View an Essay
The following pages are from an essay written by college freshman Gaele Lopez for his composition class. They reflect his awareness of his instructor’s expectations about line spacing, margins, documentation system, page numbers, and a title page.
For another sample essay formatted in MLA style, see Chapter 5. For a sample essay formatted in APA style, see Chapter 8.
Checklist for Designing Academic Essays
Reflect on how design can help you accomplish your purpose and carry out your role as a writer.
Consider how design can help you address reader expectations.
Think about how the context in which you write your essay will affect your design decisions.
Think about how the context in which your essay will be read will affect your design decisions.
Be aware of the design conventions associated with academic essays, including the following:
- Cover page or essay header, depending on your instructor’s preferences or the formatting requirements of the documentation style you are following
- Readable body font (example: 12-point Times New Roman)
- Double-spaced lines
- Wide margins, at least one inch
- Consistent use of the documentation system you are following
- Headers and footers in a readable font distinct from the body font
- If used, headings and subheadings formatted in fonts and colors that distinguish them from the body text and show the relative importance of heading levels
- If used, illustrations labeled and placed either within the text near relevant passages or in an appendix, according to your instructor’s preferences