT AND FOCUS. To explain and support your thesis, to prove your claim, aim for specific information in your paragraphs, vivid and detailed examples, and rational explanations that make clear your assumptions and that clarify the logic of the connections you make between sentences and between paragraphs. Typically, a paper assignment will ask you to include specific kinds of development to further develop (support, explain, and/or illustrate) your idea (for example, (1) discuss a relevant recent personal, cultural, or political event or issue and (2) use other sources for information, such as writings by experts in the field and literary works that support or illustrate your thesis). You will not be able to say everything you know or feel about your subject (e.g., peace) in any one paper; so narrow down the subject to a manageable topic related to the subject, and stay focused on developing ONE specific idea about that topic, the organizing idea of your writing, your thesis. Don't hesitate to modify that idea as new information comes to light, but keep all the paragraphs focused on that development of your idea, your thesis. Each paragraph should explain, clarify, illustrate, or otherwise support this thesis.
CITATION AND DOCUMENTATION. Use scholarly research methods and sources such as scholarly journals to inform your interpretations and arguments. When you quote poetry, always show the line breaks. Use set-off or in-text quotations as prescribed in your textbook or handbook materials. Make sure your reader can tell where your own original ideas and expressions (words, phrases, and sentences) begin and end and where the ideas and words, phrases, or sentences of your sources begin and end. Use the APEx formula. Always cite your sources.
PLAGIARISM. Writing that is plagiarized, in whole or in part, will receive an "F," "No Pass," or "0" (zero) evaluation. With very few exceptions, plagiarized papers may not be redone. Wholesale, egregious, and/or repeated plagiarism is a sign of dishonesty; affects a student's MiraCosta file; and may result in that student's being failed in the class or even expelled from the college. When you consult other sources―people, books, Web, etc.―take careful notes and write down information that will allow me to check your sources. When you borrow someone else's ideas or language, be sure to document the borrowing accurately and completely in your paper. When you co-author, be sure to include a signed report detailing the particular contributions of the co-authors.
DEADLINES. Observe deadlines faithfully. Your essay turned in at the deadline should be at least draft #3. Late papers are put into my "late" file and will be assigned a late penalty, no matter what the reason for the late submission. I may not get to evaluating a paper turned in past the deadline for three or more weeks. You will miss learning opportunities for work-shopping and/or peer reviewing and any points assigned to those activities. You may miss getting feedback in time for revision. Failure to meet deadlines will lower your grade in the academic-workplace skills area in the class as well as on the paper assignment. Don't miss the deadlines, even if you must turn in work with which you are not satisfied. Remember the adage: "writing is never finished; it is simply submitted to a deadline."
EVALUATION. I will evaluate your papers and reports on the basis of English 201 standards and will use the following criteria in approximately this level of importance: sense of audience, purpose, and level of interest, freshness, creativity, originality, style (20%); clarity, coherence, development, logic, critical thinking, organization, language, fluency, research, scholarship, and documentation (60%); following directions of the assignment, using the writing process, engaging thoughtfully in research and prewriting, completing the assignment by deadline, including copies and essay analysis (20%). For a detailed feedback and criteria handout that I often use, see the Evaluation Handout: English 201 Evaluation: Assessment Grid and Editors' Marks to guide you in editing and proofreading your work.
REVISION OPPORTUNITIES. Completing and submitting a paper by the deadline is not the same thing as earning a "Pass" on that paper. If you do not spend enough quality time on the reading, researching, and communicating to shape your ideas―or on the drafting and revising process to develop and communicate those ideas before the paper is due; if you have difficulties in thinking or writing that require more practice and knowledge; or if you need to improve your reading or researching skills set or your compositional and/or language skills set―then you might need to continue working on your paper after you have received my evaluation and submit one or more revisions in order to earn a "Pass" (i.e., "C" - "3" - or better). When you submit a revision, be sure to follow these format guidelines:
Check your heading to be sure the draft #, word count, and date of composition are accurate for this latest revision, and that you have included a refreshed Works Cited page and any other appendix information required by the assignment. Print out another cover sheet, and put your name on the upper left-hand corner; follow the assignment sheet with your revision (your latest draft), then any major drafts, then the draft which I have already evaluated and commented on. Include any evaluation form I used to give you feedback, and also include any peer review that you received on your writing. Do not turn in the earliest drafts (keep these in your English 201 notebook) unless I ask for them. Be sure to turn in a new essay analysis with your revision.
You will have at least three revision opportunities during the semester. I encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to work with me and other helpers to improve your writing. Only one revised paper may be submitted at each revision opportunity, so keep working steadily and don't plan to spend the last week revising more than one paper. I am also available during office hours throughout the semester to consult with and guide you on the writing and revision process, so you can revise many times by using these office consultations to help you improve your writing. My goal is your success in English 201.
English 201 Home | Research Information | Hamlet Page | Assignment Schedule | Team Talks
Created 10 September 2003. Revised 8 January 2008
Contents Copyright 2003-2008. Gloria L. Floren. All rights reserved.
English 201 Homepage | E-mail for English 201 Students: engl201gf@miracosta.edu
| MiraCosta College | Floren Home | MiraCosta College Library