Reviewer’s
Name: ________________________________________
Author
and Essay Title: ____________________________________
1.
TOPIC: What is the General
Subject of this essay? Does it change
from one page to another? If it does,
which subject seems to be best suited to the paper?
2.
THESIS: Does this project
have a thesis, main idea, or overall mood?
Mark the thesis in the paper with a highlighter. Is it arguable? Does the thesis present its topic and comment
on it?
a.) Evaluate the thesis for
unity and specificity. Suggest how the author might refine the thesis,
concentrating on the issue of specificity.
3. INTRODUCTION: What does the opening do to attract readers and help them
predict the essay’s subject, purpose, thesis, organization, or style? What changes would make the introduction more
interesting to readers?
4. ORGANIZATION: What are the major points of the author’s argument? To figure out the organization of the
argument, mark the major ideas in the margins of each paragraph. Copy the list of major ideas you made in the
margins of the paper in the space below (in other words, create an outline for
this essay), and briefly explain what the organization reveals about the
argument the author is making.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
5.
Consider whether each paragraph focuses on a single point and says all
that needs to be said about it. What
changes would improve the paragraphs in this essay or make them fit more
smoothly with preceding or following paragraphs?
6. EVIDENCE: What
are the main points the author uses to support his/her thesis?
i.)
ii.)
iii.)
a.)
Does the essay provide enough detail to illustrate, explain, or support
its main point? Is anything
missing? What should be added?
b.)
With a highlighter, identify the quotations (and paraphrased or
summarized evidence) which the author uses to support his/her argument.
c.)
How much of the essay is highlighted (in other words, how much is pure
evidence?)? Comment on your
observations. For each quotation there
should be at least twice as much interpretation of the evidence.
d.)
Directly on the author’s paper, circle the significant words in the
quotations, suggest additional ways to interpret the quotations, use the
margins to ask questions about the quotations.
Identify the quotations that you believe the author could
eliminate.
7. PLANS FOR REVISION: Study the author’s first draft and the comments you made
about the evidence and its interpretation.
Write a new thesis statement for the author and give him/her a new 3
point organizational plan for the next draft.
New thesis:
A.)
B.)
C.)