How important is Format?

 

     The format of your writing project is as (if not more) important then its

 

content because the format that your instructor requires your writing project to

 

be written in will dictate how you will need to provide your identification

 

(name, course title, instructor, etc.), citation, and source information. In fact,

 

some instructors may not accept your writing project if it is not properly

 

formatted. Although most instructors require that writing project be presented

 

in either the American Psychological Association-Style (APA) Chicago-style,

 

or Modern Language Association-Style (MLA) format, your instructor is the

 

first and last word on how your writing project should be formatted as well as

 

the person who will be reading and grading your writing project, so please

 

meet with your instructor and refer to your course syllabus to make sure that

 

all of your instructor's directions are being followed.

 

     Your instructor may require that you submit your writing project with all of

 

you identification on a cover page; on the other hand, your instructor may

 

require that you submit your writing project with all of your identification on

 

only the first page or on each page of your writing project. Generally, you

 

should have a shortened title and the page number in the upper right-hand

 

corner of each page that is ½ inch from the top of the page and aligned with

 

the right margin of the page (Wood, 2006, p. 266). To do this, you will need

 

to set up a header for your writing project using the Header & Footer function

 

of your Microsoft Office Word Program.

 

     To set up the header for your writing project, you will need to single-click

 

the Insert function tab from the row of tabs near the top of the Microsoft

 

Office Word Program window. You must then single-click the Page Number

 

button from the Header & Footer section of the program function. From the

 

drop-down display select Top of Page. Select and then single-click Plain

 

Number 3 to insert the page number header onto your writing project. At this

 

point, the header display will open for you to edit. You will need to type your

 

abbreviated title five spaces to the left of the page number. Select and single-

 

click the Close Header and Footer button to exit the header display. When the

 

header display closes, you will return to your research paper text display and

 

the header (with the abbreviated title and page number) will be present at the

 

top of the page.

 

     Another function of your Microsoft Office Word Program you will need

 

to provide citation and source information (footnotes) using the Chicago-style

 

format for your writing project is the Footnotes function. To add footnotes to

 

your writing project, you will need to single-click the References function tab

 

from the row of function tabs near the top of the Microsoft Office Word

 

Program window. When your curser is in the proper place (behind the period

 

of the sentence you wish to attach the footnote to) and you are ready to insert

 

a footnote, single-click the Insert Footnote button from the Footnotes section

 

of the program functions. The program will automatically place the superscript

 

note number in the place where your cursor was, create (or add to) the notes

 

section at the bottom of the page, and move your cursor automatically to allow

 

you to type the note information into the note section of the page. When you

 

have completed your writing project, the header and footnote will provide a

 

proper frame for your work.

 

     The following links will assist you in following the correct format for the

 

APA, Chicago, and MLA documentation formats:

 

As has been previously mentioned, equally as important as your understanding

 

and know-how of 21^st century research skills is the ability to follow directions,

 

specifically your instructor's directions. The information provided on this site is

 

not intended to contradict or supersede the directions provided by your

 

instructor and should be used as a complement to such directions.

 

References

 

Wood, N. (2006). Essentials of Argument. Upper Saddle River, New

 

          Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.