AN UNHOLY PAPER

EDITING CHECKLIST

Does your title identify the topic? Is it concise? interesting?

Does the introduction give the information needed to understand your argument?
Is the first sentence a broad generalization, definition, or unnecessary historical detail? If so, rewrite.
Is the thesis statement in an obvious position? Is it concise? interesting?
Can you put your thesis and argument into Simpsons MTS? (By looking at ____, we can see ___ (which
most readers miss). This is important because ____.) Dont use this form in your paper; use it to evaluate
your paper.

Is your thesis something most readers miss? If not, push your analysis further.

Does your argument support the thesis?

How many claims does your argument make to support the thesis? Is the order logical?
Does each paragraph make one and only one major point?
Are all of your paragraphs essential to your argument?
Is every sentence relevant to its paragraph? Does it add new information or make a new part of your
argument?

Is each new section of your argument marked by a clear transition?

Does your conclusion revisit your arguments main points? Does it explain why your thesis matters to the
text?

Does each part of your argument have textual evidence?

Do you use quotes from the text to support your claims?
For each quote: Do you give (only) the relevant context before the quote? Is it word-for-word? Is the page
number correct? Do you explain how/why this quote supports your claim? If its longer than you need to
make your point, what can you cut? If the quote is longer than three typed lines, is it a single-spaced,
indented block quote?

Are there relevant passages in the text that your paper ignores? If so, does your paper explain why?

Does every word or phrase in your sentences add meaning? Look for redundancies, filler, pompous terms,
and weak phrases that you can replace with single words. (See Concision in Nuts and Bolts for models.)

Do you clearly distinguish between author, narrator, and characters?

Do you limit your use of the first person?
Have you carefully proofread the paper for grammar and spelling mistakes?
Is your paper formatted correctly? (Check the syllabus for requirements.)
Is your paper an appropriate length? If longer, look for redundancies, pompous syntax, and unnecessary
quotes. If much longer, outline your argument and look for sections you could cut to narrow your thesis. If
shorter, review the argument for weakly supported points and reread the text to see if youve discussed
everything relevant.