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1) Determine your audience(s):

2) Determine the purpose:

3) Determine the main points and gather information:

4) Organization of ideas in a logical outline for your purpose:

5) Convert the outline into paragraphs:

6) Unity and coherence of paragraphs:

7) Edit sentences for grammatical, mechanics, spelling, structure:

Proofread each sentence and paragraph separately:

9) Revise ten or more of sentences in your paper:

Other comments:

How to set headers with page numbers in Microsoft Word.

Click on Insert in the top toolbar. Then, click on Page Number and in the pull down menu, click on “top of page.” Then, click on “Plain number 3.” Insert your title (APA) or name (MLA) before the page number. You may need to click on Home in the top toolbar. Highlight the title and page and click on the right justification.

How to set up double spaced Essays in Microsoft Word.

First, highlight all of the text in the essay—hold down “ctrl” key and the “a” key at the same time, which this will select all of the text. Then, click on the Home tab at the top of the page. Then, click on the arrow in the right hand corner of Paragraph. This will bring up a pop up with information for formatting the essay. Change the “Line Spacing” to double in the pull down menu. Then, click ok, which should double space the entire essay.

How to set up Page Margins in Microsoft Word. In the top tool bar, click on Page Layout and below the tab on the bottom right you will see Page Setup and an arrow in a box. Double click on the arrow in the box, which will open a dialog box. You will see margins for the left, right, top, and bottom. Make sure each one is set to 1 inch and click Ok at the bottom of the box. This should automatically set up your margins correctly. Save the document after you perform this action because if you have a problem with the program or your computer, you do not have to do it again. You can also set it up as a default for all documents by clicking Default at the bottom left corner and then, click Ok.

How to set up Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word. In the top tool bar, click on Insert and then you will see Header and Footer in the middle of the tool bar. Click on Header and you will see a dialog box, which you need to click on Blank. This will bring up a box for you to type your information in, which then appear on each page. When you are finished, click on close Headers. (Footers are done the same way.)

How to set up a Formatted Bibliography in Microsoft Word. In the top tool bar, click on References and then look in the box below the tab for Style. Click on Style and a box will come up asking you what format such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and so forth.. Next, click on Bibliography and this will bring up a box in your text for you to enter your information.

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Here are the distinguishing features of a sentence fragment:
It is missing a subject

It is missing a verb or has the wrong verb form

It is a leftover phrase

It is an abandoned clause

It is a misuse of “such as, for example, especially,” etc.

Once you’ve identified what your sentence fragment is missing, fix it using one of these strategies:

Three Ways to Fix a Fragment

1. Attach the fragment to a nearby complete sentence.

Sometimes a fragment occurs because it’s a leftover of from a previous sentence or it’s an abandoned clause meant to introduce the following sentence.

Incorrect: I forgot to eat breakfast. On the morning of my driver’s test.

Correct: I forgot to eat breakfast on the morning of my driver’s test.

Incorrect: If the front door is locked. Use the back entrance.

Correct: If the front door is locked, use the back entrance.

2. Revise the fragment by adding whatever is missing – subject, verb, complete thought.

Incorrect: Loves to lie around in the sun all day. (Subject is missing. Who loves to lie around?)

Correct: My roommate’s pug loves to lie around in the sun all day.

Incorrect: Joe to train everyday. (Verb is missing. Also, “to train” is the wrong verb form.)

Correct: Joe trains everyday for the marathon next month.

Correct: Joe is training everyday for the marathon next month.

3. Rewrite the fragment or the entire passage that contains the fragment.

Incorrect: Our new landlord was expected to make changes. Such as fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate. Has not done any of it yet and weeks have passed.

Correct: Our new landlord was expected to make changes, such as fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate lock. Weeks have passed, and he still has not done any of it yet.

Sal’s band plays loud, abrasive, complex music.

2. Series of Items
Use a comma to separate three or more items in a series.

Anna’s grandmother is good at making fudge, nursing hurt animals, tending fruit trees, telling stories, and playing Scrabble.

3. FANBOYS – For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So
Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction that joins two complete sentences.

Glenn was craving Krispy Kreme donuts, but he knew it was a bad idea to eat too much sugar before going to bed.

4. Introductory Clauses
Use a comma after material that introduces a complete sentence. NOTE: There are six types of
introductory clauses.

Since my parents enjoy watching movies, they go every weekend. (Dependent word)

In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a traditional holiday. (Preposition)

To learn ballroom dancing correctly, you should take lessons. (Infinitive verb = “to” + verb)

Walking home from school, the young boy found a fifty-dollar bill. (Present participle)

Dr. King said, “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.” (Signal verb)

Elaine caught the flu. Therefore, she had to miss her cousin’s wedding. (Transitional word)

5. Nonessential vs. Essential Clauses
Use commas around a “nonessential clause,” which is material that is extra information and does not change the meaning of the sentence when taken out.

My brother, who is single, lives in New York City. (nonessential)
My brother who is single lives in New York City. (essential)

6. Interrupters
Use commas to set off information that “interrupts” the flow of a sentence. Interrupters can be emotional interjections (oh, well, wow), parenthetical expressions (to be exact, in fact, it seems), and transitional words (moreover, however, therefore).

People think my English accent sounds fake. My girlfriend, however, thinks it’s attractive.

How to set headers with page numbers in Microsoft Word.

Click on Insert in the top toolbar. Then, click on Page Number and in the pull down menu, click on “top of page.” Then, click on “Plain number 3.” Insert your title (APA) or name (MLA) before the page number. You may need to click on Home in the top toolbar. Highlight the title and page and click on the right justification.

How to set up double spaced Essays in Microsoft Word.

