Creating the First Draft Points to Remember

Purpose, Audience, and Tone These elements deal with the overall effect of your essay and should guide you throughout your writing. Ask yourself the following questions:

Purpose, Audience, and Tone Does my essay fulfill all the required elements of the assignment?

Purpose, Audience, and Tone Do I state my thesis in the introduction paragraph? It should tell the reader— The Topic – What my essay is about The Idea – What I am going to say about it

Purpose, Audience, and Tone Is my tone appropriate to my audience and purpose? Does my audience have any special requirements?

Purpose, Audience, and Tone Is my tone consistent throughout the essay?

Examples, Evidence, and Details Have I adequately developed my thesis or main idea? Do I use specific details rather than generalities?

Examples, Evidence, and Details Are my examples and evidence accurate, relevant, and convincing?

Structure Is the organization of my writing appropriate to my topic and thesis?

Structure Does my introduction catch the reader's attention? Does my conclusion summarize and tie up the loose ends of my paper? Do I end with a “Big Idea”?

Structure Are my paragraphs well developed, unified, and coherent?

Structure Does one paragraph flow into the next? Do I use transitions between paragraphs?

Sentence Construction Are my sentences correct? Have I avoided fragments and run‐ons?

Sentence Construction Have I avoided short, choppy sentences?

Sentence Construction Do I combine sentences effectively? Do I avoid monotony by varying my sentences in length and structure?