CHECKLIST FOR PAPERS
Points will be deducted for each of the problems noted below.  Number of points may vary depending upon the severity of the problem.  (revised 7/31/2009)

CHECK FOR PROPER FORMAT
________Student adhered to MLA style (margins, headings, page number, New Times Roman, size 12 font, etc.)
                 (40 points removed if MLA requirements have not been met)
________Student has included a Works Cited page (enclosed, formatted, etc.) – it’s plagiarism if a Works Cited
                  page is not included.
________The paper is of the required length (10 points removed for every page less than the paper requirements)
________The cover page does not count as a page number requirement.
________The student has used italics rather than underlining (5 points removed for every underlined source)
________The student has removed underlining and color from URLs

PROPER CITATION OF WORKS – AVOIDING PLAGIARISM – All points may be removed if student has knowingly or unknowingly engaged in plagiarism.
________Student must cite direct quotes, borrowed  ideas, paraphrases, illustrations, graphics
________Student must cite after every paragraph and according to MLA guidelines
________Student has used a maximum of two direct, brief quotations throughout the entire paper (50 points
                  removed for more than two quotations)
________Student’s “voice” is recognizable in the paper
________Student has met source requirements (15 points removed for each missing source)
________Sources are adequate in number and relevance (according to instructor’s requirements)
________Student has not relied heavily on encyclopedic sources; a dictionary is not a source (only one
                  encyclopedic/dictionary source allowed  --20 points removed for each over that limit – Additionally, DO
                   NOT use Wikipedia as a source – 50 points removed if Wikipedia is used.)
________Student has not relied heavily on random websites (has followed instructor’s source
    requirements)
________Student has listed parenthetical references properly, in coordination with the Works Cited page

CONTENT – All points will be deducted if your paper does not pertain to the topic you selected at the beginning of the semester, relevant to the time period of this course.   
________The student has provided a clearly discernible thesis in the introduction.
________Student adheres to thesis throughout paper (50 points removed if paper strays from topic or thesis)
________Students’ thoughts, arguments are organized for flow and transition (70 points removed if readability is
                  problematic)
________Topic is treated with depth and consistency (total point removal otherwise)
________The conclusion is clear, strong, and offers brief summary

MECHANICAL ISSUES – As many as seventy points will be deducted from your paper grade if mechanics, grammar, and style problems interfere with readability of your paper.
________Student demonstrates sound sentence structure (avoid – fragments, run-ons, subject/noun and verb
                 disagreement, rambling, backing into sentence topics, phrases that incorrectly modify, redundant
                 sentence structure, etc.)
________The student uses paragraphs
________The student uses transitional phrases that move the reader through the paper

REMINDERS FOR MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES 
_______Use full name upon first reference, then last name for subsequent references
_______Use active voice rather than passive voice whenever possible
_______Generally, use past tense for past events
_______Avoid clichés, slang, casual, vague terms
_______Use proper capitalization and punctuation
_______Avoid overwriting (does not use superlatives, such as best, greatest, huge, very, etc.)
_______Edit for proper spelling – USE A DICTIONARY AND/OR A THESAURUS – AVOID PHONETIC
               SPELLING.   DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON SPELLCHECK TO CORRECT SPELLING.  IT IS
               UNRELIABLE.
_______Use succinct phraseology (omits needless words)
_______Avoid contractions for academic writing
_______Avoid conjunctions to begin sentences
_______Avoid prepositions at the ends of sentences
_______EDIT, EDIT, EDIT, OR HAVE SOMEONE HELP YOU EDIT