1. Composition Notes

2. MLA Format One inch margins on all sides
Pages number in header (top, right) preceded by last name
(Smith 1)
Information block: upper, left-hand corner
First and Last Name of Student
Instructor/Teacher’s Last Name
Class and Section/Block (English I, Block IV)
Assignment (Argument Paper)
Date
The information block is the only part of the essay that may be single-spaced
MLA Format

3. Font is always 12 point Times New Roman (this includes page number as well)
Every essay should have a unique title that is centered on the document
NEVER, EVER, EVER use bold type
MLA Format

4. Correct MLA Essay Format
NO TITLE OR COVER PAGE
Page Number on Every Page
No BOLD
Info block is the
only article which
may be single spaced
Correct MLA Essay Format

5. Introductory Paragraph
Begin EVERY essay with an introductory paragraph.
At a minimum, the introductory paragraph should include:
Introductory sentence: Will usually include the author’s name and title of the work. May also include the type of text.
Example:
In the Epic, The Odyssey, Homer introduces us to Greek society through the epic hero, Odysseus.
Introductory Paragraph

6. Introductory Paragraph
Summary sentence: Gives a brief glimpse into the essay by use of a broad statement about the text.
Example:
Life was not always easy for the Greeks, as gods and goddesses often interfered in the affairs of the people they governed.
Introductory Paragraph

7. Thesis statement: CLEARLY shows the direction of your essay
Thesis statement: CLEARLY shows the direction of your essay. Will include the 3 topics of focus within your essay.
Example:
Through Odysseus we are given insight into the beliefs held by the Greeks that the gods interact with each other, the gods affect the lives of their people, and the people respond to the gods in various ways.
Introduction

8. Do not use too much detail in your introduction
Do not use too much detail in your introduction. Save specific details for your body paragraphs.
Introduction

9. A minimum of 3 body paragraphs are ALWAYS required (if the assignment specifies a particular number of pages, make sure you follow the directions of the assignment!).
Each body paragraph is ALWAYS 3-5 sentences in length.
Body Paragraphs

10. The first sentence of each body paragraph should be the topic sentence.
Topic sentences are taken from the points made in the Thesis Statement in the introductory paragraph.
Body Paragraphs

11. Conclusion The last paragraph in EVERY essay should be a conclusion.
The conclusion sums up your essay in a meaningful and significant way.
NEVER give new information in your conclusion.
Conclusion

12. ALWAYS support your topic with textual evidence (quotes with proper parenthetical citations).
NEVER, EVER place 2 or more quotes back to back. You must always provide relevance for every cited example (through an independent sentence). DO NOT ALLOW YOUR AUDIENCE TO ASSUME.
Quoting

13. Quotes within a quote should be separated by using apostrophes (not quotation marks)
Example:
In The Cyclops we gain understanding of why Odysseus was not allowed to return home for so long, “He stretched his hands out in his darkness toward the sky and prayed Poseidon: ‘O hear me, lord, blue girdler of the islands grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, never see his home’” (Homer 379).
Quoting

14. Common Issues Tense/Voice
An essay should agree in tense throughout and be in active voice. Present tense accomplishes both of these requirements
NEVER use first person pronouns in your essay.
Example: I, me, my
Common Issues

15. More Common Issues NEVER use contractions in your essay
Example: can’t, won’t, haven’t, etc.
NEVER begin a sentence or a paragraph with:
A pronoun (if possible)
A conjunction (FANBOYS)
A direct quotation (use a signal phrase)
More Common Issues

16. Exclamation and Question Marks- The only time an exclamation or question mark should be used is when they are employed within a direct quotation.
Example:
Frightened, members of Odysseus’s crew want to know, “Why bait the beast again? Let him alone!” (Homer 378)
And More Common Issues