1. STAAR Expository Essay REVIEW TIME A AT STEP ONE

2. 1 st Color THESIS STATEMENT: A sentence that conveys what your paper is about to “explain.” Hint: it comes from the prompt

3. Focus Focus Locus – 2 nd Color Your topic sentence of each of the two reasons/ways paragraphs should relate back to the thesis statement.

4. It’s All in the Details Do you have enough details? Have you explained/elaborated enough for the reader to understand the points you are making? 3 rd color Did you give an example of each? 4 th color

5. JUICY Language Did you choose precise and vivid words? Have you varied the terms enough to make your paper strong, not weak? Circle 3 words (in pencil) that you could make better.

6. Smooth Operator Are your transitions in place? The reader should be able to follow as you complete one point and move to another point. Furthermore, also, in addition, moreover, another, however, but, yet, as well as…

7. SPC Police Spelling/Punctuation/Capitals Make sure you do not use abbreviations or slang or texting language .

8. 5 th color Your closing should be brief – one or two sentences. Don’t repeat yourself here.

9. Pick of the Litter What is the best thing about this paper?