Essay Self-critique
Name _______________________
Fill this out BEFORE you turn in your essay. (You’ll do this for every essay you write.)
Then turn the page over and give your self scores on all the items and total them to discover
what grade you’d give yourself. This lets me know how well you’re able to evaluate and
improve your work.
How did you go about choosing what to write about? Are you happy with your topic? Why?
How much time did this process take? Was it agonizingly hard? Frustrating? Enlightening?
How much time did you spend actively writing the paper? Where did you write? What else
were you doing at the same time? (how might you improve your work environment?)
How much time did you spend revising it? Who helped you during each part?
Now that you’re done, what do you like best about your essay? Feel free to list a few things.
What do you like least in your essay? Again, it can be a list.
What kind of feedback would you most like from me?
What would you like to do differently on the next essay you write?
David Sullivan’s Essay Response Sheet
This response sheet gives you an overview of my reaction to your essay and the criteria I
used in grading it. Each item is worth 10 points, for a total of 100. The final score reflects the
range your score fell into. Anywhere between 90-100 is an A, anywhere between 80-90 is a
B, etc. Please look it over carefully and talk to me about any questions you have. The
statements show the ideal I’m looking for, while parenthetical comments are suggestions on
how to improve. I use this on every paper. Please turn it back in if you rewrite an essay!
_______ The title introduces your perspective provocatively; you have an opening grabber
that pulls us in; Name, Class, Date. (Grab our attention from the start. Use your title to
introduce your perspective, entertain and interest your reader. Two part titles are often
effective: Take it Like a Man: Hyper Masculinity and Homophobia. Colon shows balance.)
_______ This is a great topic, narrowly defined, and thoroughly explored.
(Take on less and investigate it in greater depth. Why is this topic interesting to you?)
_______ You clearly state a provocative, arguable claim—or related nested claims.
(Try writing “I will prove that...” sentences. Relate your claims so they build. In longer
papers have a series of claims that point to the larger, dominant claim.)
_______ You are persuasive in presenting your argument; you use convincing language.
(Present persuasive proof: detailed examples, analysis, quotations. Anticipate and answer
counter arguments. Ask yourself what someone who disagrees with you would say.)
_______ The paper uses sophisticated and interesting vocabulary; varies sentences.
(Try pushing yourself to use new words; look them up and use a proofreader.)
_______ Quotations or examples are well integrated. Use correct, MLA format. “Keep on
Truckin’” (Crumb 13). (Introduce and analyze your quotes and sensory-rich examples.)
_______ Your paper integrates ideas and terms from texts and the class, credits sources.
(Put marginal notes in the text to keep track of ideas. Alphabetical Works Cited page:
Atwood, Margaret. Handmaid’s Tale. New York: W. W. Norton, 1988.)
_______ The transitions within paragraphs and between are excellent.
(Use conjunctions: and, so, since, however, therefore, etc. to make links within sentences.
Semicolons link two related, complete sentences. New paragraphs: start by presenting old
info before introducing new info. as a way to link two paragraphs.)
_______ You have a powerful closer that sums up your major points and includes a final
twist: quotation, new idea, example, statistic, etc. (Leave your reader reeling, thoughtful.)
_______ The manuscript is well edited, free of spelling mistakes and typos.
(Be diligent about proofreading your paper. Develop friendly, tough readers.)
________ total score.