Checklist for Final Essay

You might have finished writing that stressful essay and think it is ready for the final submission. Below is a checklist to help you understand whether you have catered for every single detail within the paper. The checklist goes a long way in ensuring you submit a flawless paper with high quality. It is highly recommended to go through the paper hours before meeting the deadline by your professor.

Reading for References

A solid essay should contain in-text citations or paraphrases that have factual information from other sources. Here are details you need to look into when checking for references in your essay:

Checking Unoriginal Ideas

It is highly important to differentiate what you have written from secondary sources and what you have paraphrased. It is about the differentiation of your own opinions from factual information. Failure to distinguishing between the two might lead to plagiarism.

Checking for Accurate Information

You need to ensure that the final document contains factual facts, figures, and statistics. It is highly recommended to quote a specific figure used in your research in further research by the reader.

Checking Referencing Style

There are a variety of formatting styles that come with their referencing style. Some common formatting styles include:

• APA
• Chicago
• MLA
• Havard
• Vancouver

Each formatting style comes with its own unique referencing style. Therefore, countercheck to ensure the reference list conforms to the formatting style. For example, the MLA format must come with the reference list indented.

Checking Style

Another important aspect of checking your essay deals with the relevant style. Style helps in creating an easy understanding of your overall work. Here are factors you need to look into when checking for the style: 

Editing Grammatical and Spelling Mistakes

It will help if you read through the entire essay while keeping an eye out for spelling mistakes and other typos. Ensure the sentence construction is solid, followed closely with the coherence. Ensure each paragraph communicates a single idea. 

Editing for Syntax and Punctuation

Ensure that the sentences flow naturally when connecting with other paragraphs. When reading out aloud your essay, ensure that you can make sense of what you have written. Ensure you create an argument that links logically with the test of the paper. 

Editing Vocabulary

It is essential to avoid the use of vague words in your description. Never use any generalizations in your essay. Ensure each vocabulary used in your essay presents the intended meaning to the audience. 

Reading Argument and Structure

A complete essay should present a full argument that entices the reader. Here are the core aspects you need to consider:

Structure

Ensure each sentence fits perfectly into the paragraphs. You can re-word long sentences to bring out a precise meaning. Do not congest different ideas into a single paragraph. Ensure the sentence structure contains only one idea. 

Flow of Argument

You need to start with a background to the argument while building to the core of the argument. You must show different perspectives about the argument that your audience might have earlier.

Proofreading your essay helps in ensuring you present a logical essay with concrete evidence and factual information.