Essay Checklist

Content

Identify the thesis of the essay.

A title should be appropriate and effective and in the form of a question that the rest of the essay answers.

Make sure ideas are fresh and original.

Include all the main points about the topic.

Make sure the major points are supported with examples and facts.

Include only relevant information.

Answer the question in the essay title.

Critically analyse the information founded in the research.

Conclude with a summary statement.

Organization

Make sure structure of the paper enhances the central idea/claim/thesis.

Include satisfying introduction.

Make sure each main point is in a separate paragraph.

Make sure there is an empty line between each paragraph.

Include a satisfying conclusion, an advice, opinion or saying.

Make sure sequencing is logical and effective.

Grammar

Make sure each sentence have a subject and a verb.

Check each noun to see if it is countable, uncountable, or abstract, and used the correct article.

Use the present simple tense to describe things you think are true all the time.

Use the present perfect tense to describe experience or the results of experience.

Use the simple past tense to describe things that finished in the past.

Check for grammar.

Include some academic vocabulary.

Convention

Your conclusion is based on evidence and facts.

Avoid asking questions, then answering them.

Use academic-style writing.

Replace phrasal verbs such as 'look at' with more formal words such as 'examine'.

Avoid using 'you' to refer to your reader.

Avoid over-generalisations.

Include citations and references.