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You have a rough draft. Good. Now on to the final stage. Before you start writing the final draft, you need to ask yourself some questions. If you weren't sure what those questions were, we listed them for you. The more seriously you think about each one, the better your eventual paper will be.
- Have I used the required number of sources (see assignment)?
- Do I have an introduction, main body, and conclusion?
- Have I ADEQUATELY (or better) supported ALL of my statements?
Usually one detail for a major assertion (provable statement) is not enough
- Have I used more INDIRECT than DIRECT quotations (i.e., more of them in your OWN words than directly from the text)?
- Have I blended my own thoughts and words with those of the texts?
- Have I followed my outline?
- Do I have a reason for arranging the paragraphs the way I do?
- Are my paragraphs solid?
- Do they have a topic sentence?
- Does each paragraph have enough detail to support the topic sentence?
- Have I used transitional words, sentences WITHIN and BETWEEN paragraphs?
- Do the concluding sentences of the paragraphs lead toward the next paragraph?
- Does everything 'hold together' logically, maintaining 'unity?'
- Have I varied my sentences in length and type?
- Do the topic sentences, when put together, 'add up' to the thesis?
- Did I check for grammar, spelling, diction errors?
Yes, that is a long list of questions. We at the Institute can hear you. You're saying, "But I don't WRITE THAT WAY! I just write and it's FINE!" Dude, you're wrong. Yes, you're used to writing a different way, but that was for normal essays. Remember, research is more involved and requires more attention to detail than for other kinds of writing. So, go through the above list, and if there are any questions you're having trouble with, ask for help.
Preparing the Final Manuscript
The final draft in research is often called the final manuscript. The following are the rules of form for your final manuscript.
- Use 81/2 x 11" paper only
- The MARGINS for the paper should be as follows
- Top and bottom margins, both side margins - 1"
- Indent the first word of a paragraph ½ " or five spaces (some computers use a different kind of spacing and thus five spaces is not a ½ inch.)
- Long quotes (more than FOUR LINES LONG) require 1" or TEN spaces
- Page numbers should be numbered at the upper right hand corner consecutively flush with the right hand margin. Do NOT use the abbreviation p. for page numbers. The page numbers (and your name if your computer program does this) should be ½ inch from the top. Remember, the text begins ONE INCH from the top.
- DOUBLE SPACE throughout the paper, right through the Works Cited page.
Works Cited Page
See the separate section on the Works Cited page, but the following are some reminders:
- Keep the running page numbers going on this or these pages.
- Center the title of this page, labeling it Works Cited one inch from the top.
- Double space the whole page.
- Begin the first entry one inch below the title of the page.
- Begin ALL entries at the left margin (still 1"), but all lines after the first should be indented ½ inch, or five spaces.
- Use the proper bibliographic form as discussed in the works cited section
- MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PARENTHETICAL CITATION (QUOTE) HAS A CORRESPONDING ENTRY ON THE WORKS CITED PAGE, AND VICE-VERSA. We hope that caught your attention. You need to make sure that all of the works that you cite (quote in some way) in the paper are actually on the works cited page, and that all the works on the works cited page have bee USED in the paper. Mistakes in this area are quite common, so please DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECK.
- If you give two or more works BY THE SAME AUTHOR, give only the author's name in the FIRST entry. Subsequent entries are begun with three hypens (---) followed by a period. Then give the title, etc.
- Arrange ALL publications in ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
Proofreading your paper - the FINAL CHECKLIST!
1. Have I done everything the assignment asked me to do?____
2. Have I examined the sample sections of research papers in the sections on writing the paper? _____Does it resemble those?____
3. Have I use the MINIMUM number of REQUIRED SOURCES?____
4. Do I have the required minimum word or page number?____
5. Have I checked and double-checked my parenthetical documentation (the quotes)
according to the examples in the guide (especially quotes within quotes)?____
6. Have I checked and double-checked my works cited page according to the example in the guide?____
7. Do I have one-inch margins on top/bottom and right/left?____
8. Have I numbered my pages ½ " from the upper right corner, flush against the margin?_____ .
9. Have I double-spaced all text and works cited entries?____
10. Have I used TRANSITIONS to connect ideas within and between paragraphs, as well between the larger units of the paper?____
11. Have I VARIED my SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND LENGTH to avoid falling into ruts and boring your reader to tears?____
12. Have I followed my final outline?____
13. Does my introduction begin with detail, move to an explanation of the issue and end
with the thesis?____
14. If required, do I have a properly constructed title page, which includes your name,the title of the paper, the course name, the instructor name, and the date?____
15. Have I avoided the impulse to use color everywhere in a sad attempt to impress the teacher?____
16. Do I have two copies of the final, if required?
17. If required, do I have all my bibliography cards, note cards, check sheets, rough
drafts, outlines?____
If you can answer yes to any four of these questions, that's a start. What you really need, of course, is to answer 'yes' to ALL of the questions.
Congratulations for making it this far! Good luck with the final hurdle. |
