How to Study

So Then My Dog Chewed the Paper . . .
There is certainly no reason, short of catastrophic illness or life-
threatening emergency, for you to ever be late with an assignment.
Again, some teachers will refuse to accept a paper that is late. At
best, they will mark you down for your lateness, perhaps turning 
an A into a B…or worse. In the case of extenuating circumstances
(e.g., extended illness, death in the family, and so on), let your teacher
know immediately and arrange for an extension.
Chapter 7 
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How to Write Terrific Papers
135

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What’s That Jelly Stain Worth?
Teachers have to read a lot of papers and shouldn’t be faulted if, after
hundreds of pages, they come upon your wrinkled, coffee-stained,
pencil-written report and get a bit discouraged. Nor should you 
be surprised if you get a lower grade than the content might merit
just because the presentation was so poor.
Granted, the content is what the teacher is looking for, and he should
be grading you on what you write. But presentation is important.
Teachers are only human (really!), and you can’t fault them for trying
to teach you to take pride in your work. So follow these suggestions:
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Never handwrite your paper. 
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If you’re using a computer, check the toner cartridge of your
printer to ensure your printed pages are crisp and clear. 
■
Unless otherwise instructed, always double-space your paper.
Leave adequate margins all around. 
■
Use a simple typeface that is clear and easy to read; avoid
those that are too big—stretching a 5-page paper to 10—
or too small and hard to read. 
■
Never use a fancy italic, gothic, modern, or other ornate or
hard-to-read typeface for the entire paper.