Dr. Matt Kuefler
Dr. Matt Kuefler
ESSAY CHECKLIST
Ask yourself how well you answer each of these questions:
On the ideas in my essay:
1. Is my thesis clearly at the end of my introduction and at the beginning of my conclusion? See 1. Thesis
2. Do I have clear reasons for arguing my thesis? See 2. Developing Ideas into Points
3. Do I move clearly and definitively from one point to another, or do I repeat my points? Do I have topic sentences for each paragraph? See 3. Organizing Paragraphs and Including Topic Sentences
4. Have I made a concession to the opposite point of view? See 4. Making a Concession
5. Have I been careful not to speculate too much or without just cause? See 5. Speculation
6. Have I discussed my historical source or sources critically? See 6. Interpreting Sources Critically
7. Have I stayed on topic, or included too much extraneous or background information? See 7. Staying on Topic and Background Information
On the examples used in my essay:
8. Have I provided a few examples from the source or sources for each of my points? See 8. The Use of Examples
9. Have I provided a range of examples from the different sources and sections of each source? See 9. A Range of Examples
10. Have I checked that I have remembered and used these examples accurately? See 10. The Accuracy of Examples
11. Have I noted the specific location of each of these examples in footnotes or endnotes in the Chicago Style? See 11. Notes in the Chicago Style
12. Have I included, if necessary, a bibliography in the Chicago Style? See 12. Bibliography in the Chicago Style
13. Have I included notes for every reference to the source or sources, whether words are quoted or not? See 13. Including Notes for All Information and Ideas
14. Have I put quotation marks around all words borrowed from a source, even if they are only a few key words or a phrase or two? See 14. Plagiarism
On the structure of my essay:
15. Do I have a properly structured introduction, one that is not too long and ends with my thesis? See 15. Introduction
16. Do I have a properly structured conclusion that restates the thesis at the beginning and then provides the historical significance of my topic? See 16. Conclusion
17. Have I used the proper format for my quotations? Do I know where note numbers and punctuation go at the end of quotations? Do I know how to use elipses and square brackets within quotations? Do I know what format long quotations take? See 17. Format for Quotations
18. Have I checked for incomplete sentences and correct spelling? Have I checked to make sure that all pronouns refer to a specific and appropriate noun? Have I used "who," "whom," "that," and "which" properly? Have I eliminated all split infinitives and dangling participles? See 18. Sentence Structure and Grammatical Correctness
19. Have I used punctuation correctly, especially in placement of commas and apostrophes, and in my use of colons and semi-colons, or parentheses and dashes? See 19. Punctuation
20. Have I taken note of the pecularities of historical writing? Have I used past tense when appropriate? Have I spelled out years, decades, and centuries correctly? Have I underlined or italicized all foreign words except proper names? See 20. Peculiarities of Historical Writing
21. Have I tried to achieve an elegant writing style? Have I avoided slang and words without real meaning? Have I simplified sentences, but alternated lengths of sentences and verbs used? Have I avoided the "floating this"? See 21. Elegance in Writing Style