[basic essay checklist]
+ = Effective/strong = Satisfactory but still needs work - = Flawed/ needs much improvement (+ = Superior)
Topic and Purpose
___ Are the topic and argument appropriate to the assignment?
___ Does the thesis statement clearly convey the essay’s topic and purpose?
___ Is the thesis compelling and interesting? Arguable (not obvious)?
___ Does the paper stay on topic? Does the paper deliver what it promises in thesis & roadmap?
___ Does the paper generate a new perspective (show originality and not just repeat readings and discussions)?
Argument and Evidence
___ Is the evidence appropriate (meets requirements of assignment for type & number of sources)?
___ Is the evidence credible? Does the evidence include citations of textual authorities in the field?
___ Is the evidence explicitly connected to the paragraph topic or thesis? (warranted)
___ Does the discussion avoid a mere telling of a source’s content? Does it analyze or merely describe?
___ Is the evidence offered well-developed (what is offered is fully interpreted and not superficial)?
___ Is the evidence sufficient (enough offered)? No wild claims?
___ Is the evidence sound, logical, analytical, and reason-based (not based on personal opinion)?
___ Is the discussion appropriately complex? Acknowledge alternative views/make necessary concessions?
Rhetoric/Disciplines (scholarly persuasion)
___ Is there an awareness and control of the expectations of an academic audience in the humanities?
___ Is the tone appropriate (scholarly)? Does it avoid using clichés & colloquial language?
___ Is the voice of the writer primary? Are the voices of others used in conversation with the writer’s argument?
___ Is the voice of the writer convincing (knowledgeable, engaged, and serious about the topic)?
Organization and Language strategies
___ Are signposts used to lead the reader through the discussion/ effective transitions between paragraph ideas?
___ Is the chain of reasoning progressive, each paragraph building on the last one (rather than repeating ideas)?
___ Does the order of ideas have overall coherence (or is the organization weak or jumbled)?
___ Does the wording have explicit clarity (the reader never has to read “in between the lines”) ?
Conventions (grammar and mechanical rules)
___ Pages formatted correctly?
- Writer info on left-hand corner, single-spaced, all info included
- Page numbers with last name on top right corner
- All pages double-spaced throughout, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1” margins
- Paragraphs indented (no breaks)
- Title is centered
___ Is the language/wording/expression fluent (or is it awkward and confusing)?
___ Does the writer use MLA correctly?
- in-text citationsuse parenthesis and correctly refer to page numbers when appropriate
- citations smoothly worked into the sentence structure with authors attributed
- Works citedformatted correctly
[detailed essay checklist]
"Majors" (What you say), "Minors" (How you say it), "Mechanics" (Editing)
Read your paper OUT LOUD to listen for how well it meets the guidelines for majors alone. Then do the same for minors. Only after revision of these should you read for editing corrections.
Majors—Content
Thesis idea (Argument)—Do I know exactly what my main claim is for the whole paper? Is it juicy: arguable (not reporting, opinion, or narrative) and appropriately complex? Does it meet the requirements of the assignment? Does every section of ideas reflect advanced knowledge of the thesis (instead of the thesis only coming out later in the body)?The following boxes describe checkpoints to evaluate the intellectual work of the essay body.
Critical thinking and Analysis—Are the ideas I use to develop the thesis perceptive and valid? Are the main points of the body the strongest ones I could use to prove the thesis? In the end, have I proven my thesis to a skeptical audience? Does the writing pass the “So What?” test?
Development of Content
Elaborated —Are there enough topics in the whole paper to fully develop my analysis? Are there enough sentences in each paragraph to fully develop that topic so that the idea is explored in depth?
Chain of Reasoning (coherent flow of strong ideas)—Does the path of my reasoning, the paragraphs that follow each other, make logical sense? Do the paragraphs build on each other and move the essay forward rather than repeat the same ideas over? (Rehashing the same material is often a sign that the writer is trying to understand her or his own meaning.) Do I state how the paragraph topics connect to the thesis? This is a crucial use of a warrant.*
Evidence—Do I use valid academic evidence (authority of researched texts, spelled-out warrants,* logical explanations, examples, facts, personal stories only as pertinent examples, qualified claims rather than absolutes)? Have I avoided wild claims/ unsupported generalizations? Does the evidence conform to the rules of logic (one way to check is “STAR—sufficient, typical, accurate, relevant.”)? Do I complicate the subject, acknowledge ambiguities, and make concessions when necessary? Do I make wise choices about what researched material to include (the authority of text from experts in their fields is probably the highest kind of academic evidence), and do I use it effectively, knowing when to quote and when to paraphrase?
Rhetoric (Audience Awareness)— Have I adjusted my presentation to fit the needs of my audience? For the humanities, this means: not address readers as if they already agree with me or know the context for the assignment; not assume my experience is common to all by making comments like “We all have a religious upbringing,” but show understanding of the diversity of other perspectives; make direct claims and exact assertions rather than beat around the bush with phrases like “The movie is about what society fears.”; state my ideas clearly in my own words using concrete, specific, explicit statements and not ask the reader to “read in-between the lines”; keep my tone scholarly and not “preachy.”
Imagine your audience as your professor, diverse students, and all the faculty at the college.
Exigency (a need to be said) and Voice—Have I made this topic my own or is it a repetition of class discussion? Is my own originality reflected in the paper? Is this me talking (maybe with my newly educated voice)? Did I get engaged with my subject and assert something I personally care about?
(Writing without voice sounds empty and mechanical. The biggest difference between an A and a B is often found here, in the creativity and risk-taking of a well-supported original argument.)
Revision—Have I revised ideas and content rather than merely correcting wording or editing earlier drafts? Have I responded to feedback from peers, tutors, and instructor? Have I gone beyond feedback and enriched my argument and evidence with my own critical thinking?
