Writing Expectations

Advanced Placement English

Heading

• On left top
• Name
• Period
• Date

Title

• Centered
• Skip one or two lines between title and first line
• Do not underline your own title
• Do underline a book, play…in your title
• Try to have a pun, foreshadowing, or something thoughtful as your title

Format

• Font 12
• Double Spaced
• Bottom margin 1”
• Side margin 1”
• Top margin 1” except for page one
• Number pages beginning with page 2 at top center
• Underline the thesis and all assertions
• Use parenthetical documentation [p.48]

Introduction

• Hook –interesting quote, question, anecdote. If you use an anecdote

italicize it.

• Background information about author, time period, concept etc.

Background that prepares the reader for your thesis.

• Thesis – a complete sentence that summarizes the point of your paper.
• No errors in grammar or spelling
• Must be a debatable idea -----NOT A FACT
• If there are parts to your ideas, they should be clearly connected or subordinated
• Precise and specific
• Has a purpose
• Is the last line of your introduction.

First Body Paragraph - Follow ACE-IT

• Assertion that is your opinion that will be the first idea to prove your thesis. It is underlined. Only one assertion per paragraph.
• Citations –How will you prove your idea?
• Three or more short and/or embedded quotes – always have the page number at the end of the sentence in parentheses.
• Use reasons, facts, examples, details, graphs, anecdotes……
• Use the plot to prove your idea.
• Proof is relevant, specific, and well chosen. And there is enough good

proof.

• Explain – give background information about your proof, explain when, how, why it was used. This could be before and/or after each quote. This might be one sentence or several. You should always paraphrase your quotes [translate into your own words] If there is a difficult or unusual word in your quote, look it up and quote the dictionary definition. Take apart quotes and speculate about connotation, denotation, repetition etc…
• Interpret - Now you speculate why your citation proves your assertion/thesis.

Good to use “seem, appear, might, probably” to appear polite in your

interpretation. This is the part the teacher loves to read. The student is

giving their opinion on why their proof validates their assertion. This is

your spin on things. Hopefully, in any paragraph there is at least 4 to 5

sentences of interpretation.

• Transition –connect ideas and parts of ideas. This is everywhere…so, then, first, in contrast……

SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY. Use active voice and consistent verb tenses.

Conclusion….if this is a two page paper you can conclude at the end of a body paragraph and not have a separate conclusion.

If you have a separate conclusion

• Restate your assertions and thesis
• Revisit your hook
• Have an aha moment if possible

Proofread carefully. All your technical errors get in the way of the reader understanding or enjoying your paper. At this point more than 10 errors should equal an F. Ask several people to read your paper and suggest improvements and/or to find errors. Put your paper aside and read it slowly out loud to listen for errors.

Read model papers.

Longer papers: Use MLA Format

Title page

Bibliography Page

Graphics