I uh...have a stupid question to ask of students...how do you format your essays?

[mary]

If you are writing an essay, how do you format your paragraphs?

Do you double space between paragraphs?

Do you indent the first line and single space the entire essay?

Do you do both?

Do you usually just double-space the entire document?

As a reader, do you prefer any particular format?

When I was in college, I always formatted my essays like I was still using my typewriter - indent and double space everything.

Just curious.

[antoinewalker]

i double space the entire essay and indent every paragraph.

[chumdawg]

As a reader, I prefer double spaces between paragraphs, and I don't much care if there is an indent or not.

Oh, but I strongly prefer two spaces after each period.

[MavsX]

haha, this is funny.

[alby]

Originally Posted by antoinewalker

i double space the entire essay and indent every paragraph.

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Oh, but I strongly prefer two spaces after each period.

yes and yes

[Tokey41]

Do you double space between paragraphs? Yes.

Do you indent the first line and single space the entire essay? Yes. In some cases i'd probably get a mark taken off if I even purposely put a double space between my period and the next sentence.

Do you usually just double-space the entire document? Yes. I've only had one prof who didn't like that format in which he preferred to only single space between paragraphs.

As a reader, do you prefer any particular format? The one I just listed is good... since i'm so used to it by now, I also number my pages with a header that has my last name, first initial. And of course I use a cover page.

Really depends on what its for, some of my professors get pissed when I don't follow their strict guidelines (which changes from class to class, subject to subject). For example, English papers usually use MLA format and Psychology papers usually go with APA format (both of which you need to know for referencing purposes).

On a sidenote, i'm speaking as a student in Canada, it may be different in the U.S (but I know they use APA format for psych classes as well).

[mary]

Originally Posted by Tokey41

Do you double space between paragraphs? Yes.

Do you indent the first line and single space the entire essay? Yes. In some cases i'd probably get a mark taken off if I even purposely put a double space between my period and the next sentence.

Do you usually just double-space the entire document? Yes. I've only had one prof who didn't like that format in which he preferred to only single space between paragraphs.

As a reader, do you prefer any particular format? The one I just listed is good... since i'm so used to it by now, I also number my pages with a header that has my last name, first initial. And of course I use a cover page.

Really depends on what its for, some of my professors get pissed when I don't follow their strict guidelines (which changes from class to class, subject to subject). For example, English papers usually use MLA format and Psychology papers usually go with APA format (both of which you need to know for referencing purposes).

On a sidenote, i'm speaking as a student in Canada, it may be different in the U.S (but I know they use APA format for psych classes as well).

Thanks for responding Tokey. Just so I can be clear, you're saying that your profs usually prefer the entire document to be double-spaced and paragraphs to be marked with indentations. Am I reading that correctly?

[Tokey41]

You got it.