Book Report: 4
 

4. Book Report Format.

How are book reports presented?

The format of your book report will vary with the style manual preferred by your teacher, school or language association. Since the introduction of personal computers with the use of word processors, most paper forms have changed. The Modern Language Association (MLA) has proposed the following usually accepted recommendations emphasizing the basic principle to use a unique consistent style throughout your paper.

  1.  Paper:   Use white 216 X 279 mm (8.5" x 11") sheets of paper (75gm or twenty-pound).
  2.  Margins: Leave margins of 2.54 cm (1") all around the text of your paper.
  3.  Line-spacing:   The paper must be double-spaced, including quotations, notes and the bibliography.
  4.  Heading and Title:   Your book report does not need a title page. At the top of the first page, at the left-head margin, type your name, your instructor's name, the course name and number, and the date. Double-space again and then, centre the title above your text. Double-space again before beginning your text. The title should be neither underlined nor written in all capital letters. Capitalize only the first, last, and principal words of the title. Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions, prepositions and the "to" of infinitives within the title.
  5.  Page Numbers:   Number your pages consecutively throughout the report (including the first page) in the upper right-hand corner of each page. Type your last name before the page number.
  6.  Notes:   You may choose among the three styles which follow.
    •  MLA parenthetical style:   documentation notes appear parenthetically, within the text.
    •  MLA endnote style:   notes appear at the end of the paper, just before the bibliography.
    •  MLA footnote style:   notes appear at the bottoms of the pages.
  7.  Bibliography:   the bibliography begins on a new page at the end of the paper. The entries are arranged alphabetically by authors' last names.
  8.  Binders:   A simple staple in the upper left-hand corner of your paper should suffice.1

Let us look at format samples in the next page.