This checklist is designed to be used in tandem with our essay writer’s guide. Its aim is to teach you how to write essay papers and to make sure you have taken all the essential elements into account before submitting your essay.
Structuring Your Essay
- Has the question been answered?
- Has every component of the question been answered? Double-check the essay question and instructions.
- Have you remained focused on the question and put your point of view across clearly? In this essay checklist, we recommend you take particular care with this!
- Have you made sure your essay progresses logically, with each new paragraph transitioning smoothly from the previous one?
The Introductory Paragraph
- Have you included a thesis statement – one or two tightly worded sentences that convey the key point of your work?
- Does your thesis address the essay question directly?
- Did you remember to include a short ‘roadmap’ to make the structure clear for the readers?
The Main Body Paragraphs
- Did you introduce the key idea in a direct manner?
- Have you discussed the most important points in a clear manner?
- Is your evidence adequately and credibly supported?
- Are all your cited sources correctly and accurately referenced?
- Is your essay structure logical and are the sentences constructed so that they flow smoothly? Or have you fitted mismatched ideas alongside each other?
- Has a separate paragraph been devoted to each new idea?
The Concluding Paragraph
- Have you summarized the main ideas in a succinct manner?
- Does the viewpoint you express directly answer the essay question?
- Does your concluding paragraph follow on smoothly from the body paragraphs?
- Have you been careful not to introduce new material in the conclusion?
References
- Has your essay been supported with an adequate number of sources?
- Have the sources you used been referred to often enough?
- Has a clear distinction been made between your personal opinion and any factual information in the sources you used?
- Have your sources been accurately cited? This is important when writing an essay!
- Is your bibliography or references list written correctly?
Type of Essay and Style
- When writing your paper, have you used the right type of document e.g. essay format, report, review, and so on?
- Is the language you used sufficiently formal?
- Is the terminology you used appropriate for the discipline?
- Is the supporting evidence you used suitable for the discipline it applies to?
- Have you been too repetitive? Do not forget you can seek professional essay help if you have not enough time or have any doubts about your own writing ability.
- Have you been concise in the way you constructed your sentences?
- Has anything that is not relevant been removed?
Essay Presentation
- Do you think you have adhered to the instructions in terms of presentation? Double check!
- Use a 12pt font, 1.5 inch line spacing, a one-inch margin on each side and print double-sided unless you have been otherwise instructed. This is the standard format in terms of how to write essay
- Do not forget to staple the pages of your essay in the upper left-hand corner to ensure they are not separated. Do not insert your essay in a plastic folder unless you have been asked to.
- Have you included your Student ID or reference number, course title and/or any reference code, the name of your tutor, your essay’s title and the date?
- Does your essay adhere to the required word count?
- Did you remember to save a copy, make a backup, or print a copy that you can proofread?
- Has the spelling been checked?
- Has the grammar been checked? For this, you can ask someone you know to do a spot of proofreading or use TextHelp.