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Writing Center Home Style Sheet Introduction The Writing Process Audience Organizing Your Paper Formatting/Using Computers Essentials of English Usage Avoiding Plagiarism Documentation Works Cited Footnotes Departmental Preferences
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315-859-4363

Formatting and Writing with Computers


It looks longer if I hand-write it.
Hamilton professors will accept only word processed work. Use standard, 8-1/2" by 11" paper and double-space, leaving margins of about an inch to an inch and a half at top, bottom, and sides. 

Use twelve-point-sized, reasonable fonts.  Fonts with serifs such as Times and Times New Roman, as opposed to Arial and Geneva, work well. Oversize fonts and unnecessarily wide margins are painfully obvious space-wasters.

Number the pages consecutively at the top of the page and include your name on each page (as this allows your professors to refer to them in their comments to you and minimizes the chance of your pages getting lost).  Fasten your pages together with a paper clip or staple.

Include a title page with your name and the course number if desired, but do not use a plastic cover or binder unless the paper is very large or unless the instructor has required one.  See The Writing Process: Proofreading in this handbook for advice on using spell- and grammar-checkers.

Where can I find a computer?
Macintosh computers are available for student use in the Writing Center (KJ 209), in the Levitt Center (KJ 137), in the Language Laboratory, and in the basement of Burke Library.  Windows computers are available in KJ 220, KJ 225, in the Levitt Center, in Beinecke Village, and in the Multimedia Presentation Center on the first floor of the library.

My file just vanished.
Do bear in mind that despite ITS's best efforts, shared and networked computers are more susceptible to viruses than personal computers. If you use a shared computer, save your work to a disk (hard drives are cleaned regularly), back it up frequently, and e-mail files only if your recipient has adequate anti-virus software.

ITS also offers a student server, on which students may save their work and access it from a different location on the network. This service is particularly convenient and minimizes the viruses associated with disk-based transfers. Remember that computer labs can become crowded, and shared printers are more likely to be low on paper, toner, or ink. Do not wait until the last minute. If you have a problem with any computer (yours or a shared one), contact the ITS Helpdesk at x4181 or, after 4 p.m., ITS Help@Nite at x4181.

I found it on the Internet.
Not everything online is reliable; anyone can set up an impressive-looking Web page.  Learn to evaluate electronic information, paying close attention to sources and sponsors, and remembering that most Web sites won't substitute for a book or article.

A general rule: as with journals, so with Web sites.  Academic sources will be the most reliable. Generally, .edu, .gov, and .us are credible listings, with .org close behind. Use your best judgment with .com, .net, and any others.

If you do use information from the Internet, you must cite it. See Documentation in Writing in this handbook for more information on correct citation of information, as well as the links on the Writing Center home page.

The paper's due in ten minutes...
Some professors will accept your work on a disk or in an e-mail. If you choose to submit your paper electronically, make sure that your software is compatible with your professor's. If you are concerned about spacing, however, electronic submission is generally not a good idea, as Mac and PC standards vary.

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