Mrs. Hannula
Cores 1-4
January 1, 2012
How to Format a Paper in Mrs. Hannula’s Class
When you are writing a paper for Mrs. Hannula’s class, there are many important things to remember. First, we will begin with what to do before you even type a single word. Go to the “Page Layout” tab at the top of your screen and click on “Margins.” Be sure your margins are set to one inch on all sides. Also under the “Page Layout” tab, you will find the section titled “Paragraph.” You will need to do two things here after you click on this section: 1) Be sure the “Spacing” is set to “0 pt” under both “Before” and “After,” and 2) Under the “Line Spacing” section, select “Double.” Finally, under the “Home” tab, check to make sure your font style is Times New Roman, and that the size is 12. You are now ready to begin typing.
Next, you will now need to consider how to organize your paper. When you first place your cursor on the page, it will be in the upper left-hand corner. When you type your name, core, and date, these will need to be on the right-hand side. In order to do this, go to the “Paragraph” tab at the top of your screen and click on the third set of lines which are all aligned on the right. Your cursor will move to the right side of the screen. Next, you will type three lines: your name, your core class number, and the date. Notice the way that the date is written; the month is capitalized and spelled out, the day is in number form followed by a comma, and the full year comes last. You will only need to hit the “Enter” key one time after each line. You should hit the “Enter” key only once after the date. Before typing, go back to the “Paragraph” tab and click on the second set of lines which will center your typing. Type your title here. Do not change the font or size. Hit the enter key only once after typing the title. Before beginning your first paragraph, you will need to do two things: 1) Go to the “Paragraph” tab and click on the first set of lines which will put your cursor back on the left-hand side of the screen, and 2) Hit the “Tab” key one time to indent the first line. You may now begin typing your paper.
After formatting your paper, you will never need to hit the “Enter” key more than once after any line. The entire paper will already be double-spaced. When you begin a new paragraph, you will merely need to hit the “Tab” key to indent. Your paper should now be formatted correctly, but don’t forget that it is up to you to remember organization and grammar rules to keep your paper professional. Simple mistakes to look out for include run-on sentences, fragments, capitalization of proper nouns, italicizing titles, and commas. If you ever have a question about grammar conventions, do not hesitate to check your “Grammar Cheat Sheet” in your ILL or you may also ask a friend, parent, or teacher.
There are times when exploring new fonts, adding color, or including pictures are appropriate, and times when you will need to keep your work professional. Always be sure to ask Mrs. Hannula if you have any questions about what is appropriate to include in each assignment, but when in doubt, follow the instructions included here, and your paper is sure to pass the test!