Self-Evaluation Guide

Argument Analysis Self-Evaluation Guide

Thesis

• Find your thesis. If you’ve printed out your paper (highly recommended!) highlight it.
• After reading the rest of the essay, return to the thesis.
  • Does the thesis make an overall evaluation of the article or speech?
  • Does the thesis encapsulate all of the other paragraphs in the essay? In other words, do the rest of paragraphs in the essay fit with the thesis?
  • Does the essay “flow” cohesively, or does it seem like a series of isolated insights and critiques?

Leads/Topic Sentences

• Highlight the first sentence of each paragraph. Is it the topic sentence?  If not, move the topic sentence to the beginning of the paragraph.
• Do you see any buried leads? Highlight them. When you revise, make a new paragraph out of each buried lead.
• Do you see any paragraph that splits between multiple leads/claims/topic sentences? If so, highlight all of the buried leads. When you revise, make a new paragraph for each buried lead.

Analysis/Evidence

• Do you include any pure summary/filler? Mark those paragraphs or sections of summary. When you revise, cut these paragraphs, and replace them with paragraphs of analysis.
• Do you see any claims that are inadequately defended? Mark them. When you revise, add detail and discussions to bolster your claims.

Style

• Do you see any awkward phrases? Highlight them, and revise.
• Do you see any grammatical errors (Fragments, Run-on sentences, Comma splices)? If so, highlight them, and revise them as well.