Tips on Writing for Me (A "Do" and "Don't" List)Please purchase Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. This is one of the best investments you could make for your future and your grade.Remember to consult my grading criteria before, during and after writing. Please outline, read your draft out loud and have someone else (maybe even the Writing Center) read and comment on your draft.To Do: Formatting
  • 12-point, Times New Roman font
  • one-inch margins
  • double spaced
  • page numbers bottom center
  • no title or title page, simply your name (and course if you have me for more than one course this semester) in the upper right corner and a staple in the left. Papers of more than one sheet MUST be stapled and paginated. For electronic submissions, the file name should be "lastname_assignment.doc" You Smiths and Joneses add your first name.
  • Chicago or Turabian-style foot/endnotes and bibliographies
  • Write a one-sentence thesis/argument (tell us how and why and put it in bold or italics so I know what your thesis is)
  • Conform to page/word limits; they are given for a reason
  • No extra space between paragraphs (this is the default option for newer versions of Word, so you will have to change it)
  • Double side if possible to save trees
Failure to follow these formatting rules will result in an immediate 10 percent reduction in grade! To Do: Writing
  • Past Tense (perfective is usually the norm): these events happened long ago and most often only once
  • Active voice: see this link if you do not know the difference from passive voice
    • Active voice is imperative in history because we must have a clear sense of agency (who did what to whom). Without agency, history has little meaning. Therefore, passive voice is anathema to history writing and will cause you to fail.
  • Spell Tsar, not Czar
  • Write "percent" instead of % (e.g. 10 percent)
  • Spell out numbers under 100 (except with "percent") and all centuries (e.g. nineteenth century, not 19th century)
  • Check your capitalization
  • Double-check the spelling of foreign words and names
  • Italicize foreign words, but not proper names
  • Proofread and eliminate any overused words, phrases, or constructions
  • Vary sentence structure (i.e. simple, complex, compound, compound-complex)
  • Write in words, not phrases. Be concise
  • 1900s, not 1900's. Apostrophes NEVER make a plural. The latter example means that "1900" possesses something.
  • Use quotes as illustrations, not evidence (unless you are doing a textual analysis). I want to hear your voice.
    • NEVER use a quotation as a thesis or topic sentence
    • NEVER isolate quotations. They must be introduced and then followed with an explanation to your reader of what they mean
    • If the quotation is longer than fifty words, indent and single space the quotes text, but omit quotation marks
    • If you are not analyzing the particular text, quotations should only be used as evidence or when you are unable to paraphrase and still retain the essence of the quote. Avoid quoting textbooks!
Do Not Do: Writing
  • Do not use contractions
  • Eliminate colloquialisms: (e.g. "got the shaft", "were sent packing", "fuel the fire")
  • Eliminate "due to" and "in fact" statements
  • Eliminate vague "this", "that", "them", and "it" and never start a sentence with such vagueries.
Know the Difference: These really make my flesh crawl!
  • proletariat (noun) v. proletarian (adj), bourgeoisie (noun) v. bourgeois (adj)
  • loose v. lose
  • lead v. led
  • its/it's
  • their/there/they're
    • "Tropical plants: Their here" (a real sign seen in Washington, DC)
  • affect/effect
  • A novel is a particular form of fiction; not every book we read is a novel. Use appropriate terms.
Rewrite (not just editing) for clarity:
  • "A factor that helped with this is that [this phrase means nothing!] individuals which comprised futurism and hooliganism were young. They used patience with the masses, eventually persuading them that their cause was worthy."
  • A much better and clearer thesis would be:
    • "Futurists and hooligans, who were primarily young, were patient with the masses, eventually persuading them that their cause was worthy."