FORMATTING ESSAYS

1.         L/R Margins--1.5" - 1" (4 cm - 2.54 cm)

Set your left margin at 1.5" (4 cm) and right margin stay at the default of  1" (2.54 cm)

This is a 60-character line but the left margin is moved in so that your essay can be put in a duotang or essay cover.

 

2.         Title

Enter to pull the title of your essay down to line 2" (5 cm) . All other pages start at the default.

The title is centred, UPPERCASE, and t.s. after (also see rules for titles/subtitles).

            **         You may want the title to be a slightly larger font than the body of your essay, eg. 14 point bold.

            Note:    You don't have to put the title on the first page of your essay since it will be on your title page. If you don't, your first paragraph will start on line 2".

 

3.         Line Spacing

With your cursor at the start of your first paragraph (so line spacing isn't messed up for your title) set your line spacing to 2 to double space the essay.

 

4.         Side Headings
Double space before and after side headings, key them at left margin in mixed case, underlined, no punctuation or dash at end of the line.

NOTE:  Subheadings are more major than side headings; much like chapter headings in a book. They are not as common in essays and are not used in the essay we practice in this course. If you use them in the future here are the formatting rules – center, mixed case, underline, double space before and after.

5.         Citations

Acknowledge the source of an idea or direct quote by placing the author's name and page reference in brackets after the quote as shown here:

 


This type of musical parody is often "conservative in impulse" (Hutcheon 497).
 

 

If you are citing two or more works by the same author, include the appropriate title with each citation, Eg:

(Catton, A Stillness at Appomattox 270).

(Catton, This Hallowed Ground 410).

 

 6.         Longer Quotations (3 or more keyed lines)

            a.    Put a colon at the end of the paragraph before the long quote. If there is other punctuation there, the colon will replace it.

            b.    Enter before and after the quote so that it is a separate paragraph.

            c.    Do not put quotation marks around the quote.

            d.    If the quote is the start of a paragraph tab it in, otherwise don’t.

            e.    Single space the quote and double space before and after it.

            f.     Double indent twice to bring the quote in 10 spaces on both sides – Press Ctrl Sh F7 twice OR format menu/paragraph/double indent

            g.     Set font appearance to italic (optional).  If you do, don't set the citation to italics, just the quote.

            h.     Key the citation after the quote (Smith 105).

 

7.         Display Piece Within the Essay (if there are any)

Eg. table, enumeration, centered material, etc.

Double space before and after the material.

Be sure it is balanced, attractive.

Unlined Tables will be single spaced and centered across. They must be protected (select text to keep together / right-click on selected area > block protect.

Enumerations are set up following proper enumeration format (s.s. and d.s. between, ds before and after)

  

8.        Number Pages

            -           Essays pages are numbered in the top right corner.

            -           No number is to appear on the title page, first essay page, or Works Cited or Consulted.
 

To number the pages:

            a.         Cursor to top of first page of essay> format menu > page > numbering > position= top right > Format = 1 or Page 1

            b.         With your cursor still at the top of the first page format menu > page > suppress > page numbering (so that a number does not show on this first page).  Later you'll do with for your Works Cited or Consulted as well.

NOTE:  A page number is not to show on the title page, first page and Works Cited or Consulted.  
Format menu > page > suppress > page numbering -- stops the page number from showing on the current page.

9.       Works Cited or Consulted (Formerly called Bibliography)

            a.         Put your cursor at the start of your title and Ctrl Enter to force it new page.

            b.         Suppress page numbering -- format > page > suppress > page numbering

            c.         Center Page top/bottom--format > page > centre > current page

            d.         Set single space (entries are single spaced and double spaced between)

            e.         Key the title: WORKS CITED OR CONSULTED (proper format and triple-space after)

            f.          Arrange entries in alphabetic order by author’s last name--select the list >  tools menu > sort > sort

            g.         Entries are NOT numbered.

            h.         Use hanging indent for each entry -- select the entries > Ctrl F7 or Format menu > paragraph > hanging indent.


FYI - The order of info within each entry is as follows.  You don't need to memorize this, but refer to it when needed--

Author's surname, first name and initials. Book Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Date of Publication.

Many other examples are available through the Departments > Library link at sirwinston.ca  Or do a search for “MLA Citing”.

 

 

 

      This is what your finished Works Cited or Consulted page should look like:

 

 

10.       Widow/Orphan Protection

Ctrl Home to top of document > Format menu > keep text together > widow-orphan. This will prevent one line of a paragraph from sitting alone either at the bottom of a page or the top of the next page. This is proper essay format.

 

11.       Protect (keep text together)

Scroll through your essay and look for sections of that split onto the next page when they shouldn't be.
Eg. A side heading that is alone at the bottom of a page (You must have at least 1 line with your heading)

or display material within your essay, eg. a table

 

To "protect" these sections from splitting: Select the text to keep together > right-click in the selection and choose BLOCK PROTECT, or select text > format menu > keep text together > keep selected text together on the same page.

 

12.       Title Page

  1. There are many acceptable setups for a title page but be sure it looks professional and balanced.
     

  2. The title page must include the essay title and this hand-in info:

    Submitted by:       (your full name)

    Submitted to:        (teacher's name)

    Course:                (put course and period #)

    Date:                    (i.e. date of submission)
     

  3. To save work in preparing a new title page for every essay, create a title page template and use it for each essay, changing the necessary information.
     

  4. Here are title page instructions  and some sample title pages.
     

  5. You can either keep each title page as a separate file or insert it into your essay, BUT if you choose to insert it into your essay you'll have to change the page numbering as follows:
     

    1. Ctrl Home twice to the top of the document before all codes

    2. Ctrl Enter to force a page.  Cursor up into the blank page.  Your title page template will be inserted here.

    3. Insert the title page file (Insert Menu > File > insert the template > change necessary info on title page.

    4. If an extra blank page came in after your title page, delete it.

    5. The 1st page of your essay is now seen as page 2 and it throws off your page number.  To fix this cursor to the top of the first page of your essay (below the title page) . Format Menu > Page > Numbering > SET VALUE > set page number to 1 instead of 2 and click on "change page number as new pages are added" > OK

    6. If a page number appears on the title page, first page of essay or Works Cited or Consulted, suppress it (Format Menu > Suppress > Page Numbering)

13.       Spellcheck > visually proofread > final save > close.