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Conclusion How to end an essay

While getting started can be very difficult, finishing an essay is usually quite straightforward. By the time you reach the end you will already know what the main points of the essay are, so it will be easy for you to write a summary of the essay and finish with some kind of final comment , which are the two components of a good conclusion. An example essay has been given below to help you understand both of these, and there is a checklist at the end which you can use for editing your conclusion.

In short, the concluding paragraph consists of the following two parts:

  • a summary of the main points;
  • your final comment on the subject.

It is important, at the end of the essay, to summarise the main points. If your thesis statement is detailed enough, then your summary can just be a restatement of your thesis using different words. The summary should include all the main points of the essay, and should begin with a suitable transition signal . You should not add any new information at this point.

The following is an example of a summary for a short essay on cars ( given below ):

In conclusion, while the car is advantageous for its convenience, it has some important disadvantages, in particular the pollution it causes and the rise of traffic jams.

Although this summary is only one sentence long, it contains the main (controlling) ideas from all three paragraphs in the main body. It also has a clear transition signal ('In conclusion') to show that this is the end of the essay.

Final comment

Once the essay is finished and the writer has given a summary, there should be some kind of final comment about the topic. This should be related to the ideas in the main body . Your final comment might:

  • offer solutions to any problems mentioned in the body;
  • offer recommendations for future action;
  • give suggestions for future research.

Here is an example of a final comment for the essay on cars :

If countries can invest in the development of technology for green fuels, and if car owners can think of alternatives such as car sharing, then some of these problems can be lessened.

This final comment offers solutions, and is related to the ideas in the main body. One of the disadvantages in the body was pollution, so the writer suggests developing 'green fuels' to help tackle this problem. The second disadvantage was traffic congestion, and the writer again suggests a solution, 'car sharing'. By giving these suggestions related to the ideas in the main body, the writer has brought the essay to a successful close.

Example essay

Below is a discussion essay which looks at the advantages and disadvantages of car ownership. This essay is used throughout the essay writing section to help you understand different aspects of essay writing. Here it focuses on the summary and final comment of the conclusion (mentioned on this page), the thesis statement and general statements of the introduction, and topic sentences and controlling ideas. Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay.

Although they were invented almost a hundred years ago, for decades cars were only owned by the rich. Since the 60s and 70s they have become increasingly affordable, and now most families in developed nations, and a growing number in developing countries, own a car. While cars have undoubted advantages, of which their convenience is the most apparent, they have significant drawbacks, most notably pollution and traffic problems . The most striking advantage of the car is its convenience. When travelling long distance, there may be only one choice of bus or train per day, which may be at an unsuitable time. The car, however, allows people to travel at any time they wish, and to almost any destination they choose. Despite this advantage, cars have many significant disadvantages, the most important of which is the pollution they cause. Almost all cars run either on petrol or diesel fuel, both of which are fossil fuels. Burning these fuels causes the car to emit serious pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrous oxide. Not only are these gases harmful for health, causing respiratory disease and other illnesses, they also contribute to global warming, an increasing problem in the modern world. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (2013), transportation in the US accounts for 30% of all carbon dioxide production in that country, with 60% of these emissions coming from cars and small trucks. In short, pollution is a major drawback of cars. A further disadvantage is the traffic problems that they cause in many cities and towns of the world. While car ownership is increasing in almost all countries of the world, especially in developing countries, the amount of available roadway in cities is not increasing at an equal pace. This can lead to traffic congestion, in particular during the morning and evening rush hour. In some cities, this congestion can be severe, and delays of several hours can be a common occurrence. Such congestion can also affect those people who travel out of cities at the weekend. Spending hours sitting in an idle car means that this form of transport can in fact be less convenient than trains or aeroplanes or other forms of public transport. In conclusion, while the car is advantageous for its convenience , it has some important disadvantages, in particular the pollution it causes and the rise of traffic jams . If countries can invest in the development of technology for green fuels, and if car owners can think of alternatives such as car sharing, then some of these problems can be lessened.

Union of Concerned Scientists (2013). Car Emissions and Global Warming. www.ucsusa.org/clean vehicles/why-clean-cars/global-warming/ (Access date: 8 August, 2013)

Academic Writing Genres

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Below is a checklist for an essay conclusion. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.

Next section

Find out about other writing genres (besides essays and reports) in the next section.

  • Other genres

Previous section

Go back to the previous section about the main body of an essay.

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Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 26 January 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

So much is at stake in writing a conclusion. This is, after all, your last chance to persuade your readers to your point of view, to impress yourself upon them as a writer and thinker. And the impression you create in your conclusion will shape the impression that stays with your readers after they've finished the essay.

The end of an essay should therefore convey a sense of completeness and closure as well as a sense of the lingering possibilities of the topic, its larger meaning, its implications: the final paragraph should close the discussion without closing it off.

To establish a sense of closure, you might do one or more of the following:

  • Conclude by linking the last paragraph to the first, perhaps by reiterating a word or phrase you used at the beginning.
  • Conclude with a sentence composed mainly of one-syllable words. Simple language can help create an effect of understated drama.
  • Conclude with a sentence that's compound or parallel in structure; such sentences can establish a sense of balance or order that may feel just right at the end of a complex discussion.

To close the discussion without closing it off, you might do one or more of the following:

  • Conclude with a quotation from or reference to a primary or secondary source, one that amplifies your main point or puts it in a different perspective. A quotation from, say, the novel or poem you're writing about can add texture and specificity to your discussion; a critic or scholar can help confirm or complicate your final point. For example, you might conclude an essay on the idea of home in James Joyce's short story collection,  Dubliners , with information about Joyce's own complex feelings towards Dublin, his home. Or you might end with a biographer's statement about Joyce's attitude toward Dublin, which could illuminate his characters' responses to the city. Just be cautious, especially about using secondary material: make sure that you get the last word.
  • Conclude by setting your discussion into a different, perhaps larger, context. For example, you might end an essay on nineteenth-century muckraking journalism by linking it to a current news magazine program like  60 Minutes .
  • Conclude by redefining one of the key terms of your argument. For example, an essay on Marx's treatment of the conflict between wage labor and capital might begin with Marx's claim that the "capitalist economy is . . . a gigantic enterprise of dehumanization "; the essay might end by suggesting that Marxist analysis is itself dehumanizing because it construes everything in economic -- rather than moral or ethical-- terms.
  • Conclude by considering the implications of your argument (or analysis or discussion). What does your argument imply, or involve, or suggest? For example, an essay on the novel  Ambiguous Adventure , by the Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane, might open with the idea that the protagonist's development suggests Kane's belief in the need to integrate Western materialism and Sufi spirituality in modern Senegal. The conclusion might make the new but related point that the novel on the whole suggests that such an integration is (or isn't) possible.

Finally, some advice on how not to end an essay:

  • Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long--more than ten pages or so. But shorter essays tend not to require a restatement of your main ideas.
  • Avoid phrases like "in conclusion," "to conclude," "in summary," and "to sum up." These phrases can be useful--even welcome--in oral presentations. But readers can see, by the tell-tale compression of the pages, when an essay is about to end. You'll irritate your audience if you belabor the obvious.
  • Resist the urge to apologize. If you've immersed yourself in your subject, you now know a good deal more about it than you can possibly include in a five- or ten- or 20-page essay. As a result, by the time you've finished writing, you may be having some doubts about what you've produced. (And if you haven't immersed yourself in your subject, you may be feeling even more doubtful about your essay as you approach the conclusion.) Repress those doubts. Don't undercut your authority by saying things like, "this is just one approach to the subject; there may be other, better approaches. . ."

Copyright 1998, Pat Bellanca, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

Writing Queries

How to Write a Conclusion: A Step-by-Step Guide

Crafting a well-written conclusion is essential for any form of communication. The conclusion is a crucial part of any piece of writing, whether it’s an essay , research paper, or even a speech. Its primary purpose is to bring your work to a satisfying end and leave a lasting impression on your readers. A well-crafted conclusion can effectively summarize your main points, reinforce your thesis statement , and provide a sense of closure to your piece.

A strong conclusion is essential because it is often the last opportunity you have to leave a positive impression on your audience. It’s the final chance to convey the significance of your ideas and leave readers with something to think about. Therefore, it’s important to give careful thought and attention to crafting an effective conclusion.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Conclusion: A Guide to Writing an Impactful Conclusion

In this guide, we will explore the key elements of writing a conclusion that will leave a lasting impact on your readers. We will discuss how to restate your thesis statement, recapitulate the main points, offer final thoughts and implications, provide a closing statement, and review and edit your conclusion. We will also examine examples of effective conclusions and provide a checklist to help you evaluate your own conclusion. By the end of this guide, you will have a clear understanding of how to write a conclusion that not only wraps up your writing but also engages and resonates with your readers. So let’s dive in and discover the art of crafting a compelling conclusion.

