Handout C505-06
The Table of Contents follows the cover page of a report.
The guidelines for a Table of Contents follow:

Check your software! Some contain features that enable you to automatically create a Table of Contents from the Outline or report.

Use the same margins as in the report itself.
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Center the heading, CONTENTS or TABLE OF CONTENTS , in all caps 2” from the top of the page, and quadruple space after the heading.
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Each entry in the Contents refers to a chapter or major section and should be keyed in capital and lower-case letters (initial caps).

Precede each major entry with a Roman numeral and use right aligned tab stops with leaders (row of periods) to lead the reader’s eye from the entry to its respective page number. Check your software’s automated feature for creating leaders with tabs. Using the automated feature assures that leaders will be aligned consistently within all lines of text.

Place a double space before and after all major entries. Singlespace all secondary entries.
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Subtopics (secondary headings) within each section should be typed a double space below the major headings and formatted with a .5” indent.
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Number the Contents page(s) at the bottom center and with lowercase Roman numerals (i.e., i, ii, etc.) Check your software to insert and customize the page numbering.

Handout C505-07
CONTENTS
(QS)
I. Hardware .............................................................................................. 1
(DS)
A. Input & Output Devices ................................................................. 2
B. Processing ....................................................................................... 4
C. Memory .......................................................................................... 6
D. Storage Media ................................................................................ 9
(DS)
II. Software ............................................................................................ 12
(DS)
A. Operating Systems ....................................................................... 12
B. Graphical User Interfaces ............................................................. 14
C. Integrated Software ...................................................................... 17
1. Word Processing ..................................................................... 17
2. Spreadsheet.............................................................................. 18
3. Database .................................................................................. 19
D. Software Suites ............................................................................ 20
(DS)
III. Guidelines for Purchasing a Computer ........................................... 21
(DS)
A. Buying Direct or Retail ................................................................ 21
B. Selecting a Vendor ....................................................................... 22
C. Warranty ....................................................................................... 23
(i)

Handout C505-08
Unbound reports are typically short reports (either business or academic) prepared without binders or covers. A multi-page unbound report may be held together by paper clip or staple.
Leftbound reports differ only in that they are bound with a binder or cover.
The format guidelines for unbound and leftbound reports follow:
 The top margin of the first page on a business report is 2” and 1” on an academic report. Succeeding pages have a 1” top margin.
 Side margins are 1” for an unbound report. For leftbound reports, the left margin only is increased to 1.5” to accommodate for the binding or cover. The right margin remains at 1”.
 The bottom margin is 1”, although that may vary as pagebreak decisions are made. (Example: Avoid widows and orphans and do not split side headings from the paragraph that immediately follows.)

Center the title of the report in all caps for business reports or initial caps for important words and bold for academic reports. Double-space between the title and the body of the report in an academic report and quadruple-space in a business report.

Double-space the body of the report.

Handout C505-08 Page 2

The first page of some academic reports has a heading keyed 1” from the top at the left margin as illustrated (thus a title page is unnecessary).
Anne Kilpatrick
Ms. Jones
English 10
15 April 2004 (Date is keyed in military style.)

The second and succeeding pages typically have a page number .5” from the top, aligned at the right margin.
Double-space after the page number. Check your software for a page numbering feature or the use of a header for page numbers. There are several acceptable page numbering styles. The student’s last name should precede the page number. (Example: Kilpatrick 4)

Indent the first line of each paragraph .5” (check the automatic special indentation feature of your software).

Enumerated (numbered) items within a report should be single-spaced with a double-space between items. They should also be formatted with a left indentation of .5”.

Handout C505-08 Page 3
A long quote consists of four or more lines. An example of a long quote in a business report:
In her book, Turabian provides the following definition of the ellipses:
Any omission of words, phrases, or paragraphs in quoted matter is indicated by ellipsis points, which are period dots, not asterisks (stars). There should be a space before each dot, unless the first dot is a period, and a space also after the last if a word follows. (156)
An example of a long quote in an academic report:
Jones 3
Omission of words, phrases, or sentences of the original text is permitted on the grounds of brevity and to exclude irrelevant data.
Writers should use their own words most of the time . . . In other words, credit must be given to sources, whether they are quoted directly or paraphrased. (Shepherd, 50)

Handout C505-08 Page 4

Quotation marks are not used in long quotes. Instead, block indentation is used to set off the text by .5” from the left (and right margins if you choose) in a business report and 1” from the left margin only in an academic report.
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A long quote begins a double space below the line preceding the quote and a double space should follow it.
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The spacing within a long quote is SS for a business report and DS for an academic report.
Text references in reports can take several forms. Typically, you should refer to a style manual for the specific format required for your report.

