Checklist for Out-of-class-Essays

How to submit the paper

Your final draft on top, then

1) your last checked version of the thesis and topic sentences

2) your second writing workshop draft (edited)

3) your body paragraph that I edited

4) your first workshop draft (edited)

Introduction

____ Fabulously witty title

____ Exquisitely engaging first sentence (try to come up with an image or a metaphor that illustrates your main point)

____ Social-historical and/or literary-historical context for the writer's project (this is an absolute requirement, not optional)

____ Logical build up to your thesis argument (by the way: when you introduce the writer for the first time, use the full name; thereafter, just the last name).

____Thesis statement as last sentence of paragraph that is an actual argument rather than a mere list or description.

Body paragragphs

____ Topic sentence that is like a "thesis of the paragraph"

____ At least three quotations, all incorporated smoothly into your own sentences.

____ Direct, textual analysis following all of the quotations (should be at least three sentences of detailed analysis, not general commentary); your analysis should address a variety of techniques (diction, syntax, details, tone, sound devices, images, etc. See Writing Review for Writing Lessons on all these techniques)

____ Evaluative conclusion sentence for paragraph (not just the last sentence of analysis of the last quotation)

Conclusion

____ A return to some element of the introduction

____ No rehearsal of what was already said, since you know your reader is smart enough to remember your eloquent writing.

____ A delicious closing sentence that makes your reader wish you were still writing more.

Formatting

____ An MLA-formatted heading for the first page and a header on every page of the paper.

____ All titles of works of literature properly formatted

____ All citations of text properly formatted and accurately quoted with ellipses and virgules.

Other things

____ A final look at the assignment sheet to make sure it's long enough

____ A final look at the two edit sheets (first and second) to make sure you did what was supposedly taught on those days.

____ A final look at the Writing Review website pages that apply to literary analysis papers.

____ A review of all the grammatical errors you've consistently made in past papers, e.g. vague pronoun referent, pronoun agreement, split infinitives, etc.

____ A final check to make sure you have in no way plagiarized any word or idea of another writer.

____ Turn it in to Turnitin.com. Go to see Mr. Wheeler (jwheeler@st-agnes.org) if you have trouble doing this. You have one week to submit the paper.

___ Format for turning it in: on top, the final draft; next, the last (checked) thesis and topic sentences; next, the second writing workshop draft (edited); next, the body paragraph that I edited (must have edit marks on it; next, the second full edited draft. (clip them together if you can't staple them).

Please, submit the final draft of all your papers to Turnitin.com.  Go to Turnitin.com, and follow the directions.  You see your class color, for the password, repeat the class color as you see it above. You can see your class ID number above. The class color is the password. Make sure you use the exact capitalization as what appears above.

Email Jeff Wheeler if you have any trouble with this process (my expertise is in the writing, not the computers, so please, don't ask me about it).  The turnitin step can be completed up to one week after the due date.