<p>Name:______Date: ______Penalora AP English Language and Composition Writing Needs Inventory Period:______Check Things to WORK on </p><p>MLA FORMAT</p><p>Spacing: Double-spacing throughout the entire document</p><p>Font: 12-point font and Times New Roman or a similar plain font</p><p>Margins: one-inch margins all around</p><p>Name Order: Name information starts one inch from the top of the page in the upper left corner in the following order: Student Name Instructor Name Class Title Period Due Date of Paper: 15 May 2010</p><p>Pagination: Student’s Last Name, space, and page number in the upper right corner of document, ½ inch from the top.</p><p>Title: Title of document is centered, not in bold font. Title is also not italicized, nor in quotes, unless part of the title references another work.</p><p>Paragraph Indention: Each new paragraph indented ½ inch </p><p>Quotations: Quotations within the paragraph have a parenthetical reference (author’s last name, space, and page number) after the end quotation mark, with the period after the end parentheses. Example: “…let no man put asunder” (Harper 21).</p><p>Block Quotations: Quotations of more than four lines in length are indented 1 inch from the margin and there are no quotation marks (unless there are quotations within the quotation) and the parenthetical reference goes after the final period.</p><p>Brackets: If applicable, brackets are used to show word changes or additions within the quote.</p><p>CONTENT AND STUDENT STYLE Thesis: Thesis statement is clear, arguable, and creatively stated (no boring, obvious statements)</p><p>Organization: The paper progresses in a logical manner and the essay has a clear beginning, middle and end</p><p>Transitions: Transitions lead readers from one idea to the next</p><p>Support: The student’s argument is supported by appropriate and ample quotations from the text(s)</p><p>Sentence Variety: Student uses a variety of sentence structures to improve reader interest.</p><p>Parallelism: Student uses parallel structure in sentences </p><p>Word Choice: Word is exact and appropriate Please mark an X next to those errors that I have identified, or that you wish to be more confident about NOT making.</p><p>MORE STUDENT STYLE ISSUES: _____Redundancy _____You, we, I, Me _____Hollow statements _____Accuracy of text—1690’s or 1890’s? _____Kissing up to the author _____Would of, could of, should of _____Slang _____Alot versus a lot _____Contradictions _____Every day and everyday _____Correct use of literary terms _____Doing what the prompt asks _____Introducing the author and/or text _____Focus _____Vague, confusing OTHER: _____Novel, play, versus book</p><p>SENTENCE ERRORS: PUNCTUATION: _____Fragments _____Comma _____Run-ons/Fused Sentences _____Semicolon _____Subject and Verb Agreement _____Colon _____Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement _____The dash _____Consistent Verb Tense _____Quotation Marks _____Adjective use _____The Ellipsis Mark _____Adverb use _____Parentheses OTHER: _____Brackets OTHER:</p><p>REFLECTION NOTES: MECHANICS: _____Capitals _____Apostrophe _____Italics _____Hyphen _____Numbers _____Spelling OTHER:</p><p>REFLECTION: 1. What do you notice about your organization? How do you tend to set up your essay? </p><p>2. What do you notice about the types of sentences/syntax you use? Do they primarily start the same way? Do you use a variety of sentence patterns? Do you use transitions between ideas? Do you use any figurative language like similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification…?</p><p>3. What do you notice about your word choice/diction? Do you use descriptive words like adjectives and adverbs? Do you use words that accurately articulate your feelings? Do you use vocabulary in an interesting way?</p><p>4. What is the tone of your writing? Does your tone remain consistent? If the tone shifts, is it appropriate and understandable? Do you sound confident in your analysis? </p>