The Perfect Term Paper: Details, Details....

Patrick Power Library

The Perfect Term Paper: Details, Details....

Basic Format Guidelines

Double-space the body of the paper, but use indented single-spacing for footnotes and for long quotations.

Keep a one-inch margin around the paper.

Use Arabic numerals as page numbers for the body of the paper, usually placed at the top right.

Book and journal titles are usually underlined or italicized.

For a title page, centre the following information: title of the paper, your name, the course name and number, the professor's name, and the date the paper is due.

Do not embellish the title page with fancy lettering, drawings, pictures or colour.

Word processing facilities are available on campus in computer labs and in the Library. For more information about these services, contact ITSS (420-8111).

Style Manuals (Format Guides)

APA Style Guide to Electronic References

BF 76.7 A63 2007 REF

Chicago Manual of Style
Z 253 U69 2003 REF

Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers
LB 2369 .T8 2007 REF

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
LB 2369 G53 2003 REF

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
BF 76.7 P82 2001 REF

Grammar Handbooks

The Right Handbook: Grammar Uses in Context

PE 1408 R567 1993

Step-by-step explanation of grammar & mechanics of writing. Includes chapter for ESL students.

The Little, Brown Compact Handbook
PE 1112 A23 2007

Basic grammar, style and mechanics.

The Canadian Writer's Handbook. 2nd edition
PE 1408 M47 1986 REF

A very useful tool for ESL students. Includes sample essays.

General Writing Guides

Fit to Print: The Canadian Student's Guide to Essay Writing

LB 2369 B83 2004 REF

Guides students through every step of essay writing; includes guidelines, examples and exercises.

Making Sense: a Student's Guide to Research, Writing, and Style. 3rd edition
LB 2369 N67 1993

A guide to writing book, lab and business reports.

Notes on the Preparation of Essays in the Arts and Sciences. 4th edition
LB 2369 N68 1993

Useful handbook on the format of essays (abbreviations, capitalization, foreign words, etc.).

Practical Guide to Writing. 6th edition
PE 1408 B4314 1990

Explains how to analyze and persuasively argue a topic. Very detailed section on revising an essay.

Thinking It Through: A Practical Guide to Academic Essay Writing. 2nd edition
PE 1471 T45 1995

A comprehensive guide; very good section on essay revision. Includes sample essays; useful appendices.

Thinking Through the Essay. 2nd edition
PE 1471 B36 1993

Evaluates essays by famous authors such as George Orwell and Henry David Thoreau. Includes exercises.

Writing with Precision
PE 1479 B87 B37 1990

Guide to writing memos, letters and reports; check-lists for clarity, precision, using the "right word."

Specialized Guides

Academic Writing : Writing and Reading in the Disciplines

PE 1408 G54 2002

Business English: Writing in the Workplace

HF 5718 E88 2008

Engineering Communication: A Practical Guide to Workplace Communication for Engineers

TA 158.5 I53 2008

Making Sense: Psychology and the Life Sciences: Students Guide to Research and Writing

BF 76.7 N67 2002

Psychological Reports: A Guide to Report Writing in Professional Psychology. 3rd edition
BF 76.8 O86 1997

Using Sources Effectively: Strengthening Your Writing and Avoiding Plagiarism
PN 167 H372 2002

Internet Sites

The UVIC Writer's Guide

A comprehensive site with useful explanations of literary terms and the different styles of essays. Especially useful for writing literature essays.

The Research Paper and the World Wide Web

Provides tutorials on how to find and evaluate web sources.

MLA Formatting and Style Guide

A basic guide to writing research papers using MLA guidelines. Topics include: gathering materials, taking notes, using outlines, working with quotations, formatting the paper, and preparing a work-cited page.

Using APA Format (Online Writing Lab)