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Headings and Text Formatting

The following two pages give some examples of text Formatting and Heading use for this course; after the second page, there is a discussion of Documentation and Plagiarism. The following two pages are double-spaced and have indented paragraphs, as should your reports. [This formatting is based on viewing in a 12 point font; other sizes--larger sized in particular-- may change the appearance of these two pages]

Headings:



 
FIRST ORDER



SECOND ORDER

          Text begins on this line; always leave a blank line after a second-order heading. 

Note that in this example, the second order heading is in all caps at the left margin; the 

other option is to center it in initial caps. 

Third Order

    Text begins on this line; always leave a blank line after a third-order heading. Note
that in this example, the third and fourth order headings are underlined; they could also be 

placed in bold-face type and not underlined. If one heading level in bold-faced, then all 

should be; if they are bold-faced, then underlining does not seem necessary.

        Fourth Order. Note that this heading is indented and has the text beginning on the
same line.

 

Here is a second example of heading use, with the second order headings centered:


 
 
FIRST ORDER

Second Order

     Leave a blank line before and after a second-order heading. Note that this second 

order heading is centered and in initial caps; the other option is to put it in all caps at the 

left margin.

Third Order

    Leave a blank line before and after a third-order heading.
         Fourth Order. The text goes on the same line. Then, the text goes back to the 

margin on the next lint. In this example, the third and fourth order headings are bold-faced 

rather than underlining them.

DOCUMENTATION AND PLAGIARISM

English 303 emphasizes research techniques. It is important that each student find and analyze data to be used for supporting conclusions and recommendations:

In order to evaluate each student's work fairly as a piece of work in itself and in comparison to the work of other students, it is necessary that all work be done honestly by the student who submits it for a grade. To be sure that you are following these guidelines, keep the following terms and definitions in mind as you research and write:

PLAGIARISM means presenting the words, work, or opinions of someone else as if they were your own--in other words, without correct DOCUMENTATION to the original source.

DOCUMENTATION refers to the process of citing sources--giving the origin and form of the source material--through quotation marks, footnotes, endnotes, or in-text notes, and a bibliography. Those quotation marks, notes, and bibliography give the author, title, and necessary publication data about the origin of the source material and show whether the author's exact words are being used or a summary of those words is being presented.