Required Checklist for Paper Assignments
(Use this/a hard copy if possible; the web version will not print out well. Only for 200/300 level courses)
Professor Dan Lindley; 448 Decio, 631-3226, , March 16, 2005, v. 5.2
NOTE: For Spring 07, copy this checklist to the rear of your paper, put X’s in for all completed items, and type in your name in the signature area. An electronic copy of this checklist in on the course website in .doc and .wpd formats. Email your papers to , and please send a copy to as well. If you have any graphics, charts, tables, etc. (and they are surely encouraged), please put your name on them, and pass them to James in class on Thursday.
Papers that lack the stylistic elements listed below make your work appear less serious than it may actually be. Should you present work with these flaws to your future employers, you will damage your reputation. In addition, the abstract and summary introduction are substantive elements that will clarify your thoughts and your paper. They may seem simple, but are difficult and important. To ensure that we take your work as seriously as possible and to ensure that you know what well-polished work looks like, you must complete the required parts of this checklist and staple the list to your paper. Failure to comply will lower your grade by .17, for example from a B to a B/B-. This is a minimal penalty for failure to use the checklist. Having no endnotes or summary introduction will lead to more substantial penalties (you can not get an A without them). See individual assignments for any additional requirements.
All papers must:
___Have a cover page that includes a title, your name, the date, and the course name.
___At the bottom of the cover page, summarize your argument in 1, 2, or 3 sentences. Precede this summary with the words: "Abstract of argument:" Optional: Arrow diagram your argument.
___Have a summary introduction that, in one to two paragraphs:
___Clearly states your argument(s) and that
___Provides a roadmap for the paper.(see writing handouts for more on summary introductions; an example of an ideal summary intro is on my website under advice). NOTE: There is no chance for an A grade without a summary introduction; papers lacking summary introductions may be marked down by more than .17.
___Be printed on plain white paper,
___with standard one inch margins,
___with standard double spacing,
___with a standard 12 point font -- Do not use tiny fonts.
___with page numbers. (The word count should be roughly 250 per standard full-text page)
___Use properly formatted endnotes for ALL sources of direct quotes, all borrowed or cited material, and all material you needed to look up. Parenthetical citations with a bibliography are OK, but not preferred. See my website under handouts for some links on how to format your notes and bibliography. NOTE: Failure to use endnotes when required may subject you to the penalties for cheating and plagiarism spelled out on the syllabus and in the Honor Code. PLEASE DECODE WEBSITES to indicate author and sponsoring organization, if any.
___ For 5 page papers, you must have at least one cite (fact or quote) from two books or academic journals that you found in the library. For 10 page papers, you must cite four books or articles. Put call numbers by these books/journals in your bibliography. Academic journals are defined as those containing at least 10 foot/endnotes per major article. Feel free to consult other sources; this is a minimum requirement. Good papers almost always have many more cites. See the handout on how to start and conduct research in your packet and on the web. Select quotes carefully. Overly long quotes usually detract.
___A bibliography (a list of all sources cited, not part of page count)
___Be spell checked
___Finally, you must check off each item and staple this checklist to your paper, on the top, putting the staple in the top left. (this also ensures that you will in fact staple your paper in the first place...)
Honor Code:
I have abided by the Notre Dame Academic Honor Code in all aspects of preparing and submitting this paper.
Signature: ------