Revising and
Editing Your Essay
Revising

Underline your claim in intro and conclusion.

Highlight in blue the topic sentence in each body paragraph.

Turn evidence dark green.

Turn all elaboration on evidence dark red.

Highlight in yellow the sentences where you address an opposing
claim.

In each body paragraph, boldface your transitional words, phrases,
or devices.
Revising
Purpose, Focus, and Organization
1.
Does the essay have a strong, clearly stated claim?
2.
Does each body paragraph clearly support the claim?
3.
Does the essay clearly address alternate or opposing claims
and provide solid arguments against those claims?
4.
Does the essay skillfully use transitions between ideas and
paragraphs?
5.
Does the essay present a well-organized, focused, logical
argument from beginning to end?
6.
Does the essay have a good introduction?
7.
Does the essay have a good conclusion?
8.
Are the language and tone of the essay appropriate for a
formal argument?
9.
Is the argument convincing?
Revising
Evidence and Elaboration
1.
Does the essay smoothly integrate thorough and relevant
evidence?
2.
Does the essay include precise references to the sources? Is
each quote anchored to the paragraph with a tagline?
3.
Does the essay include good examples and quotations (not
too long) to support the claim?
4.
Does the essay include precise, specific language in the
elaboration (not too general or vague)?
5.
Is the elaboration appropriate for the purpose of the essay?
6.
Does the elaboration flow with well-written sentences that
vary in length?
Editing: Punctuating Titles
Titles of long works are italicized or
underlined
Titles of short works are quoted

Reading Lolita in Tehran is a novel.

“I Have a Dream” is a speech.

Persepolis 2 is a graphic novel.

“The Censors” is a short story.

Both titles would be italicized or
underlined.

Quote these titles.

Choose one—italics or
underlining– and use consistently
throughout essay.
Editing: Complete Sentences
No Fragments

Many literary works show the
struggle for freedom. Such as
Reading Lolita in Tehran, “The
Censors,” and “I Have a Dream.”

Join run-ons to nearby sentences.
No Run-Ons
No Punctuation
King spoke of the “manacles of
oppression” he means AfricanAmericans were treated like slaves.
Comma Splice
King spoke of the “manacles of
oppression,” he means AfricanAmericans were treated like slaves.
Fix by separating into two sentences,
adding comma and conjunction,
or using a semicolon.
Editing: Complete Sentences

Read the essay from the last sentence to the first sentence.

Verify that each sentence contains a complete thought.

Fix all fragments.

Verify that sentences are connected correctly.

King spoke of the “manacles of oppression.” He means African-Americans
were treated like slaves.

When King spoke of the “manacles of oppression,” he meant that AfricanAmericans were treated like slaves.
Editing: Capitalization

Capitalize the first word of a sentence.

Capitalize the pronoun I.

Capitalize people’s full names including titles: Dr. Martin Luther King

Capitalize geographical locations: Argentina, Tehran, Washington,
D.C.

Capitalize historical events: March on Washington.

Capitalize religions: Muslim, Islam

Capitalize the first, last, and all other important words in titles:
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Editing: Quotation Marks




Put quotation marks, commas, periods, and capital letters in the
correct places:

Sara Beth said, “My sister is visiting me.”

“My sister is visiting me, ” said Sara Beth.

King spoke of the “manacles of oppression.”
Capitalize the first word of a full-sentence quote.
Separate tagline and quotation with comma.
Commas and periods always go before quotation marks.
Editing: Other

Correct subject-verb agreement

Apostrophes on contractions: Don’t


Apostrophes with possessives


Preferred: Write out both words: Do not
King’s speech
No apostrophes on plurals

NO: Girl’s in Iran are treated badly.

YES: Girls in Iran are treated badly.
Submit

Type your name at the top of the essay.

Click share in the upper-right corner.

Type your teacher’s gmail address:

[email protected]

Select “can edit.”

Late work will earn a grade of zero.