Steps for Writing a Conclusion

How to Write a Conclusion

1. Restate the Thesis Statement:

One of the key elements in writing a conclusion is restating the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the central argument or main claim of your essay, and it serves as a guiding thread throughout your writing. Restating it in the conclusion helps reinforce your main point and reminds your readers of the purpose and focus of your work. When restating the thesis statement, it’s important to avoid simply copying and pasting the original statement word for word. Instead, aim to rephrase it in a way that summarizes the main argument or claim of your essay. Consider using different wording or sentence structure to add variety and freshness to your conclusion.

In addition to restating the thesis statement, it can be beneficial to highlight the key points that were discussed in the body paragraphs. This serves as a quick summary for the reader, reinforcing the main ideas and evidence that support your thesis. By doing so, you remind your readers of the substance of your argument and the evidence you presented to support it. Remember, the purpose of restating the thesis statement is to remind readers of the main argument and bring a sense of closure to your essay. By summarizing the main points and restating the thesis, you set the stage for the next step in writing an effective conclusion—recapitulating the main points.

How to Write a Conclusion

2. Recapitulate the Main Points:

After restating the thesis statement in your conclusion, the next step is to recapitulate the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. This serves as a concise summary of the key ideas presented in your essay, allowing readers to quickly review the important aspects of your argument. To recapitulate the main points effectively, consider the following steps:

1. Identify the main points: Review your essay and identify the main ideas or arguments presented in each body paragraph. These are typically the topic sentences or the most significant points that contribute to your overall thesis.

2. Summarize concisely: Express each main point briefly in your conclusion, using clear and succinct language. Avoid going into extensive detail or introducing new information. The goal is to provide a quick reminder of the main ideas without repeating the entire content of your essay.

3. Organize the recapitulation: Consider the logical flow of your main points and arrange them in a coherent manner. You can follow the same order as in your body paragraphs or rearrange them to create a more impactful summary. Look for connections and relationships between the points to reinforce the coherence of your argument.

4. Emphasize relevance and significance: While recapping the main points, highlight their relevance and significance in relation to your thesis statement. Explain why these points are essential in supporting your main argument and demonstrate how they contribute to the overall understanding of the topic.

By recapitulating the main points, you provide a clear and concise summary of your essay’s key ideas. This reinforces the strength of your argument and helps readers remember the important aspects of your work. With the main points recapitulated, you can now move on to the next stage of writing a conclusion—offering final thoughts and implications.

How to Write a Conclusion

3. Final Thoughts and Implications:

In addition to restating the thesis statement and recapitulating the main points, a well-crafted conclusion should offer final thoughts and implications related to your essay’s topic. This section allows you to reflect on the broader implications of your argument, connect your ideas to a larger context, and discuss potential future developments or areas for further research. Consider the following guidelines when presenting your final thoughts and implications:

1. Reflect on the broader implications: Discuss the significance of your argument in the larger context of the subject matter or real-world applications. Consider the implications of your findings or ideas and highlight their relevance to society, academia, or the field of study.

2. Connect to the larger context: Establish connections between your essay’s content and broader themes, trends, or theories. Demonstrate how your work fits into a larger body of knowledge and contributes to the understanding of the topic.

3. Discuss potential future developments: If applicable, speculate on potential future developments or areas for further research related to your topic. Highlight unanswered questions or suggest avenues for exploration to encourage readers to continue thinking about the subject.

4. Maintain a balanced perspective: Acknowledge any limitations or counterarguments that emerged during your essay. Addressing potential counterpoints shows that you have critically engaged with the topic and enhances the credibility of your conclusion.

By offering final thoughts and implications, you bring a sense of closure to your essay while leaving readers with a broader perspective on the topic. This section allows you to demonstrate the significance of your work and inspire further consideration and exploration. Now, let’s move on to crafting a strong closing statement for your conclusion.

How to Write a Conclusion

4. Closing Statement:

The closing statement is the final part of your conclusion, and it plays a crucial role in leaving a lasting impression on your readers. It is your opportunity to end your essay on a strong note and reinforce the key message or takeaway you want your audience to remember. The closing statement should be concise, impactful, and thought-provoking. Consider the following elements when crafting your closing statement:

1. End with a strong statement: Conclude your essay with a powerful sentence or phrase that encapsulates the main idea or emotion you want to convey. This statement should leave a lasting impact and resonate with your readers.

2. Provide a final thought: Offer a final reflection or insight that brings your essay to a satisfying conclusion. This could be a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a statement that encourages readers to consider the implications of your argument.

3. Connect back to the introduction: Refer back to the introduction or opening lines of your essay to create a sense of cohesion and unity. This connection reinforces the journey you have taken your readers on and highlights the significance of your conclusion.

4. Maintain a consistent tone: Ensure that the tone of your closing statement aligns with the overall tone of your essay. Whether it’s a serious reflection, an inspiring call to action, or a contemplative question, make sure it resonates with the tone and style of your writing.

Remember, the closing statement is your final opportunity to make an impact on your readers. Take the time to craft a memorable and compelling statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the central message of your essay. With the closing statement in place, it’s time to review and edit your conclusion to ensure clarity and coherence.

How to Write a Conclusion

5. Review and Edit:

After you have written your conclusion, it’s essential to review and edit it to ensure clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. Here are some key steps to follow during the review and editing process:

1. Read the conclusion objectively: Take a step back and read your conclusion as if you were a reader encountering it for the first time. This helps you evaluate how well it communicates your main points and whether it provides a strong sense of closure.

2. Check for consistency with the introduction and body paragraphs: Ensure that your conclusion aligns with the ideas and arguments presented in the introduction and body of your essay. Look for any inconsistencies or contradictions that may confuse your readers.

3. Assess the clarity of your language: Review your conclusion for clarity and precision. Ensure that your ideas are expressed in a concise and understandable manner. Avoid using jargon or overly complex language that may obscure your main points.

4. Evaluate the coherence of your conclusion: Examine the flow and organization of your conclusion. Ensure that your thoughts progress logically and smoothly from one point to another. Use transitional words or phrases to create cohesion and guide your readers through your ideas.

5. Remove any new information or arguments: Check that your conclusion does not introduce any new information, evidence, or arguments that were not previously discussed in the body paragraphs. The conclusion should summarize and wrap up what has already been presented.

6. Consider the overall length: Ensure that your conclusion is an appropriate length in relation to the rest of your essay. It should be concise and focused, avoiding unnecessary repetition or excessive elaboration.

7. Seek feedback: Consider sharing your conclusion with someone else, such as a peer or instructor, and ask for their feedback. Another perspective can provide valuable insights and help you identify areas for improvement.

By reviewing and editing your conclusion, you ensure that it effectively communicates your main points, provides a sense of closure, and leaves a strong impression on your readers. Now, let’s explore examples of effective conclusions to further understand their impact.

How to Write a Conclusion

 Examples of Effective Conclusions:

To better understand the impact of an effective conclusion, let’s explore a few examples from different types of essays:

1. Argumentative Essay:

Conclusion: “In conclusion, it is evident that stricter gun control measures are necessary to reduce gun violence and enhance public safety. By implementing comprehensive background checks, limiting access to high-capacity magazines, and promoting responsible gun ownership, we can work towards creating a safer society for all. It is our collective responsibility to prioritize the well-being of our communities and take decisive action. Let us move forward with determination and empathy, forging a future where lives are protected and the right to live without fear is upheld.”

2. Literary Analysis Essay:

Conclusion: “Through the vivid imagery, symbolism, and character development in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ F. Scott Fitzgerald skillfully reveals the emptiness and moral decay of the Jazz Age. The green light, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, and the tragic downfall of Jay Gatsby all serve as powerful symbols that reflect the disillusionment and moral corruption of the era. As we close the pages of this iconic novel, let us not forget the cautionary tale it presents— a reminder that the pursuit of material wealth and superficial pleasures can lead to the demise of the human spirit.”

3. Research Paper:

Conclusion: “In summary, the findings of this study shed light on the importance of early childhood education in promoting cognitive and socio-emotional development. The evidence overwhelmingly supports the long-term benefits of quality early education programs, including improved academic performance, reduced socio-economic disparities, and enhanced social skills. As we strive to create a society that provides equal opportunities for all children, it is imperative that we prioritize investment in early childhood education. By doing so, we can build a foundation for success and pave the way for a brighter future.”