First, highlight all of the text in the essay—hold down “ctrl” key and the “a” key at the same time, which this will select all of the text. Then, click on the Home tab at the top of the page. Then, click on the arrow in the right hand corner of Paragraph. This will bring up a pop up with information for formatting the essay. Change the “Line Spacing” to double in the pull down menu. Then, click ok, which should double space the entire essay.

How to set up your Page Margins in Microsoft Word. In the top tool bar, click on Page Layout and below the tab on the bottom right you will see Page Setup and an arrow in a box. Double click on the arrow in the box, which will open a dialog box. You will see margins for the left, right, top, and bottom. Make sure each one is set to 1 inch and click Ok at the bottom of the box. This should automatically set up your margins correctly. Save the document after you perform this action because if you have a problem with the program or your computer, you do not have to do it again. You can also set it up as a default for all documents by clicking Default at the bottom left corner and then, click Ok.

How to set up your Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word. In the top tool bar, click on Insert and then you will see Header and Footer in the middle of the tool bar. Click on Header and you will see a dialog box, which you need to click on Blank. This will bring up a box for you to type your information in, which then appear on each page. When you are finished, click on close Headers. (Footers are done the same way.)

How to set up an APA Format Bibliography in Microsoft Word. In the top tool bar, click on References and then look in the box below the tab for Style. Click on Style and a box will come up asking you what format such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and so forth.. Next, click on Bibliography and this will bring up a box in your text for you to enter your information.

http://oedb.org/library/features/150-writing-resources

This web site provides information, links, and resources to help you write better.

A Grammar for Reading and Writing

http://www.criticalreading.com/grammartoc.htm

This web site provides links to grammar references.

Logic in Argumentative Writing

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/659/01/

This web site provides information and links for using logic within your writings.

Ex: Helen needed the book and asked me to hurry up with it.

Here, it is anaphoric because it refers back to the noun book.

Cataphora: Words or phrases like pronouns are cataphora when they point forwards to something later on in the text: As he was unaccustomed to it, Jake found the pressure very hard to deal with.

Here, it is cataphoric because it refers forwards to the noun pressure.

Cleft Sentences: is one where the original clause is divided into two clauses:

Ex: John took the money.

Ex: It was John who took the money.

Ex: It was the money that John took.

The original sentence has a single clause, but in the two cleft sentences, there are two clauses and this can have the effect of changing the emphasis to focus on John in the first and the money in the second.

Deixis: Words or phrases that can only be understood from the context of the text or utterance where they are found are deictic:

Ex: Tom’s interview was about to start and he was feeling nervous about it.

Here, from the context, we know that he refers to Tom and it refers to the interview; these are examples of deixis.

Dyad: Two people speaking is a dyad; the smallest unit of communication. Relationships between people; employer employee, etc., are dyads as well.

Ellipsis: is the omission of one or more words that are understood in the context, but which are required to make the sentence or utterance grammatically correct.

Ex: Ellipsis is also the name of the three dots (…) used as punctuation to show that some written text is incomplete.

Endophora: Words or phrases like pronouns are endophora when they point backwards or forwards to something in the text:

Ex: As he was late, Harry wanted to phone his boss and tell her what had happened.

Here, he is endophoric because it refers forwards to the proper noun Harry and her refers back to the noun boss.

Exophorc: Exophoric language points to something outside the language of the text, which is understood in the context:

Ex: Take a look at this.

Here, this refers to something that the speaker and listener can see and understand, but which has no meaning outside the context- we don’t know what this is- exophora.

Major Sentence: is a term used for a full sentence, containing a Main Verb and a Subject that is either present or readily identifiable.

Minor Sentence: is one that does not necessarily have a main verb in it, but which can be understood as a complete unit of meaning.

Ex: ‘What time are you leaving?’

Ex: ‘Three.’

Paragraphs: is an organizational feature of written English, and many other languages as well. It is a group of sentences, or possibly a single sentence, separated from the rest of the text by a space above and below it or by indenting the first line (leaving a space between the margin and the first word). A paragraph usually contains sentences that deal with one topic, and a new paragraph signals a change of topic.

Phrases: is a group of words that go together, but do not make a complete sentence.

Sentence Fragment: Sentence fragment does not necessarily have a main verb in it, but can be understood as a complete unit of meaning.

Ex: ‘Who did you see?’

Ex: ‘Tom.’

Here, Tom is a minor sentence; it has no verb, but the listener will understand that the person means I saw Tom.

Minor sentence is another term with the same meaning.

Sentence Simple: contains one subject and one main verb: it contains one independent clause.

Ex: I like coffee

This is a simple sentence with one subject and one verb forming an independent clause. A simple sentence can, of course, include other things:

Ex: I like a couple of cups of coffee first thing in the morning.

Text: is a body of language; it could consist of a single word like ‘Ladies’ or ‘Gentlemen’ on a toilet door right up to a complete book and can be either written or spoken.

Topic Sentences: the topic sentence is a sentence that sets out the main idea or topic of a paragraph. It is often the first sentence especially when arguing a point where it may well be followed by further information, examples etc.. If the writing is exploring a point, it frequently comes as the last sentence, drawing a conclusion from the argument.

Utterance: is a complete unit of speech (what one speaker says before the next starts), ranging from a single word to the longest uninterrupted speech possible.

Word: is the smallest unit of a language that can exist on its own in either written or spoken language. A morpheme such as -ly, used to create an adverb cannot exist without the adjective it modifies; it is not a word, although the adjective it modifies can exist alone and, therefore, is a word:

Ex: The woman was robbed. (4 words- an article a noun an auxiliary verb and a past participle. ‘Robbed’ consists of the verb ‘rob’ and the -ed morpheme to show that it is a past participle so the sentence has 5 morphemes.)

Reference:

http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary.html