The Writer Effectively (Circled areas indicate needs)
5 titles the essay. The title accurately reflects the essay’s contents. The title is memorable and contains “descriptors.” The title suggests the writer’s tone, purpose, and audience. It grabs the reader’s attention. The title page conforms to APA requirements.
10 begins the essay. The writer makes use of an effective and clearly identifiable opening technique. The first paragraph contains an effective lead sentence. The introduction announces the essay’s main idea without delay and plainly signals the direction the writer intends to go. The introduction creates interest: the reader wants to read on. By the end of the introduction, we know the writer is making a proposal to conduct research and to review the literature on a particular topic.
positions the essay’s thesis or controlling idea, either as the lead sentence or the last sentence of the introduction. The writer clearly states the essay’s main idea in one or two carefully worded sentences. The thesis statement clarifies the writer’s purpose by limiting and focusing the topic in one comprehensive statement. This statement passes the “so what?” test.
10 ends the essay. The writer brings the essay to a satisfactory conclusion by tying up any loose ends, rephrasing the controlling idea, or summarizing the essay’s main points. The writer ties the conclusion back to the beginning. Regardless of the technique, the writer finishes strong. The conclusion is well written. It does not drag the paper out needlessly and bore reader by tacking on needless recapitulation or by becoming pious. It does not seem forced or contrived, as if the writer were tying the essay up in wrapping paper and sticking a bow.
45 identifies and defines the topic area and the writer’s situation. The writer explains in detail his or her reasons for choosing this subject. The writer lays out the extent of the problem and delivers the facts, defines key terms, or questions prevailing values or policies. In the words of our handbook authors, the writer lays out a research question, discusses it in “some detail” and “defends its significance, relevance, or appropriateness” (680). [As they note on the same page, the writer must also explain “any premises or assumptions that support” the writer’s “basic claim(s).”] In short, the writer explains the importance of the topic, why the research being proposed matters, and who might be affected by changes to the status quo.
We come away convinced the writer is genuinely interested in the topic and therefore qualified to conduct the research. We are also convinced that the writer has identified and defined a research question and a series of related questions that justifies further research and that writer has a viable plan for conducting this further research. We are likewise convinced that the questions the writer proposes to research are neither too broad nor too narrow and can be answered by further study. We are further convinced that the writer has already done enough research to efficiently conduct the next search.
The writer does not try to answer the research question(s) but may mention key sources or prevailing ideas. The writer knows and we know that answers probably already exist in the scholarship the writer proposes to read and study. The writer makes us aware of the things she or he needs to do to complete the project.
10 formats the proposal in APA style. The writer has followed all the conventions of APA in accordance with our handbook. The writer has documented at least four sources in the text of the essay, preferably by using direct quotations. Each quotation is properly framed using one of the five methods discussed in our handbook (752-753). In place of a references page, the writer has substituted an annotated bibliography. The bibliography is also correctly formatted in APA style. No part of the paper is missing and all pages are numbered with running heads.
10 organizes the essay so that readers can easily follow the progress of the essay. To assist the reader, the writer correctly employs heads and subheads throughout the paper. The overall organization reveals a sense of symmetry and empahasis. Paragraphs are unified and coherent; transition reveal the progress of the proposal and, perhaps further exploration of the writer’s situation or controlling idea. No paragraph is jumbled, undeveloped, unclear, mechanical, or tedious. The writer’s main points pop out at the reader all the way through the essay.
10 avoids most grammatical and sentence level errors. The writer has no serious problems with fragments, tense, comma splices, reference errors, or other features of usage, including word choice and spelling. The writer avoids clichés, wordiness, and the overuse of modifiers and to be verbs. Instead, sentences employ strong verbs and fresh, precise diction. Sentences are also forceful and varied. The writer proofreads well (no typos, missing words) and punctuates correctly.
Reader’s Critique. The writer responded thoughtfully and specifically.
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