Are there any basic pointers to writing a formal essay?
There sure are: • Double-space the essay. • Make sure that the Page Setup is as follows: 1 inch margins on the top and bottom, 1.25 inch margins on left and right, and Portrait orientation. • Do not use contractions (i.e. don’t, won’t, can’t), but rather spell out the two words (i.e. do not, will not, can not). • Font should be Size 12 and either Times New Roman, Courier, or Arial (any of the “True Type” fonts). • Do not format fonts in a formal essay (i.e. do not use bold, italics, or underline except for in Works Cited page). • Do not use personal pronouns, such as I, me, myself, you, we, etc. Formal essays should be based on research on the topic, not personal experience UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED BY YOUR INSTRUCTOR/WRITING A NARRATIVE. • Use proper grammar, complete sentences, and proper punctuation. Take advantage of spell check and grammar check (if applicable). • If a works cited page is required, make sure that the works cited page is double-spaced, that there is a hanging indent f
