Essay Writing: Writer’s Checklist
I nt r oduct ion:
1. I s t he m ain idea ( i.e., t he w rit er ’s opinion of t he st or y t it le) st at ed clearly ?
2. I s t he int r oduct or y par agraph int er est ing? Does it m ak e t he reader w ant t o k eep on r eading?
Body Par agr aphs:
3. Does each body paragr aph hav e a clear t opic sent ence t hat is r elat ed t o t he m ain idea of t he essay ?
4. Does each body paragr aph include specific infor m at ion fr om t he t ex t ( including quot ed evidence fr om t he t ext , if r equir ed by t he inst r uct or ) t hat suppor t s t he t opic sent ence?
5. I s t her e a clear plan for t he order of t he body par agraphs ( i.e., or der of im por t ance, chr onology in t he st ory , et c.) ?
6. Does each body paragr aph t ransit ion sm oot hly t o t he next ?
Conclusion:
7. I s t he m ain idea of t he essay r est at ed in differ ent w or ds? 8. Ar e t he suppor t ing ideas sum m arized succinct ly and clearly ?
9. I s t he concluding paragr aph int er est ing? Does it leav e an im pr ession on t he r eader ?
Ov er all Essay:
10. I s any im por t ant m at er ial left unsaid?
11. I s any m at erial r epet it ious and unnecessar y ?
12. Has t he w rit er t ried t o incor porat e “ v oice” in t he essay so t hat it has his/ her dist inct iv e m ar k ?
13. Ar e t her e changes needed in w or d choice, sent ence lengt h and st r uct ur e, et c.?
14. Ar e t he quot at ions ( if r equir ed) pr oper ly cit ed?