These examples demonstrate how effective conclusions tie together the main points, reiterate the thesis, and leave a lasting impact on the reader. Each conclusion reflects the tone and purpose of the respective essay while providing a sense of closure and imparting a final thought or call to action. Analyzing such examples can provide valuable insights into the elements that make a conclusion impactful and memorable.

How to Write a Conclusion

 Conclusion Checklist:

As you finalize your conclusion, use the following checklist to ensure that it encompasses all the essential elements of a strong conclusion:

  • Restate the thesis statement: Have you clearly restated your thesis statement in a way that summarizes your main argument or claim?
  • Recapitulate the main points: Have you provided a concise summary of the key ideas discussed in the body paragraphs, reinforcing the main supporting points?
  • Reflect on the broader implications: Have you discussed the significance and relevance of your argument in the larger context, considering its implications for society, academia, or the field of study?
  • Connect to the larger context: Have you established connections between your essay’s content and broader themes, trends, or theories to highlight its contribution to the understanding of the topic?
  • Discuss potential future developments: If applicable, have you speculated on potential future developments or areas for further research related to your topic, encouraging readers to continue exploring the subject?
  • End with a strong closing statement: Does your conclusion conclude with a powerful and memorable statement that leaves a lasting impression on your readers?
  • Maintain consistency: Does your conclusion align with the introduction and body paragraphs in terms of ideas, tone, and style?
  • Ensure clarity and coherence: Is your conclusion clear, concise, and logically organized, allowing readers to follow your train of thought without confusion?
  • Avoid introducing new information: Have you refrained from introducing new information, evidence, or arguments in the conclusion, focusing instead on summarizing and reinforcing what has already been discussed?
  • Review for length and conciseness: Is your conclusion an appropriate length, avoiding unnecessary repetition or excessive elaboration?

By using this checklist, you can review and evaluate your conclusion to ensure that it effectively accomplishes its purpose and leaves a strong impact on your readers. Once you have reviewed and made necessary revisions, your conclusion will be ready to captivate your audience.

How to Write a Conclusion

 Final Tips for Conclusion:

As you work on crafting your conclusion, keep the following tips in mind to enhance its effectiveness:

1. Avoid introducing new information: Your conclusion should serve as a summary and synthesis of the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. Avoid introducing new ideas or evidence that haven’t been previously addressed.

2. Consider the overall tone and style: Ensure that the tone and style of your conclusion are consistent with the rest of your essay. Maintain a sense of coherence and cohesion to provide a satisfying reading experience.

3. Be mindful of the length: Keep your conclusion concise and focused. Avoid unnecessary repetition or extensive elaboration. Aim for a conclusion that effectively wraps up your ideas without dragging on.

4. Leave a lasting impression: Craft a closing statement that leaves a strong impact on your readers. End with a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a memorable statement that resonates with the main theme or argument of your essay.

5. Revise and polish: Review your conclusion for clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. Edit any confusing or ambiguous language. Check for grammatical and punctuation errors to ensure a polished final product.

6. Read it aloud: Read your conclusion aloud to get a sense of its flow and effectiveness. Listening to the words can help you identify areas that may need improvement or adjustment.

7. Seek feedback: Consider sharing your conclusion with someone else, such as a peer or instructor, and ask for their feedback. Another perspective can provide valuable insights and help you enhance the impact of your conclusion.

Remember, your conclusion is the final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your readers. By carefully considering these tips, you can create a conclusion that effectively summarizes your main points, reinforces your thesis, and provides a sense of closure to your essay.

Now, armed with these tips and a clear understanding of the elements of a strong conclusion, you’re ready to conclude your writing with confidence and impact. Good luck!

Conclusion:

Crafting a compelling conclusion is a vital skill for any writer. Throughout this guide, we explored the key elements of writing a strong conclusion, including restating the thesis, recapitulating main points, offering final thoughts, and providing a strong closing statement. Remember to maintain consistency, clarity, and conciseness in your conclusion. Avoid introducing new information and focus on leaving a lasting impression. Revise and polish your conclusion to ensure it effectively wraps up your work. By following these guidelines, you can create impactful conclusions that reinforce your main argument, engage readers, and provide a sense of closure to your writing.

Disclaimer:

The information and guidance provided in this response are meant for educational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, it’s important to note that the field of writing and academic conventions can vary. Therefore, it’s always advisable to consult specific guidelines provided by your educational institution or seek additional resources when writing your conclusion. OpenAI and the AI model cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information provided in this response.

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The Ultimate Essay Checklist

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Getting Started

Essay writing: it might not be your favorite thing in the world, but the essay editing experts at Scribendi are here to change that by making it a little less scary and a lot more fun! (Okay—perhaps "fun" is a bit strong. How about "bearable"?)

While there are four main types of essays—expository, persuasive, analytical, and argumentative—the basic structure of any essay is the same:

  • An introductory paragraph
  • At least three body paragraphs
  • A concluding paragraph
  • A bibliography

Generally, the higher your level of education, the more complex your essay structure will be. While high school students typically stick with the five-paragraph essay, university and graduate students are expected to discuss topics that require more than five paragraphs to flesh out. Whatever type of essay you're writing, following this basic format will help you accomplish your intended goal.

This ultimate essay checklist will provide you with everything you need to unleash your knowledge and express your creativity while following standard essay-writing conventions. This essay checklist will show you how to write a stellar essay of any style, and it will give you the confidence to explore and write about any topic.

General Tips

  • Get an early start. It's much easier to come up with and organize your ideas when you're not pressed for time and are able to conduct proper research. The earlier you start, the easier it will be . . . so don't procrastinate!
  • Choose a topic. Your instructor will likely give you a handful of topics to choose from or a general topic area. Depending on the instructions you're given, you will have to select and refine the topic. You can choose something you're already interested in or something you know nothing about—either way, you'll be doing your research and learning along the way.
  • Use various sources of information. With the vast amount of information available today, you're far from limited when it comes to choosing your sources. Use books, websites, journal articles, research studies, interviews—the world is your oyster! Just remember to keep track of your sources so that you can cite them properly and add them to your bibliography. Also check what kinds of sources your professor wants: primary, secondary, or both?

A mind map about organizing information.

  • Do not plagiarize. Cite your work and give credit where it's due. Do not take credit for others' thoughts or ideas, and make yourself aware of the basic rules for avoiding plagiarism .
  • Create an outline. Make a rough outline of the sections and points of your essay. Writing your ideas down will help you organize your thoughts and see what you need to add, change, or rearrange.
  • Provide evidence. Use evidence from your research to support your ideas. Each body paragraph will contain an original idea, but you will need to back it up with evidence to make it credible.
  • Don't use "I" statements or make sweeping generalizations. Stay objective, and be specific.
  • Grab your audience's attention. Come up with an attention-grabbing title and introduction that will make your reader want more.
  • Use logic. Within each paragraph and throughout your essay, keep your ideas coherent and linear.
  • Use an essay style that complements your content (and is in accordance with your professor's guidelines). There are four main types of essays:
  • Expository : The writer explains an idea or issue to the reader.
  • Persuasive : The writer tries to convince the reader to take his or her position on an idea, issue, or topic.
  • Analytical : The writer examines and analyzes an idea, issue, or topic.
  • Argumentative : The writer tries to prove that his or her position is correct.
  • Answer what , why , and how . Regardless of the type of essay you write, it should answer each of these questions.
  • Don't feel obliged to write your first draft in order, from introduction to bibliography. It can be difficult to write a completely linear essay when you have lots of different ideas, so start by writing whatever you're ready to write—you can put all the pieces together later. This will make the process easier and less stressful.

Introduction

The introductory paragraph broadly introduces your topic by giving your reader an overview of what your essay will be about and the points that will be discussed. It often starts with a general statement that acts as the topic sentence for the paragraph, and it provides a general discussion that leads to a specific thesis statement at the end of the paragraph.

  • Do not explicitly explain your intentions. For example, do not say, "The purpose of this essay is to . . ." Instead, allow the topic sentence to help your reader identify and determine your purpose. By the time readers get to the end, they will have a comprehensive understanding of your essay and its intent.
  • Choose a thesis statement that the body of your essay will be able to support. This thesis will be the "hook" of your essay, and it is often one of the last sentences in the introductory paragraph. A hook is a line that grabs the reader's attention—it "hooks" them, just like a fishing hook grabs a fish. The goal of the hook is to keep your reader interested and to clearly indicate the purpose of the essay.

