In my five page paper concerning the usage of laptops, I used standard MLA formatting. I wrote with 12-point font, Times New Roman and double spacing. The margins were one and a half inch, and the paper concluded with a works consulted page. Why use such basic and boring methods to write? Because society has set standards for everything.
The paper specifications are based off societal norms. We live in a world where color is seen as setting certain moods. When writing a serious paper, a reader should not see what the writer is feeling by visuals. Instead, the writer should paint a picture with words. The more professional a paper looks, the easier it is to follow because the reader is less distracted by color or font or how the paper is formatted. Society has set these rules and by not following them, one can become outcast and less accepted.
It's interesting that experimenting with things as seemingly insignificant as text font/color can really effect someone's opinion when they read your paper. Using anything other than the set boundries of the MLA format make a writer come off as childish or an incredulous source on the topic.
ReplyDeleteDr. Lay didn't set any standards for writing the 5 page essay in MLA format. Why did you automatically assume she wanted that, considering the fact she had us writing with crayon?
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