Self/Peer edit guidelines

Step 1: Obtain a brightly colored pen or marker. Underline your thesis in your intro paragraph. Circle the words/phrases in the thesis that specify what you are advocating for. Number your pages if you did not provide a header (you should have). Make a note to self on the paper to add one if you did not. The Works Cited page should be consistently numbered with the rest of the pages of the paper. Also, there should be a space between your last name and the page number.

Step 2: Turn to your Works Cited page. Number each Works Cited entry on the left margin. (There should be NO typed numbers beside the works cited entries. That is not MLA format. Remove the typed numbers if you have them on the Works Cited page.) Confirm that you have 8 or more (7 EBSCO and one interview) sources. Put a visible check mark in the bottom right corner if you do. If you do not, write what is missing in the corner.

Step 3: Write numbers 1-5 in the upper right hand corner of Works Cited page in descending order. 1) Confirm you have correctly alphabetized all entries. For number one in the upper right corner, write the word “Yes” if you have all entries alphabetized. Write the word “Fix” if you have not. 2) Confirm that your works Cited has a consistent double space and no extra spaces are used. For number two in the upper right had corner write the word “Yes” if you have standard double space throughout. Write the word “Fix” if you have not. 3) Confirm that each line past the first line has hanging indent. For number three in the upper right had corner, write the word “Yes” if you have correct hanging indents. Write the word “Fix” if you have not.

4) Confirm that you have NO hyperlinks in your works cited page 4) Confirm that you have NO hyperlinks in your works cited page. For number four in the upper right had corner, write the word “Yes” if you have NO hyperlinks. Write the word “Fix” if you have any. 5) Confirm that you have a doi or URL for EACH online entry. For number five in the upper right had corner, write the word “Yes” if you have correct doi or URL for EACH online entry. Write the word “Fix” if you are missing any.

Step 4: Go to the body of your text. Number EACH in-text citation AND/OR introductory element with an author’s name or article title with the matching number from your works cited page, even if the same number shows up multiple times. It is fine if you used one source more than once. Confirm the following: HAVE YOU USED ALL ENTRY NUMBERS IN YOUR WORKS CITED PAGE? If so, put a big checkmark at the top, middle of the first page. HAVE YOU INCLUDED A SOURCE CITATION FOR ALL IN-TEXT CITATIONS IN THE WORKS CITED PAGE? If so, put a big checkmark at the bottom of the first page. If you do not have a matching in-text citation for EACH source citation AND vice versa, Write the word “FIX” in the location specified above.

Step Five: Review your ENTIRE text carefully and confirm that you have following MLA format exactly as it should be: General _____ 6 full pages or more _____ 1” Margins all around _____ 12 pt Times New Roman _____ No “I” or “you” unless in direct quote. Circle any of these in the text if you see them. Remove! First Page _____ Top right header: Last name and Page numbers that correctly number all pages _____ Left side: Name, teacher name, class name, due date (all double spaced) _____ Title is centered (no bold, underline, italics, etc.) Works Cited Page _____ 1” margins _____ Works Cited title is centered on the page _____ Entire page is double spaced-no double-double spaces between entries _____ Sources are listed alphabetically (excluding articles – a, an, the) _____ Hanging indent – the first line of every entry is NOT indented, but the second and all lines after that are indented in that one citation

Step Six: At the end of the text, provide a list of items done WELL. Partner up with another student and exchange papers. Carefully read and circle, highlight, or underline anything in the paper that should not be there. A few items to consider: _____ No first person _____ No contractions _____ No second person _____ No “we,” “us,” “our,” etc. Be specific with wording. _____ No opinion statements or emotional language. _____ No slang or clichés _____No abbreviations _____No blanket statements. Avoid anything that does not allow for exceptions: all, none, always, never, _____No hypothetical questions _____No slashes or “etc.” _____ No sentence that begins with “This,” “These,” or “Those”: “This is…,” “These are…,” “This is where…,” “This quote…,” “This means…” _____ No vague language. At the end of the text, provide a list of items done WELL. Exchange back and discuss. Take home your edited paper. Make all appropriate corrections. Print a revision of the rough draft. Bring BOTH to class on Monday. Late points if it is late, and no higher than a 50 if you do not make revisions to the original rough draft.

REVISED rough draft: 1) Obtain a brightly colored pen or marker and underline your thesis in your intro paragraph. 2) Number your pages if you did not provide a header. 4) Turn to your Works Cited page and number each Works Cited entry on the left margin. 5) Go to the body of your text. 6) Number EACH in-text citation AND/OR introductory element with an author’s name or article title with the corresponding number from your works cited page, even if the same number shows up multiple times. It is fine if you used one source more than once. *Put a check mark next to each number you use in the WC list. 7) On the FRONT page, list any sources not listed in your Works Cited. 8) On the first Works Cited page, list any sources in the text that are NOT in your WC list.