1. This I Believe essay check Check off the following in your essay: Stated your belief Told a story Wrote 350-500 words Said what you DO believe not what you don’t believe

2. Narrative check Check your story to make sure you: Included specific, concrete details Focused on a moment you learned or came to realize something (which reflects your belief statement) Told your story in a conversational tone

3. Step 1 How’s it Look? How’s it Sound? Using your highlighter, mark up your essays to improve: Sentences that sound clumsy or confusing. Sentences that could be more descriptive or written with a stronger voice.

4. Step 2 Think Goodness Using your highlighter, mark up your essay to show: Sentences, words, phrases you think are nice. Paragraphs you struggled with and succeeded. Paragraphs you are proud of.

5. Step 3 Re-Vision Using your highlighter, mark up your essay to show: One complete paragraph you want to re- envision OR 4 disconnected sentence that need re-vision REWRITE THE PARAGRAPH or SENTENCES ON THE BACK OF YOUR PAPER.

6. Step 4 Essay Mechanic Using your highlighter, mark up your essay to identify: Any sentence fragments Any run-on sentences Any comma splices Any words you’re unsure you spelled correctly Any other grammatical or mechanical issue

7. Step 5 The Things You (Could’ve) Left Behind Using your highlighter, mark up your essay to show: Any words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs you could do without.

8. Step 6 Revise for hedgers, gushers, and absolutes. Find ‘em and cross ‘em out. Hedgers: Maybe, might, kind of, sometimes, it seems like… Gushers: Very, so, really, overwhelmingly…. Absolutes: Always, never, all the time…