Editing the final draft

Editing for structural features

You need to make sure that your essay adheres to the structural conventions of an essay: that is, it includes an introductory section, a middle section with your arguments, and a conclusion.

Checking essay structure

INTRODUCTION Have you addressed the question fully? Does the introduction contain a thesis statement and an outline of the sub-topics to be covered in your essay BODY Is each paragraph dealing with just one main idea or sub-topic? Does each paragraph have a topic sentence? Is the transition from one paragraph to the next smooth and logical? CONCLUSION Have you restated your main thesis point? Have you reminded the reader of the strengths of your argument? Have you avoided including any new information in your conclusion? *   * NOTE: Consider putting new information in the body of your essay, or leave it out