| Check |
Element |
| |
Introductory
Paragraph |
| |
Names the literary work. |
| |
Names the author of the
literary work. |
| |
States the thesis. |
| |
States a position that others could disagree with. |
| |
Describes the theme of the literary work. |
| |
Identifies the topic that the author discusses in
the literary work. |
| |
Describes what the author thinks or
feel about the topic. |
| |
Makes an observation about life or people in
general. |
| |
Names no characters. |
| |
Does not reveal the writer's opinion of the
author's theme. |
| |
Is precise enough that reader knows exactly what
the writer intends to prove. |
| |
Alerts the reader about
what to expect to learn from
the essay. |
| |
Focuses the reader's attention on the
topic to be
discussed. |
| |
The opening line engages
the reader's interest. |
| |
| |
Body of the Essay |
| |
Contains enough information about the
work that someone who was unfamiliar with
it could understand and evaluate your analysis. |
| |
States an argument in
support of the thesis. |
| |
Quotes
language and/or examples from the work in
support of the argument. |
| |
Explains how the argument supports the thesis. |
| |
States an argument in
support of the thesis. |
| |
Quotes language and/or examples from the work in
support of the argument. |
| |
Explains how the argument supports the thesis. |
| |
States an argument in
support of the thesis. |
| |
Quotes language and/or examples from the work in
support of the argument. |
| |
Explains how the argument supports the thesis. |
| |
Supports each element of
the thesis. |
| |
Sequences the arguments
logically and effectively. |
| |
Connects one paragraph
to the next with transitional
words or statements. |
| |
Includes no points
unrelated to the thesis. |
| |
Does not reveal the
writer's opinion of the author's
theme. |
| |
Contains enough support
for the thesis that a reader
would have to concede the validity
of the thesis. |
| |
Provides support for
points instead of assuming
reader agrees. |
| |
| |
Concluding
Paragraph |
| |
Brings reader's focus back to the
overall point of the
essay: the thesis. |
| |
Paraphrases the thesis from the
original paragraph. |
| |
Introduces no new
support for the thesis. |
| |
Leaves the reader with a
memorable final quote or
sentence directly related to the thesis. |
| |
| |
General Writing
Practices |
| |
Checked the essay with a
spell-checking program and
corrected errors before
posting it. |
| |
Proof-read the essay
carefully and corrected errors. |
| |
Used a consistent point
of view throughout the essay. |
| |
Used precise language. |