Revision Guidelines

1)--What interpretive question(s) are you answering? Without having a clear interpretive question in mind, your essay will not have a coherent focus. Are you certain that your main question is interpretive and not factual or evaluative?

2)--Each topic sentence should be a mini-thesis, or your argument for that entire paragraph. Topic sentences and concluding sentences should not use quotes because those are places where you should focus on your argument, making clear to the reader what your position is. Introductions and Conclusions generally do not benefit from quotations either.

3)--Each quote should have at least 2-3 sentences of analysis.

4) --Before you use a quote in a paragraph, ask yourself: what am I arguing about this quote? Does it help to advance my thesis either by setting up a claim that I will complicate or that I will disagree with? Have an idea of what you are arguing about the quote before you use it, and make sure that your analysis explains how this quote provides proof for your larger thesis statement.

5) Check your own essay against the Grading Rubric. Use it as a checklist. Does your paper go beyond the obvious? Scrutinize your paper against all of the categories for the rubric.

note of thanks: revision guidelines taken from Christine Connell.