Minors—Expression
Organization—Are the paragraphs in the essay arranged in the most sensible order? Are the sentences in the paragraphs arranged in the most sensible order? (A useful arrangement of sentences in a good paragraph loosely looks like this: General statement of topic enough sentences to support it general statement to make sense of it all.)
One of the benefits of a computer is that it allows a writer to pour out ideas in a pile of words, as fast as they come to you. But the resulting coherence is usually disorganized. Use the cut and paste features to reorganize original ideas so that the presentation flows more smoothly.
Clarity—Is my wording spelled out and not implied? Is my wording specific and precise, not vague and inexact? Does the wording sound smooth and not overblown or jumbled? Have I avoided wordiness, or unproductive repetition?
Every sentence must speak for itself, must not perplex the reader with garbled wording and need other sentences to make it understandable.
Transitions and Sign Posts—Are there clear transitions, or “bridges,” from one paragraph to the next? Are there signposts within the text to help guide the reader through my train of thought? (ex. “Although teasing is affectionatewhen used by my immediate family, the same teasing is not affectionate but disrespectful when used by my cousin.” The repeated words guide the reader.)
Articulation—Have I checked for common writing errors?
Minors—Form
Title—Does my title capture the essence of my big point? Is the title creative and compelling? Have I typed it correctly? (not underlined, not in quotes, not in a different font; capitalize all main words)Introduction—Is the first sentence (or group of sentences) an attention grabbing “hook”? Do I give necessary background the readers need to know? Is the background related to my thesis? Do I avoid a writer-based background that repeats the steps I went through before I nailed down my thesis? Do I clearly assert my thesis in a statement that directly claims my central point? Do I avoid a commonplace “announcement,” such as “I will now discuss ads”?
First impressions are powerful—make the introduction capture your readers.
Conclusion—Does my essay have a satisfying finish? Does it tell a “so what” about my topic? Does it avoid empty repetition, getting “preachy” or “drippy,” using clichés, or saying “In conclusion”? (Warning: if your conclusion is merely a point-by-point summary of the main points, it is probably “just plain redundant and boring”)
The last word leaves a permanent effect: make yours be the finale that seals your presentation.
Mechanics—Grammar Conventions
Spell check—Have I put the final copy through spell check? Have I looked for spelling errors myself?Proofreading—Have I read the final, printed copy (not the screen)?
CMS format—Have I checked for correct rules of CMS citation and documentation?
Correctness—Have I checked for grammar rules?
Design form—Have I checked margins, spacing, title form, abbreviations, and other rules of layout form?
[understanding your grade]
4.0 Exceeds standards: exceptional work
A score in this range indicate true proficiency and superior achievement: the essay is interesting, fully developed, insightful, and perhaps even provocative. The essay has a clear and arguable thesis and uses evidence persuasively to support the claim(s). Though this essay is not perfect, it may take a new approach to the topic, or add new depth and complexity to an old one. The use of sources and supporting material is smooth, complete, and persuasive, and the organization flows logically and clearly, showing readers exactly how the different parts of the argument fit together without being obtrusive. Sentences are skillfully formed, and give readers a strong sense that they are in the hands of a skilled writer.
3.5 Exceeds standards: far above average work A paper in this range displays clear competence in respect to the criteria set forth in the assignment. The essay has a clearthesis and uses evidence to support the claim(s). The argument is clear, easy to read, logical, and makes a substantial point about the topic, but it may not elaborate on evidence throughout or have some issues with lesser concerns like mechanics & conventions.
3.0 Meets standards: above average workA paper in this range displays clear competence in respect to the criteria set forth in the assignment. The essay has a thesis and uses evidence to support the claim(s). This essay ismostly clear, easy to read, logical, and make a substantial point about the topic, though it may not demonstrate a full awareness of the complexities of the topic, show problems with faulty logic, or struggle to analyze evidence effectively; or, they make particularly insightful or challenging arguments that are a little hard to follow because of organizational problems and/or because of the difficulty of the issues they tackle. Some issues with lesser concerns like mechanics & conventions may also be seen.
2.5Meets standards: a little above average work
A score in this range means that you have achieved some degree of skill in some areas. The thesis is not completely clear in this paper and a roadmap is either non-existent or does not deliver what is promised. This essay makes good points in places, butdoes not demonstrate a clear and logical path to support an arguable thesis. You may have written an essay with interesting and persuasive content that is weakened by problems with grammar and style (grammar errors, wordy or awkward sentences, inappropriate or vague word choices). Or your essays may meet the formal and organizational conventions and standards of good academic writing, but be lacking in originality, depth, or complexity.For example, your thesis may be too simple, general, or obvious; you may not have supported your claims in enough detail or related each claim clearly to your thesis.
2.0Meets standards: average work
A score in this range is perfectly respectable, and means that you have achieved some degree of skill in some areas, but barely grasps the requirements of the assignment. Though this paper may address the main goal of the assignment, it does not have an arguable thesis and may struggle to provide an academic argument. A paper in this range may have evidence to support an understanding of the topic, but generally uses the evidence to describe the topic; this paper does not use evidence to engage the topic and create an original argument that highlights the writer’s ideas or voice. In this paper, the voices of others dominate and the reader is left to wonder what the writer was claiming.
1.5 Approaching standards
A grade in this range means that you have almost achieved what you needed to, but the essay does not yet demonstrate consistent college level work. You are on the right track, bit more substantial work has needed on one more of the necessary criteria, or you may have been extremely sloppy in presentation, or not quite gotten the hang of the assignments.
0-1Unsatisfactory
A grade in this range shows some effort, but does not meet the minimum standards or the basic requirements of the assignment. Often, essays in this range do not have a thesis, or the thesis fails to address the terms of the assignment.