Developmental English Revision and Editing Checklists Check your essay for the following: Whole Essay Main Ideas Sentences and details are logically connected. Clear Thesis/Topic Sentences/Significant Points (in conclusions) Logical Sequence/Clear Pattern of Organization Clear Pattern of Development: the kind of content used (description, narration, Comparison/contrast, etc.) No off-topic information Read essay aloud Paragraphs Clear Topic Sentence/paragraph deals with one main idea only Sufficient Information to demonstrate/prove the main idea Into Paragraph: identifies subject/topic, creates reader interest, and states Thesis Body Paragraphs: organized for effective sequence/clear sequence within paragraphs Conclusion Paragraph: effective closing points, one most significant point which stands out, closure for the reader Sentences Read Aloud Variety of sentence length Effective structure—clear subjects and verbs and compliments (as needed) Consistent Verb Tenses Use specific and descriptive language Eliminate repetition and unnecessary words Words Subject Verb Agreement Pronoun Agreement Verb Tenses Correct Word Meaning; also, effective word choice—lots of specific details Mechanics Periods and commas (no question marks or exclamation points) Caps Spelling Spacing and Margins Manuscript Form and Layout Titles Simple and direct Avoid Topic Titles No underline, no quotation marks, no Italics, no Bold Face Print Caps—follow the basic caps rules for titles