LHS Composition Guide

Manuscript Form for typed and handwritten papers

General Format Rules for Typing: Use a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman), one-inch margins on all four sides, and double spacing without exception throughout the paper.

Title Page

1. Center your title (which should NOT be underlined or in quotation marks) 3.5 inches from the top of the page if typing and on the sixth blue line on theme paper if writing by hand.

2. Center your name below the title after double spacing if typing and on the seventh blue line on theme paper if writing by hand.

3. Center the course name 5.5 inches from the top of the page if typing and on the tenth blue line on theme paper if writing by hand.

4. Center the instructor’s name below the course name after double spacing if typing and on the eleventh blue line on theme paper if writing by hand.

5. Center the due date below the instructor’s name after double spacing if typing and on the twelfth blue on theme paper if writing by hand.

Outline Page (All parts are double spaced evenly throughout if typing.)

1. Put your last name 3/4 inch from the top even with the right hand margin if typing and in the upper right-hand corner of the theme paper if writing by hand on each page of the outline.  If the outline is more than one page, number in lower-case Roman numerals (e.g.,  ii, iii, iv).

2. Center the title of the paper one inch from the top if typing and on the top line of the theme paper if writing by hand.

3. After double spacing, type the word Thesis followed by a colon.  After the colon, put the main idea of your composition.  The thesis statement is double spaced and even with the left-hand margin.  If using theme paper, start your thesis statement on the third blue line, and do not skip lines.

4. After double spacing, type the word Introduction even with the left hand margin.  If using theme paper, skip a line before the word Introduction.

5. After the word Introduction, type the Roman numerals and subtopics of your outline. Use double spacing and standard indentations (See model).  If using theme paper, do not skip any lines between major and minor points in your outline.  

6. After the last minor point in the outline, double space and type the word Conclusion even with the left-hand margin.  If using theme paper, skip a line after the last minor point before writing the word Conclusion.

Body of Paper (Double spaced, one-inch margins on all four sides if typing)

1. Put your last name 3/4 inches from the top even with the right-hand margin on each page of body if typing and in the upper right-hand corner if writing on theme paper.  Start numbering on the second page of body (Smith 2) and continue through the Works Cited.

2. Do NOT repeat the title.

3. Begin the body one inch from the top of the page if typing and on the second blue line if writing on theme paper.  Do not write on the last blue line of each page of theme paper.  

4. Use standard indentation (½ inch) at the beginning of each paragraph.

5. Indent block quotes (minimum of 4 or more lines in length) ten spaces on the left, but even with the margin on the right.