This document provides guidelines for formatting, structure, style and content for a written analysis using APA or MLA format. It addresses proper formatting conventions such as using full contractions, commas, and active voice. Style elements like slang, pronouns, and word choice are also covered. The analysis should be one page and follow guidelines to receive full points.

1. M R S . A . L O N G B E N T O N , E D S , P M C
T A I 1 7 0
9 . 1 0 . 1 3
External Speaker
Written Analysis #2

2. APA or MLA Format
 Please use proper APA or MLA format.
 Go online for resources:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
 Cover page, running head, header, and page numbers are
needed for APA.
OR
 http://www.mla.org/bibliography
 No cover page is needed for MLA, but headers and page
numbers are needed.
Please indent each paragraph; do not have a single
paragraph to address all of the key elements.

3. Contractions and Conjunctions
 Do not use contractions; use the full word.
 For example: Use “do not” instead of “don’t.”
 If “but” and “which” are in the middle of a sentence,
please proceed them with a comma.
 Do not begin a sentence with “but,” e.g., “But that is
what Tamika did!”

4. Commas
 After introductory phrases, please use a comma.
 For example: In conclusion, she was a dynamic speaker OR
On August 28, 2013, our class had a guest speaker.
 If there are three items in a list, please use a comma
before “and” and the last item.
 For example: cookies, shrimp, and peaches OR slouch, soldier,
or athlete OR poise, posture, and presence

5. General Advice
 If “and” is followed by a sentence, please precede it
with a comma.
 …, and I was motivated as a result.
 After “this,” please use a noun.
 For example, “After this exercise, we were prepared.”
If two sentences agree with each other, then they can
be joined by a semicolon, e.g., He was a mean man;
he constantly berated his wife in front of others.

6. More Advice
 Please double space your essay; you should not triple
or single space it.
 Do not bold, italicize, or underline your title.
 Do not end a sentence with a preposition, e.g.,
“…,which was comfortable to sit and listen to.”
 Common prepositions are:
 On, in, of, out, beyond, for, with, etc.

7. More Tips
 If you use idioms, place quotations around them.
 For example: “kick the bucket”
 Do not use:
 “In my opinion,” OR “personally.”
 It is your essay so everything you say should be from your
perspective unless you are citing a source.

8. Other Tips
 Please have someone proofread your essay.
 Please read your essay backwards because spell
check will not catch every word, e.g., “quest” vs.
“guest” OR “high lighting” vs. “highlighting”
 Do not exceed 25 words in a single sentence.
 Avoid sentence fragments, e.g., “How we stand, talk
and walk.”

9. Slang and Homonyms
 Remove slang.
 For example: “Mrs. Morton did her thing” OR “Tamika was on
point.”
Avoid inappropriate use of homonyms.
 For example: “to” vs. “too” OR “there” vs. “they are” OR
“thru” vs. “through” OR “in lighting” vs. “enlightening.”
 http://www.slideshare.net/akenalong/homonyms-
slidecast-11529903/

10. Essay Length
 Please adhere to the ONE page requirement.
 1 ¼ maximum to compensate for the MLA heading,
which has no cover page.

11. Active vs. Passive Voice
 Use active voice instead of passive voice.
 “Mrs. Morton gave a presentation” instead of ”The
presentation given by Mrs. Morton…”

12. Titles and Credential Tips
 “Miss,” “Mrs.,” & “Ms.” have different meanings.
If you are unaware of a woman’s marital status, it is
always safe to use “Ms.”
 If you are using a person’s credentials after their
name in a sentence, their credentials do not have to
be capitalized, e.g., Michael E. Joyce, senior pastor of
Word of Life Christian Church was the keynote
speaker.

13. Writing Style Tips
 When writing use third person, e.g., “he,” “she,” or
“it.”
 You can use first person, “I” on occasion, but never
use second person, “you” in formal writing
assignments.
 Use “last” instead of “lastly” OR “fourth” instead of
“fourthly.”

14. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
 Writers should make their subjects plural so that
they can use the pronoun, “them” or the possessive,
“their” correctly.
 Error Sentence: “Another student said their name and
introduced themselves.”
 Correct Sentence: All the students said their names and
introduced themselves.”

15. Maximum Point Allotment
 To receive the maximum points for each element you
will need to provide an example and not just mention
the element, e.g.,
 Supportively: “Ms. Morton had great eye contact. When she
spoke she looked directly at each student for a brief moment.”
(10 points)
 Adequately: “Ms. Morton made eye contact.” (6.67 points)