This page concerns expectations for the formal aspects of your
typed written assignments. It is a general guide, and not all
aspects apply to every assignment - for example, Journal
assignments do not normally require citations or bibliographies,
covered in Part II, Section 12. Your work on written assignments
will be graded principally on the content of your ideas and
their clarity of expression. However, improving your writing
skills is an important aspect of all college written work, and
papers that include many errors in basic form, grammar, and
spelling will be graded lower. There are three principal ways to
strengthen your control of written work: first, take the formal
aspects of your writing seriously and devote time to focusing on
them; second, visit the Writing Tutorial Services for help on
improving your writing; third, consult this page as you write.
This page includes sections dealing with two different types of
issues: Part I: Formulating and Conveying the Substance of Your
Ideas includes a seri