Essay Dissection

All directions written in italics is what you will do.

  1. Circle your thesis statement in the introduction.Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Does my thesis answer all parts of the prompt? If no, your thesis needs to be re-worked.
  • Is my thesis direct, unified and coherent? Does it make a claim about my topic?
  • Can my thesis be argued or proven to be true?
  • Is my thesis statement too obvious or vague? If yes, your thesis needs to be re-worked.
  1. Put a rectangle around your theme statement.Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Do I have a theme statement? If yes, is my theme statement a sentence related to the thesis?
  • How does my thesis differ from my theme statement? It should say something about the text as a whole, but be a universal statement that can be applied to other texts or situations.
  1. Use one color to highlight the topic sentence of each body paragraph.Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Is your topic sentence the first or second sentence of the paragraph?
  • Does each sentence prove my thesis statement to be true? If no, your topic sentences need to be rewritten.
  • Are my first sentences plot summary? If yes, your topic sentences need to be rewritten.
  1. Use a second color to highlight direct quotations or concrete details from the text. Ask yourself the following questions:
  • What claim or point does this quotation or concrete detail support? Is it necessary to make my point?
  • Does this quotation or concrete detail add to my argument? How does it support my point?
  • Have I introduced the quotation or concrete detail, provided context for it, and commented on its significance?
  • Have I cited this source using a standard documentation style? (This does not apply to closed book writing.)
  • Do I use the quotations or concrete details to support my ideas? What is the relationship of the quotations or concrete details to my topic sentences? Is that relationship clear?
  • Do quotationsor concrete details merely provide information? If yes, consider paraphrasing.
  • Are quotation or concrete details very long? If yes, consider paraphrasing or synthesizing the information.
  1. Use a third color to highlight literary terms used. Ask yourself the following question:
  • Are there any literary terms I still need to use?
  • Did I explain how the use of literary techniques contribute to meanings of the text?

Revising Your Introduction and Conclusion

All directions written in italics is what you will write down.In order to begin revising your essay, take out a sheet of paper and write the prompt at the top of the page. Number each of the following:

  1. Write “Thesis Statement” without the quotation marks and write your thesis statement, followed by the topic sentence of each paragraph on a separate sheet of paper. List these using lower-case letters… a., b., etc. Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Does my thesis statement directly answer the question?
  • Is my thesis clear and concise?
  • Does each of the body paragraphs have a strong topic sentence?
  • What is the first point of support?
  • What is the second point of support?
  • What is the third point of support?
  • Does each point work to prove the thesis?
  • Is the order of the body paragraphs correct? Should the order be changed?
  1. Write “Revised Thesis:” without the quotation marks and write your revised thesis statement below your original thesis statement.If your thesis statement is good, write it down for a second time.
  1. Write “Theme Statement:”without the quotation marks and write your theme statement below your revised thesis statement.

Read your introduction aloud and check it for the following parts:

  • Statement and identification of the prompt topic in a generalized, broad sense
  • Narrowed topic
  • Introduction of one specific aspect of the topic that argued
  • Theme statement (This can be written where is fits in the introduction, but not as the last sentence.)
  • Thesis statement (This is the last sentence of your introduction.)

All of these elements should be evident in your introduction and should appear, usually, in the order found above.

  1. Write “Revised Introduction:” and write arevised introduction.

Read your conclusion aloud. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does my conclusion state the broader significance of what I have written?
  • Does it comment on what I have written?
  • Does it show the relationship of my essay to a theme of the text?
  • Does it state my thesis in a new way to show how my argument has developed over the course of my paper?
  • Does it answer the question “Who cares” or “So what”?

You should be able to answer YES to allof the above questions. You should answer NO to all the ones that follow. If not, you need to amend your conclusion.

  • Does my conclusion simply restate my thesis?
  • Does it repeat all of my main points?
  • Does it provide new information or go in a different direction?
  1. Write “Revised Conclusion:” without the quotation marks and write it below your revised introduction.

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