Common Errors in Student Research Papers Errors that you need to AVOID

Formatting Issues These are the easiest points that you earn in the process. All you have to do is follow the RUBRIC. HINT: If your paper does not LOOK LIKE the example, it’s WRONG.

Formatting Issues Margins Margins are to be 1” around the entire paper. Microsoft Word defaults to a 1” margin. If you have adjusted your margins previously, you can easily fix them. Go to Page Layout Go to “Margins” Click the “Normal” button

Formatting Issues Fonts Fonts are to be 12 point, Times New Roman Creativity is for your words and ideas…not in the style in which your paper is written It is easy to tell the difference between the font sizes

Formatting Issues Spacing Paper is to be double spaced. Again…easy to tell if something is NOT double spaced.

Formatting Issues Heading Please follow the heading format from the Research Manual Student Name Lebder/Sipp American Literature Date (month, day, year)

Formatting Issues Header/page numbers Header &Footer Page Number Top of Page Plain number 3 Last name

MLA Formatting Please follow MLA formatting Works cited are listed ALPHABETICALLY according to FIRST WORD of the entry Articles (a, an, the) do not count as first words Everything Double Spaced They are NOT numbered

Parenthetical Documentation Parenthetical documentation is always included within a sentence….punctuation always comes AFTER parenthetical documentation This is an incorrect example. (source) This is a correct example (source) internal citations are appropriate You should not be writing any more than two consecutive sentences from outside sources.

Parenthetical Documentation Clearly those who have anorexia tend to have thoughts about food, dieting, and their body image (Smith). In that case it leaves little time for family, friends, and other activities which they previously enjoyed (Kovatch). Not only does anorexia take control of a person’s whole entire life it takes away from their own morals (Jones). People with anorexia may also be distracted from real emotions that they should be facing within their lives. (Kovatch). Anorexia takes over their whole entire thinking process. They no longer make decisions on what would make them happy or what is good for them. Someone with anorexia cannot think correctly because of, in fear of gaining weight, sad, moody, irritable, bad memory, fainting, changes in brain chemistry (Cole).

Personal Pronouns First person personal pronouns are NEVER to be used in a research paper I, me, my, we, us, you, we, our, ours, Only exception is in a direct quote “I believe chance favors the prepared mind” – Louis Pasteur

Punctuation 95% of your sentences will end with a period (.). The only time that they would not is if you are ending your sentence as a question. You do not use an exclamation point (!) unless it is within a direct quote. If you are going to use a semi-colon (;), please be sure that you are absolutely positive of the usage. If you are not sure do not use it. Much of the time, you can use a comma.

Sentence Structure Avoid Contractions Words like can’t, don’t, won’t, shouldn’t, etc. are informal words. In a formal paper, you should write out both words Vary your sentences Do not set up your sentences the same way all the time. “The focus of the time was to bring awareness to the problem. The staff used their resources. They were able to create a new system. The system was implemented and still used today.” Write in Active Voice instead of Passive voice Active – Captain America saved the town. Passive – The town was saved by Captain America.

Introductions Your paper must include an introductory paragraph This paragraph contains an “attenion getter” It should be relevant to your paper Quotes, statistics, anecdotes, etc.

Thesis Statements A thesis statement is the focus of your paper. It lists the topic and the main points that you will be addressing in your paper It comes in the introductory paragraph It is one sentence only It is the last sentence of your introductory paragraph It must be underlined

Conclusions Used to “wrap up” your paper Should re-state thesis without repeating thesis Ends with a memorable statement Quotes, data, anectode, etc. NOTE: you cannot introduce new information in the conclusion