Textual citations (or parenthetical references) are formatted in parentheses within the body of a report. You can see an example of textual citations in the examples above of long quotations. The author’s name and the page number of where the source can be found is located in parentheses at the end of the passage (long quote).

A second form is to place all the notes at the end of the report. These are called endnotes or works cited.
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A third way is to place the notes at the bottom of the same page on which they occur. These references are called footnotes. Check your software for automated features in formatting text references as either endnotes or footnotes.

Handout C505-08 Page 5
If not using an automated feature, typically, footnotes will appear a double-space below the last line of text on the page.
A horizontal line (approximately 1.5” in length) separates the footnote from the text. After the horizontal divider line, double-space, indent the first line .5”, and key the superscript footnote number (superior figure) followed by the text reference in a proper form. Continue to consecutively number each footnote. Check the style manuals for variances in this format.
Single-space continuation lines and begin them at the left margin. Double-space between footnotes.
Footnotes require that you plan ahead and provide for the space needed on the page if not using an automated footnote feature.
Footnotes, like endnotes or works cited, refer the reader to information outside the text. They may be used to acknowledge the source of information, to support arguments, to provide additional material, to identify quoted material, to elaborate on the meaning, or to refer to other parts of the text.
Source footnotes provide the reader with the essential details necessary to find the reference. Source footnotes consist of these four elements:
Author(s) + Title of Work + Facts of Publication + Page
Reference
An example of a superscript text reference:
In 1875, he moved to England.
1 At that time, he was

Handout C505-08 Page 6
Examples of footnotes:
__________________
1. Peter F. Drucker, Managing in Turbulent Times, Harper & Row,
New York, 1980, p. 165.
__________________
1 Peter F. Drucker, Managing in Turbulent Times, Harper & Row, New
York, 1980, p. 165.

When endnotes are used instead of footnotes, they are placed at the end of the report typically on a separate page.
Number the endnotes page the same way the other pages of the report are numbered.

Center the heading, ENDNOTES , in all caps and use a 2” top margin.
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Use the same side margins as used in the report.
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Endnotes are numbered consecutively as they appear in the report and are preceded by a superscript number.
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They have a first-line indent of .5” from the left margin.

Each individual entry is single-spaced, with a double space between entries.

Endnotes are similar in content to footnotes.

Handout C505-09 Page 4
A bibliography is an alphabetical listing of the material used in the report (such as textual citations, footnotes, endnotes, and related material which may have been used but not cited), and is located at the end of the report. The format for a bibliography page follows:
 Follow the margins used for the research paper (leaving a 2” top margin).

Center the title, BIBLIOGRAPHY , in all caps, followed by a quadruple space between the title and the first entry.

The first line of each entry should be flush with the left margin.
Continuation lines should be indented .5” from the left. (i.e., hanging indentation—refer to automatic formatting features in your software)

Single-space individual entries, with a double space between entries.

Separate the main parts of an entry with commas; these are author
(last name, then first name), title, date, and page numbers. Each entry ends with a period.

Alphabetize the entries according to the last name of the author.

Underline or italicize book, magazine, and newspaper titles and place quotation marks around the titles of articles, poetry, or essays. The date of the issue follows the periodical title.

Always refer to a style manual for specific requirements.

Handout C505-10
The Works Cited page is an alphabetical listing of only those works you cited in the body of the paper. The following guidelines are based on the MLA (Modern language Association) style:

The Works Cited page appears at the end of your paper and the page number should be numbered in sequence with the body of the report.
 Follow margins used for the research paper (leaving a 1” top margin). Double-space the list.

Center the title, WORKS CITED , in all caps and leave a double space between the title and the first entry.

The first line of each entry should be flush with the left margin.
Continuation lines should be indented .5” from the left. (i.e., hanging indentation—refer to automatic formatting features in your software)

Alphabetize the entries according to the last name of the author.

Separate the main parts of an entry with periods; these are author
(last name, then first name), title, publisher, and page numbers.

Underline or italicize book, magazine, and newspaper titles and place quotation marks around the titles of articles, poetry, or essays. The date of the issue follows the periodical title. A colon and one space separates the date and the specific pages where the article can be found.

Always refer to a style manual for specific requirements.

Handout C505-11
Outlines are an enumerated organizational tool.
Enumerated (numeral) items are numbered or listed items.
Side Headings:
*Begin at the left margin
—
NOT indented!
*Does NOT end in a period.
* Stands alone.
Paragraph that follows begins on next line. A DS precedes and follows the side heading.
* Initial cap all important words.
* Underlined.
Paragraph Headings:
* Indented
.5” like the first line of a paragraph, because it begins the first line of a paragraph.
*Ends with a period.
* Shares a line with the paragraph that follows.
Paragraph immediately follows the paragraph heading on the same line.
*Only capitalize the first letter of the first word.
* Underlined.