1 Exercise: Check your essay
Remember to complete a self-check questions below for your essay before you ask someone for feedback. Good luck with your revisions!
- Does the introduction provide the general information a reader needs in order to understand the topic?
- Does the introduction end with an effective thesis? Does it match the style of the essay?
- Do each of the body paragraphs begin with an effective topic sentence?
- Are the body paragraphs sequenced in a logical order?
- Look at each body paragraph. Do the supporting sentences support the topic sentence?
- Look at each body paragraph. Are the supporting sentences sequenced in a logical order?
- Look at each body paragraph. Is there enough development? Are there more details or examples that would help the reader?
- Look at each body paragraph. Does the concluding sentence close the paragraph logically?
- Does the conclusion paragraph start by restating the thesis?
- Does the conclusion paragraph have a suggestion, prediction, or opinion at the end?
2 Exercise: Analyze and revise a body paragraph
Read the student paragraph and answer the questions below to guide you in revising it. Write your revised paragraph on a piece of paper.
The first thing that you should do to find a good book is to ask someone for a recommendation. They can help you if you do not know which book would be interesting to you. You can ask a sibling, your parents, your best friends, or your teachers. Friends or family with whom you have things in common can often recommend an excellent book. Also, small, local bookstores often have amazing recommendations. There are many people in the world who love reading. You should ask for recommendations to help you choose a good book.
- Do the supporting sentences support the topic sentence?
- Are the supporting sentences sequenced in a logical order?
- Is there enough development? Are there more details/examples that would help the reader?
- Does the concluding sentence close the paragraph logically?
- Revise the body paragraph.