General rules for any major work you turn in (this stuff is pretty common to any teacher):

• TYPE EVERYTHING (i.e., use a computer)
• DOUBLE-SPACE everything
• SPELL-CHECK everything
• PROOFREAD everything
• HAVE SOMEONE ELSE PROOFREAD everything (someone good with grammar and spelling abilities)
• DON'T RELY on spell-check and ESPECIALLY not on grammar check (ugh!)

• use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font (for me, it's OK to use another CLEAR, professional-looking font)
• For me, graphics, pictures, a nice cover, etc., evidence hard work
+ (although they exacerbate an otherwise sloppy endeavor!)
• Cover page is always free-form (for my class)
• When in doubt, source it
• Use "Works Cited" and "Works Consulted"
• Order: Title Page – Outline – Index – Body – Sources
+ (you might not use the outline or index, but if you do, that's the order)
• Numbering pages is always nice. Many programs will do this automatically, but remember, page 1 properly belongs to the first page of the body of your report. Before that you use i, ii, etc., or leave blank.

SOURCES: READ THE HANDOUT!!!!!

Specific common mistakes:
• " goes after the comma or period:

• Double-space after every period, question mark, etc. (I.e., hit the space bar TWICE after every sentence.)
• Commas in a series: use a comma before the word "and!"
+ E.g.: "John searched here, there, and everywhere." NOT "John searched here, there and everywhere."
• Avoid the word "got;" likewise, don't start sentences with "but" or "then." (Good grief!)
• NO COLLOQUIALISMS!! Do not use words and phrses such as “cool,” “really,” “awesome,” “to the extreme,” etc.
• NO CONTRACTIONS!! “Would not” is correct. “Wouldn't” is poor usage.
• CORRECT: "try to find;" "try to do;" "try to finish." INCORRECT: "try and find:" "try and do;" "try and finish."
• Remember that there is a little key under your right-hand pinky called the semicolon. Use it wisely to avoid choppy sentences!
• Use creative openers and closers – don't simply reiterate the topic you have chosen.

Spelling:
• separate not seperate
• watch out for they're – there – their; it's easy to mistype when you're moving along quickly.

"DOES THIS STUFF REALLY AFFECT MY GRADE? DOES IT REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH LEARNING HISTORY?" Really, it DOES! If you are to be taken seriously in the real world, you have to be able to communicate effectively, prove your point (hence the citations/sources), be accurate, show that you are at least somewhat comfortable with your subject, and do your best. Nothing less will do in any area of life, and we are instructed to "do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men..." (Col. 3:23)