1. Revising Your Essay Karen Silvestri, Instructional Specialist

2. CLUESS Coherence Language Unity Emphasis Support Sentences

3. COHERENCE Are the ideas clearly related, each one to the others and to the central idea? Pattern Transitions Repetition Pronouns

4. Pattern Is there a clear pattern of organization? Time Space Compare/Contrast Cause and Effect Argument

5. Transitions Did you use transitional terms to help move your sentences and paragraphs forward?

6. Repeat key words Did you repeat key words that relate to the central idea to help your reader determine the central idea?

7. Pronouns Pronouns provide natural connection links in your writing. I tried to buy tickets for the concert, but they were all sold.

8. LANGUAGE Usage Tone Diction

9. Usage Is the language you use appropriate? Standard formal English No slang No clichés No abbreviations No contractions

10. Tone Is your tone appropriate? Determine who your audience is and be sure your tone is proper for that audience.

11. Diction Did you check your word choices? Your words should be Specific Original

12. UNITY Are the thesis and every topic sentence clear and well stated? Do they indicate both subject and focus?

13. Support Are all the points of support clearly related to the topic sentence of each paragraph and to the thesis of the essay? Are there enough details to support each topic sentence and thesis? Are the support points in the best possible order?

14. SENTENCES Length Variety Problems

15. Length Make sure your sentences vary in length. Too many short sentences make the essay sound choppy. Too many long sentences make the essay difficult to read.

16. Variety Are the sentences varied in length and beginnings? Are the sentences varied in pattern (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex)?

17. Problems Fragment Comma splice Run-on

18. Editing - COPS Capitalization Omissions Punctuation Spelling

19. Other considerations Title – is it interesting and original? Introduction – does it catch the readers attention and include your thesis statement? Conclusion – Does it sum up the essay, offer new insights, and effectively ‘close the door’?