The body of the essay develops the argument that was outlined in the introduction.

  • Use topic sentences. The topic sentence of each paragraph provides a brief summary of what the paragraph is about.

Support each claim with sound evidence.

  • Set up the transition to your next point. The concluding sentence of each paragraph should function as a hook and transition into the next paragraph.
  • Discuss and support a different idea in each paragraph. Limit each paragraph to one main idea. The topic sentence of each paragraph will help you organize your own thoughts and let the reader know what that paragraph is about. If you're writing a five-paragraph essay, follow this general outline:
  • The first paragraph contains the strongest argument and ties into the hook at the end of the introductory paragraph. Discuss your first point, elaborate on it, and provide evidence in support of it. Close with a transitional hook.
  • The second paragraph contains a more neutral argument, and it ties into the hook at the end of the first paragraph. Discuss your second point, elaborate on it, and provide evidence to support it. Close with a transitional hook.
  • The third paragraph contains another strong argument and ties into the hook at the end of the second paragraph. Discuss your third point, elaborate on it, and provide evidence to support it. Close with a transitional sentence that leads smoothly into the concluding paragraph.

In contrast to the introductory paragraph, the concluding paragraph starts out specific (by reintroducing the thesis) and becomes more general. It ties your ideas together and brings your paper to a culmination.

The concluding paragraph provides a general discussion of your findings and shows the reader that you have accomplished what you intended to at the outset.

  • Restate your thesis (though not necessarily using the exact same words). In contrast to the introductory paragraph, the concluding paragraph starts out specific (by reintroducing the thesis) and becomes more general. It ties your ideas together and brings your paper to a close.
  • Discuss your findings based on your research and evidence. Has your thesis been proven?
  • Don't introduce any new ideas. The point here is to sum up and wrap up your essay, not to confuse readers by providing new information.
  • End on a high note. You can finish the essay in a variety of ways. For example, you might provide suggestions for future research, state a call to action, share a quote, or ask a question. Depending on the topic and purpose of your essay, choose a closing line that will fit well with the rest of your essay's structure and leave readers thinking " Wow! "

Bibliography/Works Cited

The Bibliography or Works Cited page is a list of all the references you used throughout the paper. It can be alphabetized or numbered depending on the style guide you are using. While a Bibliography includes every resource you consulted when preparing your essay, a Works Cited page includes only the resources cited in your essay. Find out which is required by consulting the style guide assigned by your professor.

Style Guides

  • To make creating your reference list easier, use citation software . There are many different options out there, and several of the software programs are free (especially if you're enrolled in a university that has a subscription to one of the services). These citation software programs essentially create your bibliography for you, making the process fast, easy, and accurate.

Review, Revise, Rework

  • Give yourself a day or two before rereading and revising your essay. This way, you will have a fresh set of eyes, making it easier to catch any mistakes.
  • Don't be afraid to rearrange paragraphs, delete sentences, or add information. Reading through your essay a few days after writing it makes it much easier to see where and how the structure needs to be changed.
  • Correct any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Check the essay yourself, have a friend review it, or better yet, have your essay edited by a professional editing service .
  • Avoid colloquialisms and contractions. ('Cause it just ain't professional in an academic setting. Lol.)
  • Analyze the flow of your essay , and make sure that your ideas and paragraphs flow smoothly from one to the next.
  • Cut out any extraneous information or fluff. We've all done it, but adding extra words to make a word count requirement doesn't fly with most professors, and it will definitely detract from the strength of your essay.

Now, it's Time to Write!

It may seem overwhelming, but writing an essay doesn't have to be stressful. After coming up with a topic, doing some research, and creating a basic outline, you're ready to start filling in the gaps. Using primary and/or secondary research, back up your ideas and support them with credible sources. Just don't forget to cite those sources! Once you've written your first draft, take a day or two away from your paper so you will have a clear head when you come back to revise it. As suggested, you may even want to have your paper edited by the professionals at Scribendi , who will not only correct any surface-level errors but will also check for consistency, clarity, and cohesiveness, providing comments and suggestions along the way.

Essay writing is so much easier if you're equipped with the right tools, and that's what we hope we've given you with this ultimate essay checklist. Now that you know how to write an essay (regardless of the style), we're confident in your ability to write an essay about any topic that your instructor might have in store for you. Happy writing!

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College Essay Checklist: Are You Ready to Submit?

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The college admissions process is a human process. An admissions committee filled with real people will evaluate your application, and these people will choose whether to advocate for you to gain admission to the university. So in order to be accepted, you need to stand out from the other applicants and persuade the admissions committee to choose you over students with a similar academic profile. Luckily, college essays are specifically designed to be your tool to stand out in the admissions process. 

Given that college essays are so important, it’s important to make sure that they are absolutely perfect before you submit them. How do you make sure your college essays are ready to send to colleges? Make sure you’ve gone through this checklist before you hit that “submit” button! 

Why Are College Essays So Important? 

A college application has many components – test scores, grades and coursework, your extracurricular profile, recommendation letters, interviews, and, of course, your essays. So why are the essays such an important part if there are so many other components of your application to consider? 

Well, most colleges receive thousands of applicants, many of whom have similar academic and extracurricular profiles. In fact, for every spot in a selective university’s admitted class, there are at least four outstanding applicants with similar grades and test scores. So how do admissions committees choose among so many students who have such strong potential? They use their essays to decide who would best fit in with the campus community. 

For this reason, your college essays aren’t just about showing off your abilities and accomplishments. It’s about showing who you are as a person, what your values are, and what you’re passionate about. That’s no small task for a short essay. Every word is going to count, so follow the checklist below to make sure that your essay is as strong as it can be. 

College Essay Checklist: Before You Submit

1. does your essay share who you are and what you care about.

Your essay needs to be personal. It should share your personality, goals, and voice. Even if a prompt doesn’t explicitly ask you who you are and what you care about, you should use it as an opportunity to showcase your personal qualities. For example, take the following supplemental essay prompt from the University of Chicago’s 2020 Application: 

What can actually be divided by zero?

At first glance, this prompt may seem confusing. After all, didn’t we all learn in elementary school math classes that nothing can be divided by zero? More abstract, philosophical prompts like this one are actually ripe opportunities for students to showcase who they are and how they think. 

So if you answered a prompt like this very practically, e.g. explaining that the laws of mathematics prove that no real number can be divided by zero, you’re missing out on a key opportunity to show the admissions committee your capability for creativity and abstract thought. Instead of answering a prompt like this literally, you ought to think critically about your own life and see if you can metaphorically or rhetorically link the question to something you have gone through or accomplished. 

Alternatively, if you’re more of a logical person and want to answer the question analytically, make sure that you are showcasing your knowledge of various theorems and strategies, and be sure to cite where you learned them. Either way, you are showing the admissions committee how your brain works and how you go about solving problems. 

Remember: the goal of an essay is, first and foremost, to showcase yourself. There are no right or wrong answers in college essays, so as long your essay tells the committee something important about you. 

2. Do your essays form a portfolio that accurately represents you?

While having to write so many essays is a lot of work, there is an upside. Having multiple essays means you can use each essay to display a different aspect of yourself and your accomplishments. That way, holistically, your application will give a very representative picture of who you are, and you won’t have to leave anything out. 

So when you’re evaluating your essays, ask yourself: do your essays depict as many facets of yourself as possible? Specifically, have you repeated a story, experience or quality about yourself in any of the essays you’re going to send to the same college? If you have, then consider editing one of the essays to highlight something that you haven’t yet shared with the admissions committee. The more you can share with them in a limited amount of space, the easier it will be for the admissions committee to imagine how you would fit in at their university. 

essay conclusion checklist

3. Did you answer the prompt? 

Okay, so we’ve talked a lot about making sure that your values, passions, and accomplishments are showcased in your essays, even if the prompt is more abstract. This is certainly important, but it’s also important to make sure you’re showcasing yourself in the context of the essay prompt that was given to you. In other words, you should be sure that at some point in your essay, you answer the essay prompt clearly. If you don’t, you risk coming across as a student who doesn’t know how to follow basic directions. 

Moreover, you need to make sure that you answer every part of the essay prompt given. Some essay prompts will just have one part. Some will have many. If you have to answer an essay prompt with multiple parts, be sure you address all of them. Take the following essay prompts from the 2019-2020 College Application Cycle: 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 2019-2020: 

Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)

University of California : 

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?  (350 words)

In both of these prompts, you are asked to respond to two related questions. If you were to answer the MIT prompt, you would need to not only describe a significant challenge but explain how you overcame it. For the University of California prompt, you’d not only need to explain your greatest skill but outline how you’ve cultivated it over time. If you miss any of those parts in your response, you will not have fully answered the prompt. 

