Proofreading and Publishing
Formatting
Typed papers:
Double-space
Times New Roman, size 12 font
One-inch margins
Handwritten papers:
Double space – write every other line
Print neatly in INK! Do not use pencil.
Use a ruler to create one inch margins
Heading
Place the following heading in the upper left-hand corner of your paper
Your Name
Teacher’s name
Course/Period
Date (Day, Month, Year)
Common Errors
1. Indent at the beginning of each new paragraph.
2. Place short story titles and titles of poems in “quotation marks”. Underline or italicize titles of
novels and plays.
3. Give your paper a title. (Center it in the line below the heading.)
4. Write in third person for expository or persuasive essays.
5. Do not use contractions in your paper. Write out “she is” instead of “she’s.”
6. Beware of homophones: two, too, to; there, their, they’re; it’s, its
7. Maintain present tense (unless your paper is a narrative – for this use past tense.)
8. Correct internal citations for quotations or paraphrase.
INCORRECT: On page 42, Bradbury describes the eyes as “ostrich eggs.”
CORRECT: Bradbury describes the eyes as “ostrich eggs” (42).
9. Correct sentence fragments.
INCORRECT: Because Bradbury uses imagery.
CORRECT: Because Bradbury uses imagery, the reader more clearly visualizes the dinosaur.
INCORRECT: When he describes the sound of the dinosaur’s teeth scraping against the metal
of the car.
CORRECT: Crichton captures the action of the dinosaur when he describes the dinosaur’s teeth
scraping against the metal of the car.
10. Correct run-on sentences.
INCORRECT: Bradbury uses figurative language to describe the eyes Crichton’s description is
literal.
CORRECT: Bradbury uses figurative language to describe the eyes, but Crichton’s description is
literal.
11. Correctly use commas.
 Use commas to separate items in a series.
CORRECT: Our music collection includes pop, mariachi, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop.

Use a comma before and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet when it joins independent clauses.
CORRECT: Bill bathed the dog, and the cat hid under the bed.

Use commas to set off nonessential subordinate clauses and nonessential participle
phrases.
CORRECT: Tim, hoping to make the swim team, practiced every day.

Use commas after introductory phrases.
CORRECT: If you see smoke, you know there is a fire.

Use commas to set off elements that interrupt the sentence.
CORRECT: Harrison Ford, my favorite actor, starts in that new movie.

Use commas in certain conventional situations
o To separate items in dates
CORRECT: Aunt Virginia was born on June 15, 1943, in France.
o After the salutation of a friendly letter and after the closing
CORRECT: Dear Magdalena,
Sincerely yours,
o Use commas to set off abbreviations such as Jr., Sr., or M.D. when they follow a
person’s name
CORRECT: Is Alex M. Jorgensen, Jr., here?
12. Do not use unnecessary commas. If there is no rule requiring punctuation and when the meaning
is clear without it, do not insert punctuation.
 Don't use a comma to separate the subject from the verb.
INCORRECT: The most important attribute of a ball player, is quick reflex actions.

Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate.
INCORRECT: We laid out our music and snacks, and began to study.

Don't put a comma between the two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound
subject or compound object.
INCORRECT (compound subject): The music teacher from your high school, and the
football coach from mine are married.
INCORRECT (compound object): Jeff told me that the job was still available, and that the
manager wanted to interview me.

Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it
(except for cases of extreme contrast).
INCORRECT: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.
CORRECT: She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar. (This comma use is
correct because it is an example of extreme contrast)
Sources:
Driscoll, Dana and Allen Brizee. "Comma Quick Rules." The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 17 Apr. 2010. Web. 6 Oct
2014. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/
Evler, Mescal. Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice for Chapter 12-28. Austin: Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 2000. Print.
In each of the following sentences, insert any missing
commas and circle any unnecessary commas.
1. Ms. Fuller could I use the office telephone to call my parents
please?
2. On a cold January night nothing is as nice as a warm cup of
cocoa.
3. We can drop you off at the corn and you can catch the four
o’clock bus.
4. Each night before she goes to bed Anita brushes her hair.
5. No matter what else happens today I’ll be there to pick you,
and your brother, up so please be waiting near the front door.
6. The eggs that we put in the incubator began to hatch on
Wednesday May 12 2002.
Donald Duck
Mrs. Schranz
Period 7 English
7 October 2014
Sample Formatting Page
This is a sample of MLA formatting which you are required to use for the final copy of
your paper. Be sure to create a heading exactly like the one above: your name, teacher’s name,
name of course/period, date (day, month, year). In addition, your paper should be typed, double
spaced using Times New Roman font, size 12. Notice that the title of your paper should be
centered (as above) with no quotations, italics, or underlining. Margins should be exactly oneinch (not 1.25), and paragraphs should be left-aligned; the right side should be “jagged” (not
“justified”). If you need help with formatting or have any questions, just ask!