>Review assignment carefully: Does the paper respond fully to the assignment? >Thesis statement: -Is there a sentence or two that succinctly sums up the topic of the paper and contains an opinion (debatable? -Is the thesis specific and focused? Does it go beyond the obvious and approach the topic insightfully! in a uni"ue way? >Topic sentences: -#re they clear? -Do they all relate to the thesis? >$ody (support paragraphs: -Does everything in each paragraph develop and support the topic sentence? -Is there enough support? %ould you recommend more e&les or details? >'ynthesis: -Read the thesis and topic sentences in order: do they wor( together! the topic sentences supporting and developing the central claim (thesis? >)rgani*ation: -Does the writer clearly meet essay conventions by including an introduction! body and conclusion? -Is some type of obvious organi*ation used (chronological! categorical! spatial! or do the body paragraphs randomly wander from subtopic to subtopic? -%here is there room for more focus and coherency (and less digression? -+onclusion: Does the paper have a distinct ending! or does it ,ust abruptly stop? >#nalysis: -Does the support and e&planation go beyond the merely general and into the specific? Is there both breadth and depth? -Is there too much summary and not enough interpretation and e&planation? >#w(wardness: #w(wardness impedes clarity! so is there a better (more clear and direct way to write it (-it. usually e"ualing a sentence or phrase? Do all the sentences ma(e sense? Style: Finding a voice >#void: -%ordiness -+lich/s >0se: -#ppropriate diction -#ctive versus passive voice whenever possible >Transitions: Transition words are fine as long as they are not overused! but transition sentences forming connections between paragraphs are better1 >Redundancy: Is there redundancy in diction! thought! or support? 2et rid of it3 >'entence variety: -Does nearly every sentence start the same way (e1g1 with the sub,ect? They should not1 -Does the author mi& up the different types of sentences at her disposal (i1e1 simple! compound! comple&! compound-comple&? Format: el!ing yo"r reader and other scholars >45#: -In-te&t citations: Do both "uotes and paraphrasings follow the format and do parentheticals clearly point to the appropriate entry on the wor(s cited page? #re "uotations introduced and e&plained? #re bloc( "uotes introduced with a complete sentence ending in a colon and indented appropriately? -%or(s cited page: Do citations follow the format? #re they alphabeti*ed by the first word or words in the entry and are titles underlined or placed in "uotation mar(s as appropriate? #rammar and $echanics: $aking sense >6unctuation: 6ay special attention to use of the basics: commas and periods1 >4iscellaneous: Is verb tense correct and consistent? #re words spelled correctly? 5oo( for typos and homonyms1 >'entence level errors: #re there fragments (incomplete sentences! run-ons or comma splices? Comments: In a sentence or two! discuss the strengths and wea(nesses of the paper1