4. Did You Stay Within the Word Count? 

Most main college essays (like the Common App essays) have a word limit of anywhere from 250-650 words. Supplemental essay prompts generally have word limit of 100-400 words. Either way, you need to make sure that you stay very close to the upper word limit in your response. 

As a general rule, you should try to stay within 10% of the upper word limit. So if the word limit for one of your essays is 650 words, your essay shouldn’t be fewer than 585 words. Keep in mind that most online applications will cut off your essay at the word limit, so try not to go over the word count. However, on the other extreme, you don’t want to make your essay too short, as it may make it seem like you don’t care about the application. After all, every extra bit of space in your essays is an opportunity to further impress the admissions committee, so you should take advantage of it. 

For some more details on how long your college essays should be, check out our previous post entitled How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What is the Ideal Length?

5. Did You Proofread? 

Here are some things to look out for as you look over your essay:

Incorrect grammar and spelling mistakes. These can make a well-thought-out essay seem subpar in the eyes of an admissions committee. 

Awkward or formal wording. Read your essay aloud and listen to how it sounds. If it doesn’t sound natural, then you’re likely not displaying your authentic self to the admissions committee. Consider shifting some of the wording to sound more like something you would actually say, even if it means you have to take out a bit of the advanced vocabulary and complex sentence structure.

Instances of telling, instead of showing. One of the biggest mistakes students make is to tell, instead of show. Here’s an example of telling: “It was a rainy and gloomy day.” Here’s an example of showing: “The gray clouds hovered ominously above the lake. I felt a drop. Then another. And another. It began pouring, and I frantically tried to row the canoe back to shore.” It’s much more engaging to read the second example, as you feel as if you’re there with the writer. 

Repeated sentence structure and vocab. Do you use the same word over and over again? Do you begin lots of sentences in a row with “I”? As you’re reading your essay, make sure that you’re using varied language to keep things interesting.

Inconsistent style. While your language should be varied, your style shouldn’t. If you use contractions or acronyms, use them throughout the essay. If you begin the essay in past tense, keep it that way, or make sure there’s clear demarcation when you shift tenses.

Also, if you’re reused an essay from another school’s application, give it an extra read-through to make sure that you’ve replaced all of the mentions of and references to the other college. You don’t want the admissions committee from UC Berkeley reading about how thrilled you are to take advantage of the opportunities that Tufts has to offer. It would not bode well for your likelihood of acceptance to Berkeley. 

Of course, it is okay to reuse essays if the prompts are similar, but just be sure to double and triple-check that it doesn’t seem like you’re reusing an essay meant for another college. Also, if you’re answering the famous “ Why This College ” essay, we at CollegeVine recommend that you not reuse another essay. This essay should include specific resources and opportunities that you plan to take advantage of at each university, so you shouldn’t be able to use the same essay for two different schools. In fact, if you’re able to reuse a “Why This College” essay, that’s a sign that you need to rework the essay and make it more specific to the college. 

6. Did You Get a Second and Third Set of Eyes on Your Essay?

It’s important to get another person or two to read your essay before you submit. The best people to look at your essays are those who are well-versed in creative essay writing, but also people who know you well. Older peers who have gone through the admissions process successfully can offer some of the best advice. English or Communications teachers who know you well also make great proofreaders, as do writing-proficient friends and family. 

If you’re not sure who to ask, you can also use our free peer essay review tool . You can get feedback on your essays, and improve your own writing skills by reviewing others’ essays.

7. Did You Revise and Proofread Again?

Once you’ve read through your essays and had others give suggestions, make the necessary edits and corrections. Then, be sure you proofread your essays one more time before you hit submit. You should try not to submit an essay that hasn’t been read at least a few times all the way through, without any changes. Consider even reading your essay out loud and printed out (have a pen at the ready!), as you may catch things you missed when reading silently.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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essay conclusion checklist

Writing a Conclusion

Writing a conclusion is an important part of any piece of writing. It is often possible to get a good overview of an assignment by looking briefly at the conclusion. However, writing a conclusion can be quite difficult. This is because it can often be hard to find something interesting or useful to say in the conclusion. Conclusions should be attractive and interesting but often they are rather dull and "formula written".

Although formulae for writing conclusions are tempting to use, it is always best to avoid set phrases such as "Therefore, let us conclude that..." which are clichés, and do not help to end your work in the best light.

Helpful information, advice and materials for writing conclusions

1. What are the typical ingredients in a conclusion?  

2. What are the differences between writing conclusions to essays and to dissertations/theses?

3. See a sample conclusion

4. Try a practice activity

5. Check out further advice on writing conclusions

6. Download a checklist to help you edit your written work

What are the typical 'ingredients' of a conclusion?  

Trzeciak and Mackay (1994) ( Study skills for academic writing. New York: Prentice Hall ) observe a number of useful "ingredients" that form part of a conclusion. Again (as with introductions) it will not always be necessary or desirable to include all the elements they mention. However, you will probably want to use some of these in some combination, in order to conclude your work.

  • A summary of the main part of the text
  • A deduction made on the basis of the main body
  • Your personal opinion on what has been discussed
  • A statement about the limitations of the work
  • A comment about the future based on what has been discussed
  • The implications of the work for future research
  • Important facts and figures not mentioned in the main body

Pallant (2009) sees five basic ingredients of a conclusion as follows, though these will not always be used in the same conclusion:

  • A summary of the main points (being careful not to repeat exactly what you have written before)
  • Concluding statements  
  • Recommendations
  • Predictions

These recommendations probably apply more to discussion essays than they do to other kinds of assessed writing at university. For example, if you are writing a business plan or discussing a law scenario, or answering an examination question, you may not need the above elements, unless the question specifically asks you for them or unless it is known that it is expected of you in the discipline you are working in.

However, you will generally need a final section to indicate that you are 'rounding off' the discusion. Always be very careful to check what the conventions are in the discipline you are working in, and ideally, it is best to look at examples of past students' work so that you can see what you are aiming for.

  back ^

What are the differences between writing conclusions to essays and to dissertations/theses?  

When writing longer pieces of work, it is still very important to observe some of the principles above. For instance, you will still want to ensure that your conclusion really does conclude , and does not just go off at a tangent to discuss something that is unrelated to the thesis. Some people believe (mistakenly) that a conclusion is the place for you to relax and 'say whatever you want'. This is incorrect. If you do this, you will be likely to be marked down.

There are also likely to be some key differences in your approach when writing conclusions. Certainly, conclusions will be even more important in a dissertation or thesis, purely because of the length of the piece. Among the differences you will notice are the following:

  • As well as having an overall conclusion to your dissertation or thesis, each chapter should also have a conclusion (as well as an introduction). The reason for this is that in a longer piece of writing, it becomes more important to remind the reader of what you have done and why you have done it, before you move onto the next stage.
  • The conclusion of a dissertation or thesis is not an opportunity to engage in a personal 'rant'. You must draw out key aspects of the literature you have studied, along with your recommendations , and say how they are justified or contradicted by your research.
  • It is a good idea in a chapter conclusion to remind the reader what happened in the chapter (e.g. In this chapter, the literature relating to the teaching of vocabulary was considered.). After this, you need to build a bridge linking this chapter with the next one. (e.g. This will be further discussed in the next chapter.)
  • In a dissertation or thesis, there is likely to be a longer section on the limitations of your research . Important though this is, however, you also need to be sure to sell your research in the conclusion - so it is best not to be too negative or over-modest about your achievements at this point. The key to many dissertations and theses is the need to emphasise the contribution that it makes to research.
  • In a dissertation or thesis, it is more likely that you will have a section on the need for future research . In an MA or MSc dissertation you may like to suggest something that could be developed from your work as a PhD thesis. In a PhD thesis you may like to indicate some potential for post-doctoral work.

