How much time did it take to write your essay? An hour? Two? Or a half an evening? Anyway, you should spend a bit more to review it. Put aside the paper and return to it after a while again. Of course, if you don′t want to get your paper back with a bad grade, look at it, and freeze on the spot thinking: “OMG! I cannot have written that stuff ”. In order to help you not to miss anything, I have prepared a check list for you. Answer the questions below to make sure whether your essay deserves an A.
Does your paper have a good structure?
Each essay has its “skeleton” that keeps all the author′s thoughts in a generally-accepted shape. Sometimes tutors ask students to think out of the box, but the paper structure is often not a right place for creativity. If you want to get straight A, make sure your essay has the following parts: Introduction: give a strong thesis statement, include the background of your topic (interesting facts or quotations), explain the reason for choosing this topic, state the main arguments and the order in which you will discuss them. Body paragraphs: each one must start with a topic sentence (what you want to discuss), be followed by an explanation (why is it true) and an example (evidence from history or literature). Conclusion: summarize your statements and make a general conclusion based upon the mentioned evidence. It should be an answer to the question raised in your title. Does your essay flow smoothly? Once you have finished the first draft of your paper, read it aloud to ensure it sounds good. One point must flow out from the previous one. You may link sentences with such transitions, as: above all, chiefly, as a result, independent of, otherwise, etc. But don′t overdo with conjunctions. Sometimes they only make the matter worse.
Isn′t your language too complicated?
Replace common words with more complicated ones only if you are 100% sure about the meaning. Otherwise, you may look silly using wrong synonyms. What is worse, the teacher simply couldn′t understand your point. Besides, the length of the sentences also matters. Shorten long phrases if it is possible. Try to express your thoughts more concisely.
Is the format of your essay observed?
Various formats (APA, MLA, Harvard, etc.) have different requirements. So even if your essay is super brilliant, you may get a lower grade because of incorrect formatting. Check the rules compliance right now.
Is your essay unique?
Your professor will easily detect plagiarism in your paper. I bet he or she has an eye for stolen thoughts. If you think you are the only one who wants to submit a copypaste, you aren′t. Check twice via different services whether your text is unique. If there is the slightest hint that the phrase is not genuinely yours, rewrite it.
Is your essay written without errors?
Ask somebody you trust to scan your paper for grammatical, spelling, and typographical mistakes. It is really important because your mind can make the correction automatically, even if your eyes see the different. Let me clarify. For example, you meant to say “The CURRENT situation influences the global warming process”, but you typed “The CURRANT situation influences the global warming process”. The second sentence is a total nonsense, isn′t it? You can easily overlook such a mistake. That′s why the second set of eyes is essential to catch minor things you may not have noticed as the author. But if you proofread the essay on your own, here is the hint: try to check it backwards, from the last sentence to the first. When you look at it from a different perspective, you are more likely to see the mistakes.
We do hope that with our recommendations you will polish your essay and get an excellent grade! We′ll keep our fingers crossed!