Logical Progression

1 – Make high-level paper and paragraph changes.2 – Complete the attached worksheet Introduction Do you catch the reader’s interest effectively right away? Would a writer’s trick such as using a quotation, story, or metaphor be appropriate and helpful in accomplishing this? Is the introduction just the right length to say what needs to be said, no more and no less? Is your introduction clear and logical? Is the information presented in the best possible order? Thesis What is your thesis? Is it obvious, clear, and written as a complete sentence? Where is it? Is it in just the right spot or could you improve readability if it was moved? What is the goal of your thesis? For example, are you trying to argue for a particular position on the topic at hand? Have you expressed this clearly? If you are making an argument, do you need to point out counterarguments to your thesis? Is the scope of your thesis appropriate for the assignment? Do you need to broaden it or narrow it down? Paragraphs Are each paragraph purposeful, relevant to your thesis, and contributing to your goals? Is there a logical progression throughout the paper? Do the paragraphs build on each other and support your thesis in an organized way? Does each paragraph have a focused topic and topic sentence that relates to the thesis? Do the other sentences in your paragraphs provide evidence and argument to support this topic? Is each paragraph a reasonable length—not too long or too short? Are any paragraphs trying to accomplish too much? If so, how can they be restructured? Have you used quotations moderately and effectively? Do your quotations relate directly to the thesis? Do you provide context for your quotations? Should you cut down on the number of quotations you’re using and paraphrase instead? Conclusion Are you providing a useful recap of your paper in a way that’s interesting, rather than resorting to highly repetitious language? Can you write it in such a way that it relates to, and enhances, the most significant aspects of your paper? Are you providing a true conclusion, or are you merely summarizing what you just wrote? Do you introduce any new topics right at the end? If you do, is there a compelling reason? Do you end on a strong note?