ESSAY CHECKLIST:

 

As you write your essay, check off the boxes to confirm you have completed each item on the list.  Don’t move to the next step until you’ve checked off ALL the boxes.

 

  1. Writing your opening paragraph; ask yourself the following:

q  Do I have an interesting first sentence?

q  Have I included the title and the author?

q  Have I underlined novel/play titles and put short story titles in quotes?

q  Have I included brief background info on the story?

q  Have I included an outline of my argument (my “road map”)?

q  Have I concluded with a strong thesis that connects to the work and reaches beyond to the author’s meaning?

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLEARLY SEE ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR OPENING PARAGRAPH – IF YOU CAN’T, YOU’RE NOT READY TO PROCEED TO STEP 2.

 

  1. Writing your proof paragraphs; ask yourself the following:

q  Is each of my proof paragraphs clearly arguing one of the proof points outlined in my opening paragraph?

q  Have I included at least TWO supporting quotes in each of my proof paragraphs?

q  Have I properly introduced all of my quotes so that they flow smoothly with my writing?

q  Have I properly cited all of my quotes, using MLA format?

YOUR READER SHOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE ARGUMENT OUTLINED IN OUR OPENING BY READING YOUR PROOF PARAGRAPHS – IF YOU HAVEN’T FOLLOWED YOUR ROAD MAP, YOU’RE NOT READY TO PROCEED TO STEP 3.

 

  1. Writing your conclusion; ask yourself the following:

q  Have I clearly summed up the argument I’ve made?

q  Have I clearly connected my argument to the author’s overall message?

q  Have I ended my essay with a strong, clear, and interesting sentence?

YOUR OVERALL ARGUMENT SHOULD BE CLEAR, STRONG, AND CONVINCING – YOU’VE PROVED IT!  IF YOU DON’T FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR FINAL PARAGRAPH, YOU’RE NOT READY TO PROCEED TO STEP 4.

 

  1. Proofreading your essay; ask yourself the following:

q  Do I have a title that reflects what my essay is all about?

q  Have I included a Works Cited page, properly formatted by MLA standards?

q  Have I used standard 12-point Times New Roman type?

q  Have I double-spaced my work?

q  Are my paragraphs properly indented?

q  Have I used my computer’s spell and grammar checker to catch red and green underlined errors?

q  Have I read over my essay to catch additional spelling and grammatical errors?

q  Have I read my essay out loud to catch awkward passages and sentences that don’t make sense?

q  Have I used a peer editor (friend or relative) to help me find mistakes?

THE WORK YOU TURN IN FOR A GRADE SHOULD BE AS FREE FROM ERRORS AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.  DON’T TURN IN ANY WORK BEFORE COMPLETING STEP 4!