Further advice on writing conclusions

When writing an assignment, be careful of the following points:

  • The topic you are writing about may not always require a full conclusion (this is particularly the case if your work is heavily analytical or mathematical, or not very discursive.) Remember not all assignments require discussion. Check what the expectations are in your own department. Ask your tutor if you are not sure.
  • Even if you do not need a full conclusion, remember that any assignment nearly always needs to be rounded off in some way and brought to an end. Consider this: will the reader know that you have finished your work? (Or will they just think that you have run out of time - or energy)?
  • Keep in mind the balance of your assignment. The conclusion should be clear and relatively brief.
  • In discussion-type assignments, it is often a better idea to raise questions and problems in the conclusion than to provide over-simplified/ naive answers to the assignment title. Examiners will usually be very wary of essays, theses or dissertations that presume to solve all the world's problems in a simplistic and trivial way. Remember, life is never that simple. However, remember not to introduce any new material in the conclusion.
  • There is no need to go over everything again that you have already mentioned; this would be unnecessarily boring and tedious.
  • Make sure that the conclusion is based on what you have said before. It is often tempting to go off at a tangent and to say things that are completely unrelated to the topic. Be wary of this.
  • It is permissible to give your opinion in the conclusion but try to do so subtly and try not to sound too pompous or authoritarian . Usually your viewpoint will be obvious from your discussion, so there is no need to conclude with statements such as: In conclusion, I think Hamlet is a great play. Allow your enthusiasm for the topic to show in how you discuss it. Make sure that you do not use the conclusion as an opportunity to engage in an over-generalised an unfocussed 'rant'.
  • Be careful with tenses. In a conclusion, you will usually want to use the present perfect (e.g. The aim of this dissertation has been to....) followed by the simple past (Chapter 1 provided an overview of...).
  • Be very careful about using the word "conclusion" anywhere other than the conclusion itself! This can mislead the reader. If you use the word conclusion several times in an essay, the reader will give up trying to work out where the conclusion really is.

Academic Writing Success

Academic Revising 101: The Essential Essay Revision Checklist

by Suzanne Davis | Feb 8, 2018 | Academic Writing Skills , Writing Essays and Papers

What do you do after you write the first draft of your essay?

You should feel proud because you just finished the hard work of taking ideas and information and writing the first draft.  It’s the hardest obstacle to overcome. But you still need to revise and shape it into a great final essay.  I created an essay revision checklist to guide you through the entire revising process.

Revision is key the to great writing.  Author E.B. White stated, “The best writing is rewriting.”  So, get excited about revising because you’re taking your writing and making it your best writing.

The Essay Revision Process

When you finish a first draft take a break.  Wait a few hours or if possible a day.  You will come back to your writing with a fresh pair of eyes.   Then go back to your essay and launch into revising it.

In this post, I show you a three-phase revision process that has some overlap with editing.   But, I focus on revising because it includes deeper changes to ideas and information in your essay.

The essay revision checklist here has three sections:  content, organization, and clarity.  Go through each section separately.  Move on from one section to the next when you’ve completed everything in a section.

The Essay Revision Checklist

Revising the content of an essay.

Content is the substance of your essay.  It’s the topic, main ideas and supporting reasons that connect back to your thesis statement.   If you don’t have strong content your essay is a group of fluffy words.

Checklist for Good Essay Content

  • Content reveals the purpose of your essay or paper.
  • There is a complex and supportable thesis statement.
  • The main ideas support the thesis statement.
  • There are supporting details for each of the main ideas.
  • There is evidence to support the main ideas and thesis statement.

Keep revising the essay until you can check off each of these elements.

Revising the Organization of an Essay

Essays are organized into 3 basic parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction has a hook, overview of the topic or description of the situation, and the thesis statement. The body contains the ideas and details that support the thesis statement.  It’s the heart of your essay content.   The conclusion summarizes the thesis statement and describes the significance of it.

Checklist for Good Essay Organization

  • The introduction starts with a hook.  A hook is a sentence or a few sentences that capture your reader’s interest.  Read, “7 Sensational Types of Essays Hooks”   https://www.academicwritingsuccess.com/7-sensational-types-of-essay-hooks/ and see different hooks you can use in your writing.
  • The introduction has an overview of the topic that leads to the thesis statement.
  • The body of the essay is organized so that the main ideas follow the sequence of things stated in your thesis .  For example, if your thesis statement lists three causes of something: Cause A, Cause B, and Cause C.  The first part of your essay examines Cause A.  The second part examines Cause B etc.
  • The conclusion reviews the thesis statement and points out something significant about it. It shows some importance to your field, to people in general, to life, history, etc. Why does your thesis matter?

Revising Your Essay for Clarity

Clarity means that your ideas, sentences, and words are easy to understand.  Clarity is the window through which the reader sees your meaning.  If your essay is unclear, the content of your essay is confusing.

When you revise your essay for clarity analyze the ideas, sentences, and words in your writing.  I’ve included in this checklist the common problems I see in essays.

Checklist for Essay Clarity

  • There is subject-verb agreement throughout the essay.  A singular subject has a singular verb tense. Plural subjects have plural verb tenses.  An example of a singular subject and singular verb tense is: He drinks hot coffee .  A plural subject with a plural verb tense is: They drink ice tea.
  • There is good sentence flow . Fix any run-ons, incomplete sentences, short choppy sentences or just very long sentences. Make sure you have sentence variety in your essay.  Not all your sentences are short, and not all sentences are long.  Mix it up.
  • There are no unclear or confusing words or phrases .   Don’t overuse academic vocabulary or the thesaurus.  Use words and phrases you understand .
  • The Point of View (POV) (1 st person, 2 nd person or 3 rd person) is consistent and appropriate for the essay.   Most academic essays are written from the 3 rd person (he, she, they, it,) POV.  Usually, narrative essays and descriptive essays use the 1 st person (I, me, we, us,) POV.   Rarely is an essay written from the 2 nd person (you, your) POV.
  • The pronouns agree in number and person .   For information on pronoun agreement, see Purdue OWL, “Using Pronouns Clearly.” https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/595/01/
  • T he punctuation is correct .

After the Revision Process

When you’re done with the checklist, get another person to read your essay.  Ask that person for suggestions.  This could be a classmate, a peer tutor, or a private tutor (in-person or online).

Your professor might offer to help you during office hours. Professors are busy, so check to see if they offer that kind of assistance.  Writing professors usually do.  Professors of other subjects will tell you to go to a tutor.

Next, edit and proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes.   Don’t just use a spell checker/ grammar checker or Grammarly.  Read your essay aloud and listen for mistakes.  When you read aloud you read slower and see more punctuation problems.  You also notice missing words.

Another great tip is to read your paper from the last sentence all the way back to the first sentence.  This way you’re not focusing on the content and how things fit together.  You see each sentence individually.  It’s easier to find grammar mistakes when you focus on one sentence at a time.

I teach students this 3-part revision process because it highlights the key elements of an academic essay.  It helps you analyze content, organize content, and make your essay clear to the reader.   This essay revision checklist will help you change your first draft into a strong piece of academic writing.

Are you revising an academic paper? Then download your free copy of The Roadmap to Revising Academic Writing and Handing in a Great Final Paper! Each section has a list of questions that will help you revise the content, organization, and clarity of an academic paper.    Sign-up at the form above and get your free guide now!

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Comprehensive Essay Checklist for Students

Table of content.

  • 01. General Tips For College Essay Checklist
  • 02. Structure Checklist: Three Major Elements
  • 03. Points for Formatting and Works Cited List
  • 04. Final Tips For Revision Checklist
  • 05. Start Getting Used to Academic Success

Essay checklist is one of the best helpers students could count on in their academic pursuits. When you are writing a paper, especially with no solid experience in it, a lot of different things could confuse or perhaps intimidate you. Essay length, its formatting and content, the structure of paragraphs, research and styles of writing — everything feels foreign and complex. It is very easy to make mistakes, get a bad grade, and ruin your overall academic score. Even if one part of an essay suffers, the results will reflect it, which is something no student wants. For avoiding this unfortunate situation, having a checklist that outlines all tricky moments and general requirements is essential. You’ll be able to consult with it before, during, and after the work on an essay. This is what it’s going to include.

General Tips For College Essay Checklist

Let’s start with more general tips before narrowing the scope down and focusing on specific essay aspects. There are four major things young writers should keep in mind as they’re getting ready to start. Be sure you put a “check” across each one.

Understand what type of essay you’re writing

All papers are divided into different kinds. Some are similar while others differ from each other. From the most common types, students are usually assigned argumentative, expository, and reflective works. Find out which  type of an essay  has what goal. In argumentative essays, fight to prove your point of view. In expository papers, explain an issue or object by painting a clear detailed picture of it. Reflections should express an opinion on something you read or watched by presenting your reaction to it. Check the required type out— this will make an essay goal clear to you!    

Choose a topic you like

Choice of  essay topic idea  is rarely awarded points in professors’ essay criteria, but students’ success still depends on it to a big extent. Do you like what you’ll be writing about? Try to come up with something that you find truly interesting. If it is not an option, look for an angle that you’d like to explore — even the most boring topics have one.

