■ List sources alphabetically, by the author’s last name. If no
author is given, list by the first word in the title of the work
(unless the first word is “A,” “An,” or “The,” in which case list
by the second word of the title).
■ The first line of each listing should be flush with the left mar-
gin. Indent all other lines five spaces from the left margin.
■ Double-space all listings and double-space between entries.
■ Abbreviate all months except May, June, and July.Step 11: Check Your Spelling and Proofread
It’s time to rid your paper of any mistakes in grammar and spelling.
I’ve told you your thoughts are the most important element of
your paper. And they are. But it’s also true that glaring mistakes in
grammar and spelling will lead your teacher to believe that you are
either careless or downright ignorant—neither of which will bode
well for your final grade.
So get out your dictionary and a reference book on English usage
and grammar. Scour your paper, sentence by sentence, marking
corrections with your colored pen or pencil. Look for:
■ Misspelled words. Check every word. If you’re using a
spellchecking computer program, be careful of sound-alike
words. “There” might be spelled correctly, but not if you
meant to write “their.”
■ Incorrect punctuation. Review the rules for placement of
commas, quotation marks, periods, and other punctuation.
Make sure you follow those rules throughout your paper.
■ Incorrect sentence structure. Look for dangling participles,
split infinitives, sentences that end in prepositions, and other
various grammar no-no’s.166 How to Study