**Class Set**
Color Coding an Essay
First- Is the essay double spaced/Times New Roman/12 pt. font? No extra spacing between lines? Indented paragraphs?
Yellow: Highlight the heading. Is it in the left corner of the paper? Does it have the full name, Teacher’s name, class/block, full date in the correct format?
Yellow: Highlight the header. Is it in the upper right corner? Does it have only the last name and correct page numbers on each page?
Pink:Is there a title? Is it centered? Is it creative? If it is creative, write the phrase, “Great title!”
If it is not creative, write the phrase, “Come up with a better title.”
Blue:Highlight the Main Thesis(MT). Does it include the three TS subjects in the order they appear in the body?
Blue:Highlight the(TS)Topic Sentences. Does the TS follow the formula?
Green: Put boxes around all of their Concrete Details (CDs) - Quotations. Are all parts of the CD formula there? Is there an in-text citation at the end of the Quotation? Is the period at the end of the in-text citation? NOT before the citation? Is the citation in the correct format?
Pink:Highlightthe first Commentary (CM1’s). Make sure that they do not begin with “This quote shows” or “I chose this quote because.” No 1st person or 2nd person (I or you) in the commentary.
Orange:Highlight the second Commentary (CM2’s). Does it tie back to the TS?
Blue: Highlight the Concluding Sentence (CS). Does it return to the TS and the MT?
Red Pen: Capital letter check. Check each sentence beginning. Does it start with a capital letter?
Check the beginning of each character’s name. Does it start with a capital letter?
Black: Fluff check. Check for the following words and phrases:
**Class Set**
I think….
This quote shows…
This quote proves…
I’m trying to prove…
In my opinion….
What the author is saying is…
I or my
You, yours, or our
**Class Set**
Cross these phrases out.
Check for Spelling
Contractions. Check and make sure that all words are spelled out in their entirety. Get rid of “doesn’t” and “isn’t” and change it to “does not” and “is not”
Past Tense: Check and make sure that all your verb forms are in present tense. Cross out verbs that are in past tense and write the verb in the present tense.
Final Step: Go to a corner of the room and read your partner’s paper aloud to him or her to check for awkward sounding sentences or poor word choice.