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 THE ULTIMATE ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING GUIDE

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Introduction 

Writing a university assignment is not about creating high-quality content; but it is more than that. Students lose marks not because of their content but due to overlooking the small technical basics of formatting. Whether you have provided great content with well-researched still, you will still lose points if you are not following the appropriate university format. In this guide, we will focus on neglected but important formatting elements which will help you in your university assignments in future. This guide will help you step by step, whether you are asking “how to format in MS WORD”, “how to write your assignment according to the requirements of university format”.

FORMATTING IS IMPORTANT IN AN ASSIGNMENT, BUT WHY? 

Using a proper formatting guide will make a huge difference in your assignments. The way you organise your assignment shows your attention and a sense of respect towards your assignment. Incompatible formatting, lack of page numbers, awful alignment and the absence of a table of contents will easily deduct your marks. So now we all agree on this point that formatting is important in your university assignment.

GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT FORMATTING

Now that we understand the importance of formatting, let’s begin by setting your assignment with maximum clarity. This will be well-matched with both WORD and GOOGLE DOCS. 

SET THE MARGINS

Margins are related to the gap between the edge of your page and the text you have written. According to the university assignment format, the gap should be 1 inch on each side. 

IN MS WORD:

  • Click on the LAYOUT tab.
  • Click on MARGINS.
  • Select the NORMAL 1.

IN GOOGLE DOCS:

  • Click on FILE.
  • Click on PAGE SETUP from the dropdown. After that, you would be able to margin fields for TOP, BOTTOM, LEFT and RIGHT.
  • Click the margin size 1 inch.
  • Click OK.

PROPER FONT

After setting the margins, our next focus will be on the selection of a proper font for the assignment. You should use the font TIMES NEW ROMAN and the font size should be 12 point. The colour should be black for the text with the REGULAR style without using bold, italic or underline until it’s necessary.

IN MS WORD OR GOOGLE DOC:

  • Select the whole text, or you can use this key (CTRL+A).
  • Click on the font style that is TIMES NEW ROMAN.
  • Click on the font size 12.

For selecting a proper font in your assignment, the given steps are the same for both platforms.

LINE SPACING IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Usually, academic writing uses double spacing to improve readability and make the content look professional. So now we will discuss the steps for line spacing.

IN MS WORD:

  • Go to HOME.
  • Select LINE SPACING.
  • Click on 2.0 for double spacing.
  • Click on REMOVE SPACE AFTER PARAGRAPH to put a stop to additional line spacing.

IN GOOGLE DOCS:

  • Highlight your text.
  • Click the LINE SPACING icon on the toolbar.
  • Click on DOUBLE.
  • Go to FORMAT and remove the space after the paragraph.

Try to use left-alignment instead of justified.

INSERTING PAGE NUMBERS

In an academic document, including page numbers is necessary and non-negotiable. It makes your document easy to refer to a specific page for your teacher.

IN MS WORD AND GOOGLE DOCS:

  • Go to INSERT.
  • Click on PAGE NUMBER.
  • Select the option whether you want TOP RIGHT or BOTTOM CENTER.

These steps can be followed in both platforms. Apply the page number from the second page instead of the title page.

ADDING TABLE OF CONTENTS

Including a table of contents is also a very important fundamental of formatting, which helps the reader to quickly find their way throughout your work and reach a specific topic. This table of contents is added before the page from which you will start your assignment.

IN MS WORD:

  • Select a style from the style box on the home page and choose heading styles 1, 2 and 3.
  • Go to REFERENCES 
  • Click on TABLE OF CONTENTS, which will be on the left side of your screen.
  • Click on AUTOMATIC TABLE style.

IN GOOGLE DOCS:

  • Click on STYLES and select (Heading 1, etc) to apply it to your headings.
  • Click on INSERT.
  • Click on TABLE OF CONTENTS.
  • Select a format

It will refresh automatically and update the table when you right-click and choose UPDATE FIELD in Word and UPDATE TABLE in Google Docs to make your work less time-consuming.

ADDING REFERENCES IS IMPORTANT, BUT WHY?

Suppose you have written your whole assignment, but it gets rejected because of plagiarism. And then you come to know only reason for rejection is not adding references. So, to avoid plagiarism, avoid mistakes like not adding references in your assignment. It is also very important to give credit to sources according to the given format (APA, MLA and HARVARD).

USING CONSISTENT HEADING

Your next focus should be to write clear headings to facilitate the reader’s understanding of the flow of your content in your assignment. Following a proper hierarchy makes your document neat and maintains academic requirements. The first heading should be the main heading. The second should be the subsections, and after that, the other headings should be the specific points or subheadings.

TIPS TO BOOST YOUR ASSIGNMENT PROFESSIONALLY

We need to keep in mind these tips to boost your assignment, such as proofreading. Proofread formatting and also check the grammar in your assignment. You can use page breaks using the key (CTRL+ENTER) instead of pressing ENTER again and again to start a new page for making your task easier. After making sure that your assignment is according to the format, save and submit your assignment in PDF format if there is no specific instruction. Keep in check the university guidelines.

MISTAKES TO AVOID

The following are some mistakes that are very common, but they should be avoided, such as using multiple font styles and sizes. The skipping of the table of contents, page numbers, and line spacing should be avoided.

CONCLUSION

This is not about becoming experts in university assignment format, but it is about showing your professionalism, understanding of academic principles and your commitment to your work. Whether you are a beginner or not, these guidelines will assist you in polishing your assignment and increasing your grades. Proper formatting is your first impression, which helps in making your assignment well-organised and polished. Even before reading, you have made a strong point by using ultimate formatting to grab the attention of the reader. Just keep in mind the steps on which you have to focus and the mistakes you need to avoid. Don’t skip anything which you think is necessary; it might be the most important step to achieve high grades.

Written by Ansa