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1.10: Revision Checklist

  • Page ID
    15724
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    Use this as a guide while revising and editing your essay. Check every item.

    1. _____Do I have an interesting introductory paragraph?
    2. _____Is my thesis clearly stated? Is it arguable?
    3. _____Does each of my middle paragraphs develop my thesis?
    4. _____Do I support my argument with enough specific material?
    5. _____Am I telling too much, and not showing enough
    6. _____Do I present more detail than is necessary?
    7. _____Have I introduced extraneous material?
    8. _____Am I retelling too much of the story?
    9. _____Do I anticipate and address relevant counterarguments?
    10. _____Does my conclusion follow from my thesis and argument?
    11. _____Have I defended my position?
    12. _____Did I oversimplify for the sake of closure?
    13. _____Do I have logical transitions between sentences and paragraphs?
    14. _____Do my transitions connect my ideas explicitly enough?
    15. _____Do they show that I am developing an argument, not just repeating?
    16. _____Do all my paragraphs have either explicit topic sentences or clearly implied main ideas that are connected to my thesis?
    17. _____Do all my sentences clearly support their paragraph’s main idea?
    18. _____Should I rearrange any sentences to better effect? Paragraphs?
    19. _____Can I vary the makeup of any sentences to avoid monotony?
    20. _____Can I cut out any sentences that I don’t need for my argument?
    21. _____Do I use any pretentious words, clichés, or jargon?
    22. _____Do I use any offensive language or inappropriate diction?
    23. _____Have I looked specifically for spelling, punctuation, and usage problems that have been pointed out to me in previous essays?
    24. _____Have I merely given a “reading” or have I presented an argument grounded in texts or evidence?
    25. _____Have I borrowed any ideas from others without crediting my sources? That is, have I accidentally plagiarized?

    This page titled 1.10: Revision Checklist is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by .


    This page titled 1.10: Revision Checklist is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by .

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