Evaluation and Revision Is your work is ready for submission?

Self-check Guideline Questions I Does your work show a number of evidence of wide reading on/around the subject, and familiarity with the relevant sources/literature? Does it contain evidence of a clear understanding of the subject matter, including a critical appraisal of relevant issues? Does your work follow a coherent plan/structure? Is the link between sentences/paragraphs clear?

Guideline Questions II Are all arguments supported by references to the literature? Are you satisfied that you have been consistent in your use of style/register, and that your choice of style/register is appropriate? Can you still improve on the clarity and precision of your expression? Can you still improve on the linguistic accuracy of your work?

Guideline Questions III Have you proof-read your work for slips/typographical errors? Have you followed the general conventions of academic writing (referencing, presentation, length), and any others that may be specific to the department/discipline? Note : You can work on improving a piece of writing indefinitely; your aim can only be to produce the best you can in the time available.

Evaluation Checklist Main Ideas Purposes Content Structure Connection/Cohesion Response

Main Ideas What is the writer’s overall idea?

The Writer’s Purpose Is the writer’s primary purpose clear? –Is the purpose to: Inform? Persuade? Or both? Does the writer show wow strongly he or she believes in the ideas in the essay? Are the opinions supported with evidence?

Content Has enough been written about the subject to address/ respond/ cover the topic or question adequately? Is all the information relevant to topic? Are the main ideas supported by specific examples or evidence? Are there any gaps in the information? Is there too much information on some points?

Structure Is there a clear introduction and a clear conclusion? Is the sequence of ideas clear - earlier to later, general to specific thesis to supporting points, supporting points to conclusion, weaker arguments to stronger arguments? If not, would it help to rearrange the order/sequencing of ideas?

Paragraphs Does the text have/ contain/ provide/ present clear paragraph divisions? Is each paragraph built around one main point or idea/ topic? Do the paragraph divisions match the organisation of ideas in the outline/plan? If not, should any of the paragraphs be: –jointed together? divided into smaller units? rearranged?

Connection/Cohesion Do the connections between the ideas need to be made more clear or explicit? If connecting words like the ones below have been used, have they been used appropriately? Do they give the reader a sense of ‘flow’ in the writer’s ideas? Or do the ideas simply seem like a list?

Types of Connectors ‘And’ type: therefore, as a result, accordingly, consequently, thus ‘Or’ type: in other words, to put it more simply ‘But’ type: however, yet, nevertheless Other type: who, which, that, when, where, because, since, although

Use of Reference Items Reference items: Words such as it, they, this, these, those Is each reference item used clearly? Can you easily identify the word or phrase which each one refer/ relate to? Is each reference item used appropriately?

Response Does the opening paragraph make you want to move on? Do you feel satisfied with the way the text/report comes to an end? Indicate your interest in the text as a whole, using a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is very interesting and 5 to not interesting?

Source Essay Writing by Ron White and Don McGoren, Prentice Hall, 1994, p. 21