Good writing is rewriting, rewriting, and rewriting so don't be discouraged that your essay needs editing. Every writer from a professional to the high school student goes through the revising process so that they can write a complete, grammatically correct, and relevant piece of writing. Look at the following questions about each element of your essay and answer them truthfully.

1. Elements of an Essay:
Revising and Editing
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2. Editing and Revising
These are necessary steps
In order to write an elegant, thorough, well-argued essay.
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3. Editing and Revising
These are necessary steps
In order to write an elegant, thorough, well-argued essay.
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4. “Good writing is rewriting, rewriting,
and rewriting. Every writer -
from the high school student to the
professional has to edit and revise
their work.
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5. Time to edit
After you have written the rough draft of
your essay, answer the following questions.
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6. 1.
Introduction Paragraph
Your introduction paragraph is the first impression that your
readers will get of your paper.
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7. Does your Introduction Paragraph have all of the
following elements?
A hook?
This is your chance to grab the
reader’s attention with an
interesting statement.
Background information?
Here is where you connect the
hook to the thesis statement.
A thesis statement?
A thesis statement is an
opinion that can be proven and
is worth proving to others.
If not, what elements are missing?
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8. Does your hook use one of the methods learned in the
introduction blog?
If so, which one?
Does this method relate the best to
your argument?
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9. Background Info
Does the background information show why the
hook and thesis statement are relevant?
If not,
How should you improve the background information?
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10. 2.
Thesis Statement
Your essay should be built around your thesis statement.
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11. Check mark all the questions that apply
The thesis statement is easy to identify:
The thesis statement makes it clear what the
subject of the essay will be:
The thesis statement tells what the writer of the
essay thinks about the subject:
The thesis statement has at least two points of
support or contention:
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12. Thesis Statement
What elements of the thesis statement are strong and clear?
What elements of the thesis statement are missing or unclear?
How can you make the thesis statement stronger or clear?
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13. 3.
Body Paragraphs
Your body paragraphs contain the meat of your essay.
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14. Your Body Paragraphs need each of the following:
Topic
Sentence
Transition
Word
Detail Commentary Conclusion
Sentence
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15. Are there at
least 2 body
paragraphs?
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16. Topic Sentences
Is there a topic sentence in each body
paragraphs?
Does the topic sentence refer to the points of support or
contention from the thesis statement??
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17. Yes or no?
Does each detail sentence have a
transition word?
Yes or no?
Are the transition words appropriately
varied?
Transition Words
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18. Details
Are there at least two details in each body paragraph?
Do the details fall under one of the categories discussed in the
details blog?
Do the details support the topic sentence?
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19. Commentary
The commentary falls under one of the categories
discussed in the commentary blog:
The commentary makes the details clearer and
easier to understand:
The commentary uses the what and why method:
There are at least two sentences of commentary
for every detail:
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20. Conclusion Sentence
Does the concluding sentence close out the body paragraph well?
Does the concluding sentence transitions well into the next topic?
If so, why? If not, why?
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21. Instructions for use
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22. 4.
Concluding Paragraph
Your concluding paragraph is the bow that ties your essay together.
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23. Recap of what
the reader
learned in the
body
paragraphs?
Restatement of
the thesis?
Sum up
sentence?
Does the concluding paragraph have all of the
following?

24. Is the sum up
sentence
powerful
?
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25. General
Look at your essay as a whole.
5.
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26. WhatIs your overall impression of the piece?
WhatDid you like about the essay?
Does it Feel
complete?
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27. Editing and Revising
Now that you have answered all the questions,
Rewrite your essay with the new edits and revisions.
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28. Or give us a call!
We can help you edit your essay!
(949) 681-0388
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29. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and released
these awesome resources for free:
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