Revision Check List
Format:
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Times New Roman, sz. 12 pt font
1 inch margins
Correct heading
Double spaced
Intro:
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Begins with an interesting hook that capture’s the reader’s interest
Is sufficiently broad (universal) to extend beyond the scope of the novel
Includes that title of the work (correctly formatted!) and the author
Ends with a specific, arguable thesis statement that is one (possibly two) sentence(s) in length
Thesis:
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The last sentence (possibly the last two sentences) of the introduction, provides a clear thesis
that leaves no doubt about the author’s position on the assigned topic
If thesis is pronged, then it is grammatically parallel
Conclusion:
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Begins by restating the thesis (NOT COPYING)
Summarizes and extends by addressing the question “So, what?” In other words, the paper
explains why the point being argued is important.
Ends by reconnecting to the intro paragraph’s opening universal idea – proving some larger
point about life/humanity
Quotes:
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The correct number of quotes are present (6 for the Crucible)
Quotes are imbedded correctly (No floating quotes! Commas are present where they should be
to offset quotes from discourse.)
All quotes are correctly cited. Citations belong at the end of the sentence, for example: (Miller
2). If you cite from only one source then you do not need to include the author’s name after
your first citation.
There are no long quotes (over 3 lines long) present in the paper
ALL QUOTES ARE SURROUNDED BY ANALYSIS THAT EXPLAINS HOW THEY HELP PROVE YOUR
THESIS STATEMENT. THIS SHOULD BE THE MAIN CONTENT OF YOUR PAPER! YOUR ANALYSIS
SHOULD BE AT LEAST AS LONG AS ANY QUOTE YOU INCLUDE.
Mechanics/Grammar:
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Make sure all words are spelled correctly
Adhere to the rules of standard English
Make sure you are writing in present tense! (there are very few exceptions to this rule)
Style:
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Eliminate weak verbs such as “is, was, are” wherever possible and replace with a dominating
action verb. For example, “She was running down the street” becomes “She ran down the
street.”
Limit adverb modifiers such as “quickly” and replace with more powerful verbs. For example,
“She ran quickly down the street” becomes “She dashed down the street.”
Replace weak words, such as “good” and “bad,” with more powerful vocabulary words. For
example, “Rebecca Nurse was a good woman” becomes “Rebecca Nurse’s beneficent nature is
exemplified by her calming presence and by her refusal to incriminate others.” Note: this
example could be improved even further by eliminating the “is” through simple reordering. For
example, “Rebecca Nurse’s calming presence and her refusal to incriminate others exemplify her
beneficent nature.” (Notice how this final example maintains parallel structure while
simultaneously cutting weak filler words)
Be clear and specific. Make sure every pronoun clearly refers to one noun. Don’t forget to
consider words such as “this.” “This, these, those, etc” need to be followed by a clarifying noun.
Also be careful that you are not following all your quotes with “This quote shows” or “these
lines show” … (Note: avoid “show,” which is a weak word, and replace it with words such as
reveal, delineate, exemplify, etc…
Strive for conciseness. There is no reason to draw your paper out as I’m grading on content and
organization rather than length. This means that “Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible…” is
preferred to “The play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller…”
Eliminate repetitive word choices, grammatical structures, and content. Writing is a time
consuming process. You literally need to evaluate the effect of every word in your paper. If it is
unnecessary then cut it. If it is weak then change it. If it is repetitive in content, word choice, or
grammatical organization then change it.