Maintain academic language throughout

There are several rules to follow here: don’t use first-person pronouns unless required. Never apply contractions; rely on more advanced vocabulary. High school, college, and university all have their own level of acceptable words. Seek them out online to make sure that your paper is written appropriately.    

Use evidence

Every paper needs evidence, even if it has personal nature. Be sure to find credible academic sources created within the period of the last 5 or 7 years. Cite all claims that the general audience wouldn’t know — for instance, when mentioning specific numbers, years, or facts. Explain your line of thought with direct examples.

Structure Checklist: Three Major Elements

Within essay writing checklist,  structure of essays  plays a relevant role. There should be introduction, body, and conclusion, each of them having a specific size and vital components. This is what students should remember: intro and conclusion should take between 7-10% of the overall word count. Introduction should tease, not overwhelm readers with details. It must end with a strong thesis statement that reveals the purpose of work. Conclusion shouldn’t have new facts, so don’t present them there: simply restate information mentioned previously.

Every good paragraph checklist has special points for essay body. It has to take at least 1 paragraph, but in most cases, there will be 3 of them. College papers are a little longer while those assigned in universities could take even 10 pages, which basically makes body length unlimited. Each paragraph should have thoughtful opening and closing sentences (no direct quotes can be present), and you shouldn’t regard more than one content point in it.   

Points for Formatting and Works Cited List

Formatting is an often unpleasant but vital part of assignments. In this checklist for writing, we’ll settle on the key aspects that deserve your attention.

  • Ask for formatting template.  Students could write papers in MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard formats, etc. Ask for templates if they weren’t given and follow them closely.
  • Check useful citing sites.  Before citing a source, check how reliable sites suggest doing it. For example, when adding citation for a book in MLA format, look how it should be done for in-text as well as bibliography instances.  
  • Mention all details.  In most formats, you’ll have to mention authors’ names, date of publication, title, journal along with volume if available, DOI or link, publishing agency, etc. For more specific info, check out templates we discussed above.

Remember! You may always use the  conclusion generator free .

Final Tips For Revision Checklist

The time for final essay checking and re-checking has come. The more attentive you are here, the more chances of succeeding you’ll stand. Take note of the following steps:

Take a break and re-read what you wrote

If you read essay again immediately, you risk losing objectivity. At this point, it is difficult to detach yourself from your own writing. So, wait for a few hours or even days and look at this work with a new pair of eyes.   

Watch out for grammar

Start editing and  correcting your essay . Watch every sentence attentively, preferably reading it out loud. Look at punctuation, tenses, missing words, and so on.

Evaluate the flow

Content should be subject to scrutiny as well. Do all your ideas sound strong? Is there enough evidence presented to support them? Have all claims been cited? Paragraph flow is equally important. Pay attention to transitions between them: you cannot end a paragraph with one idea and jump toward another with no warning or hint. Everything should flow smoothly.

Start Getting Used to Academic Success

As you can see from our essay checklist, there is a huge number of points that require writers’ close attention. But don’t let it scare you: with practice, you will learn to do everything automatically. Consider your time carefully. It is always better to start working early than let the deadline approach and plunge into panic. Conduct detailed research, consult with professors or other students, and seek  writing help online  if you need it. During the first times you’re working on a paper, keep essay writing checklist close. Look at it from point to point, making sure you cover everything. Editing is always needed: never think that you’re done when you finish writing. As long as you remain attentive and thorough, you won’t face any serious issues.    

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An Essay Revision Checklist

Guidelines for Revising a Composition

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Revision  means looking again at what we have written to see how we can improve it. Some of us start revising as soon as we begin a rough  draft —restructuring and rearranging sentences as we work out our ideas. Then we return to the draft, perhaps several times, to make further revisions.

Revision as Opportunity

Revising is an opportunity to reconsider our topic, our readers, even our purpose for writing . Taking the time to rethink our approach may encourage us to make major changes in the content and structure of our work.

As a general rule, the best time to revise is not right after you've completed a draft (although at times this is unavoidable). Instead, wait a few hours—even a day or two, if possible—in order to gain some distance from your work. This way you'll be less protective of your writing and better prepared to make changes. 

One last bit of advice: read your work aloud when you revise. You may hear problems in your writing that you can't see.

"Never think that what you've written can't be improved. You should always try to make the sentence that much better and make a scene that much clearer. Go over and over the words and reshape them as many times as is needed," (Tracy Chevalier, "Why I Write." The Guardian , 24 Nov. 2006).

Revision Checklist

  • Does the essay have a clear and concise main idea? Is this idea made clear to the reader in a thesis statement early in the essay (usually in the introduction )?
  • Does the essay have a specific purpose (such as to inform, entertain, evaluate, or persuade)? Have you made this purpose clear to the reader?
  • Does the introduction create interest in the topic and make your audience want to read on?
  • Is there a clear plan and sense of organization to the essay? Does each paragraph develop logically from the previous one?
  • Is each paragraph clearly related to the main idea of the essay? Is there enough information in the essay to support the main idea?
  • Is the main point of each paragraph clear? Is each point adequately and clearly defined in a topic sentence and supported with specific details ?
  • Are there clear transitions from one paragraph to the next? Have key words and ideas been given proper emphasis in the sentences and paragraphs?
  • Are the sentences clear and direct? Can they be understood on the first reading? Are the sentences varied in length and structure? Could any sentences be improved by combining or restructuring them?
  • Are the words in the essay clear and precise? Does the essay maintain a consistent tone ?
  • Does the essay have an effective conclusion —one that emphasizes the main idea and provides a sense of completeness?

Once you have finished revising your essay, you can turn your attention to the finer details of editing and proofreading your work.

Line Editing Checklist

  • Is each sentence  clear and complete ?
  • Can any short, choppy sentences be improved by  combining  them?
  • Can any long, awkward sentences be improved by breaking them down into shorter units and recombining them?
  • Can any wordy sentences be made more  concise ?
  • Can any  run-on sentences  be more effectively  coordinated  or  subordinated ?
  • Does  each verb agree with its subject ?
  • Are all  verb  forms correct and consistent?
  • Do  pronouns  refer clearly to the appropriate  nouns ?
  • Do all  modifying words and phrases  refer clearly to the words they are intended to modify?
  • Is each word  spelled  correctly?
  • Is the  punctuation  correct?
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  • Definiton and Examples of Faulty Pronoun Reference
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Essay Checklist – A Guide Before Submitting

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An academic essay is an important and focused piece of writing that instructors use to test students on their writing, creativity, analysis, and interpretation skills. Therefore, writing an academic essay is a practice that should not be taken lightly.

This article provides essay checklists that you should consider before submitting your academic essay.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

  • 1 In a Nutshell: Essay checklist
  • 2 Definition: Essay checklist
  • 3 Essay checklist: Getting started
  • 4 Essay checklist – Introduction
  • 5 Essay checklist: Body
  • 6 Essay checklist: Conclusion
  • 7 Essay checklist: Ready to submit
  • 8 Essay checklist: Overall checklist

In a Nutshell: Essay checklist

  • An academic essay is a piece of writing that aims to offer a convincing argument on a specific topic using proof, analysis, and presentation.
  • The checklist contains all the elements you must evaluate regarding your work before submitting it to the instructor.

Definition: Essay checklist

An essay checklist is a comprehensive list of things you must check or do before submitting your academic essay. An essay checklist will help you organize your academic paper and ensure that it is structured well and completed professionally before submission.

Therefore, using an essay checklist before submitting your work will ensure that you have not missed any important elements and you submit a perfect paper. An effective essay checklist should cover almost all aspects of academic essay writing.

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Essay checklist: Getting started

An essay checklist does not have to be complicated. You can split it according to the required outline of your essay or the important aspects of essay writing.

This essay checklist covers everything that should be done before writing. Here is an essay checklist for getting started :

  • Brainstorm ideas for your essay
  • Create a mind map of your ideas
  • Choose a topic
  • Read and understand the instructions
  • Create an essay outline
  • Comprehensive research

Once you have checked all the above essay checklist items, you can move on with writing your essay.

Essay checklist – Introduction

The introduction is one of the most important parts of your essay. It introduces the reader to the topic and shows them what to expect.

Here is an essay checklist you should follow for the introduction :

  • Spark the readers’ interest and make them want to read more
  • It should have an enticing and attention-capturing hook (first one or two sentences)
  • Provide necessary background information on the topic
  • It should contain a thesis statement that states the focus and position of your essay
  • It should be around 5% of the overall word count

Essay checklist: Body

The body is the largest part of the essay where you provide your ideas, evidence, and analysis on the subject. The body contains several paragraphs.

