ARGUMENTATIVE AND DISCURSIVE ESSAY CHECKLIST

ARGUMENTATIVE AND DISCURSIVE ESSAY CHECKLIST


INTRODUCTION:

a) Does the introduction start with a general statement related to the topic and gradually become more specific?
b) Is there a thesis statement which tells the reader what the essay will be about?
c) Does the essay explain what the thesis statement said it would?
d) What could the writer do to improve it?


DEFINITIONS:

a) Underline any definitions of important words or expressions that the writer has made.
b) Has the writer used appropriate language in his/her definitions?
c) If the writer has not included any definitions, do you think he/she should have? If so, what words should he/she have defined?


PARAGRAPHING:

a) Are the ideas in the essay grouped effectively into paragraphs?
b) If not, does the writer need change the order of ideas?
c) Does each paragraph have a topic sentence which tells the reader what the main idea of the paragraph is?
d) Underline what you think the topic sentences are.
e) Does the writer explain enough about the main idea in each paragraph to make it clear to the reader?
f) If not, does the writer need to add further information or examples to make a point clearer?
g) Does the writer need to remove unnecessary information?
h) Does each paragraph have a concluding sentence which appropriately ends the paragraph?
i) Find two concluding sentences and write down what you think their function is.
j) * summarise the main idea of your paragraph; *restate the main topic; * make a conclusion from the information given in the paragraph; * predict the future; * suggest possible solutions; * link the ideas of the paragraph to the ideas of the following paragraph.

CONCLUSION:

a) Does the essay have an appropriate conclusion?
b) What is the particular function of the conclusion?
c) What could the writer do to improve it?


By Frank Felser