Your essay is written, but what’s next?  Before turning in your essay be sure to revise your writing.  Revision literally means to “look at again”, which is exactly what will happen during this stage of the writing process. 

• What is the main point of your essay?  Does it answer the prompt questions? 

• What is the purpose of the essay?  Does it accomplish its purpose? 

• Does the thesis statement present an opinion and supporting facts to support the claim? 

• Are the sources cited in the essay reputable?  Is the format of the in-text citations and the works cited page correct? 

• Do all of the ideas presented in the essay relate back to the thesis statement? 

• Does the organization of your ideas flow logically throughout the paper? 

• Can words or phrases be substituted for more powerful words? 

• Are there effective transitions to connect ideas throughout the paper? 

• Does the essay make sense? 

• Are there any signs of plagiarism? 

When revising your essay, think of yourself as the “reader” instead of the “writer”.  By looking at your essay through a different lens, you’ll be surprised what you might find.  For more revision questions, here’s a link to a useful website or check out this checklist.