Below is an essay checklist for the body :

  • Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that introduces the main point and tells what you are trying to prove.
  • Each paragraph should have a supporting sentence containing the evidence, arguments, and examples.
  • Have a concluding sentence in each paragraph, also known as the transition sentence. This part links the paragraph to the next.
  • The arguments in the body should be persuasive. Use statistical, analogical, and historical data as evidence in the paragraphs.
  • Each paragraph should be dedicated to a specific argument for clarity and order.
  • Consider the word count when determining the size of the body and the number of paragraphs you will have.

Writing the body usually takes more time than the rest of the essay because it requires comprehensive research.

Essay checklist: Conclusion

The conclusion is the final part of the essay. However, it is just as important as the body and the introduction. The conclusion brings your ideas together and wraps all your findings.

Your conclusion should reinstate your thesis statement and highlight your main arguments without repeating them. Before writing your conclusion, it would be wise to read what you have written so you can write the conclusion without repetition. Your conclusion should also offer suggestions for future studies on the subject and offer possible implications.

Here is an essay checklist for your conclusion :

  • Does it reinstate your arguments?
  • Does it offer suggestions for further studies?
  • It should be as long as the introduction

Essay checklist: Ready to submit

Below is a checklist that ensures your essay is ready for submission :

  • Grammar: Run the essay through a grammar-checker to eliminate any flaws and mistakes
  • Editing: Alter, refine, and adapt your essay to bring about conformity to a standard layout or purpose.
  • Words: Ensure that your essay adheres to the word count requirements in the instructions.
  • Format: Consider the formatting guidelines when editing the essay (margins, spacing, font style, and font size)
  • Language: Check your language choices
  • Proofreading: Go through your essay and make the necessary changes. You can employ proofreading services.
  • Citation: Follow the referencing and citation guidelines when listing and mentioning your sources. Ensure that all sources ( primary, secondary, and tertiary ) are cited. Consider the in-text citations and reference list.
  • Appendix: While it is optional, you can include it on a new page after the reference list at the end of your essay.

Essay checklist: Overall checklist

Here is an overall essay checklist that you can use for your academic writing .

Why should an essay be checked before submitting it?

Checking an essay before submission ensures that the piece of writing follows all guidelines, and is neat, organized, and free from errors. It also ensures that it does not miss any important aspects.

What is an essay checklist?

It is a comprehensive list of things you must check or do before submitting your academic essay.

What is the importance of an essay checklist?

Using an essay checklist before submitting your work will ensure that you have not missed any important elements, and you submit a perfect paper.

What should an essay checklist cover?

It should cover all important aspects of academic essay writing, like:

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Conclusion Checklist

About this worksheet:.

A conclusion is an important part of any essay or other type of written piece. It should include a restatement of the thesis, a review of the main points, and other appropriate points. Print out the free writing template to use for any topic. Included is a checklist to make sure you have written a strong conclusion.

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  • How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

  • Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
  • Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
  • Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
  • Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
  • Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
  • Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

  • Make a claim
  • Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
  • Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
  • Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

  • Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
  • Cite data to support your claim
  • Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
  • Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

  • Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
  • Highlight the problems with this position
  • Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
  • Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

  • Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
  • Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
  • Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
  • Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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  2. Checklist 5: Conclusion & Recommendations

  3. Essay conclusion

  4. Term-2 Opinion Essay- Writing a conclusion

  5. Adults interdiario

  6. Odyssey Essay: Conclusion Writing

COMMENTS

  1. How to Conclude an Essay

    Step 1: Return to your thesis To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis

  2. Conclusions

    Highlight the "so what" At the beginning of your paper, you explain to your readers what's at stake—why they should care about the argument you're making. In your conclusion, you can bring readers back to those stakes by reminding them why your argument is important in the first place.

  3. Conclusion paragraph

    In short, the concluding paragraph consists of the following two parts: a summary of the main points; your final comment on the subject. Summary It is important, at the end of the essay, to summarise the main points. If your thesis statement is detailed enough, then your summary can just be a restatement of your thesis using different words.

  4. Ending the Essay: Conclusions

    The conclusion might make the new but related point that the novel on the whole suggests that such an integration is (or isn't) possible. Finally, some advice on how not to end an essay: Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long--more than ten pages or so.

  5. How to Write a Conclusion: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Consider the overall tone and style: Ensure that the tone and style of your conclusion are consistent with the rest of your essay. Maintain a sense of coherence and cohesion to provide a satisfying reading experience. 3. Be mindful of the length: Keep your conclusion concise and focused.

  6. The Ultimate Essay Checklist

    A concluding paragraph A bibliography Generally, the higher your level of education, the more complex your essay structure will be. While high school students typically stick with the five-paragraph essay, university and graduate students are expected to discuss topics that require more than five paragraphs to flesh out.

  7. How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay (Examples Included!)

    Get started Let's start from the beginning: How can you write a conclusion for an essay? How to write a conclusion for an essay In order to write an effective conclusion, you must first understand what is a conclusion in an essay. It is not just the summary of the main points of your essay.

  8. PDF Essay Writing: Writer's Checklist

    Conclusion: Is the main idea of the essay restated in different words? Are the supporting ideas summarized succinctly and clearly? Is the concluding paragraph interesting? Does it leave an impression on the reader? Overall Essay: Is any important material left unsaid? Is any material repetitious and unnecessary?

  9. College Essay Checklist: Are You Ready to Submit?

    College Essay Checklist: Before You Submit 1. Does your essay share who you are and what you care about? Your essay needs to be personal. It should share your personality, goals, and voice. Even if a prompt doesn't explicitly ask you who you are and what you care about, you should use it as an opportunity to showcase your personal qualities.

  10. Writing a Conclusion

    Writing a conclusion is an important part of any piece of writing. It is often possible to get a good overview of an assignment by looking briefly at the conclusion. However, writing a conclusion can be quite difficult. This is because it can often be hard to find something interesting or useful to say in the conclusion.

  11. Academic Revising 101: The Essential Essay Revision Checklist

    Revising the Organization of an Essay. Essays are organized into 3 basic parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction has a hook, overview of the topic or description of the situation, and the thesis statement. The body contains the ideas and details that support the thesis statement. It's the heart of your essay content.

  12. How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Conclusion

    Step 1: Answer your research question Step 2: Summarize and reflect on your research Step 3: Make future recommendations Step 4: Emphasize your contributions to your field Step 5: Wrap up your thesis or dissertation Full conclusion example Conclusion checklist Other interesting articles Frequently asked questions about conclusion sections

  13. Comprehensive Essay Checklist for Students

    Within essay writing checklist, structure of essays plays a relevant role. There should be introduction, body, and conclusion, each of them having a specific size and vital components. This is what students should remember: intro and conclusion should take between 7-10% of the overall word count. Introduction should tease, not overwhelm readers ...

  14. Guidelines for Revising a Composition

    Guidelines for Revising a Composition. Revision means looking again at what we have written to see how we can improve it. Some of us start revising as soon as we begin a rough draft —restructuring and rearranging sentences as we work out our ideas. Then we return to the draft, perhaps several times, to make further revisions.

  15. The Writing Center

    Check for complete sentences: Starting from the last sentence in your paper, read it backwards, one sentence at a time. This helps you focus on a single sentence. Double-underline the subject and underline the verb for each independent clause. Make sure each subject has a verb. A sentence that starts with for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so ...

  16. Academic Writing Checklists

    Conclusion Appendix Formal email contact Frequently asked questions about Scribbr checklists The article this checklist belongs to can be found here: Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples College essay topic checklist 0 / 6 My topic is focused on me, not on someone else.

  17. Essay Writing Checklist • Checkify

    Ready to dive in? Start Your Free Trial Today Get Started for FREE What is an essay? A formal piece of writing to express information while offering the writer's opinion. Based on a single subject in an academic situation. Setting out focused, coherent ideas which develop into an argument or narrative.

  18. Essay Checklist ~ A Guide Before Submitting

    Essay checklist: Conclusion. The conclusion is the final part of the essay. However, it is just as important as the body and the introduction. The conclusion brings your ideas together and wraps all your findings. Your conclusion should reinstate your thesis statement and highlight your main arguments without repeating them. Before writing your ...

  19. Conclusion Checklist

    Conclusion Checklist About this Worksheet: A conclusion is an important part of any essay or other type of written piece. It should include a restatement of the thesis, a review of the main points, and other appropriate points. Print out the free writing template to use for any topic.

  20. How to Write an Argumentative Essay

    Make a claim. Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim. Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim) Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives. The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays.