1. Review the assignment and make sure you have responded thoroughly and accurately to the prompts and have satisfied all the requirements (e.g., length, use of sources, etc.)
2. Then consider each section of your paper as follows:
The Introduction
Ask yourself if the lead-in makes you want to keep reading
Review the thesis statement:
If it doesn't reflect the focus of the entire essay, rewrite it to fit the essay better
If it anticipates ideas the essay does not develop, either rewrite the thesis or add material to the development
Make sure the map reflects the organization of the paper
The Development
Ask yourself if any points need more support or explanation
Do more research, focusing on any weaknesses you have identified
Check paragraph length:
Very short paragraphs probably need more development
Very long paragraphs should probably be broken up
Remove any passages that don’t fit the focus of the paper or don't tie in with the thesis
The Conclusion
Make sure the conclusion is in a paragraph of its own
Compare it to the introduction:
If it does not focus on the same point as the thesis, rewrite it
If it repeats the thesis statement exactly, paraphrase it
