Make It Meaty!

 
 
With your partner, look at the analysis 
(or explanation) sections of your body  
paragraphs.  
 
1. Does your analysis explain your 
evidence? 
 
2. Does it tie back to your thesis? 
 
3. Can you elaborate (or expand upon) the evidence more? 
 
4. Does it tell the reader why your point matters? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quote Integration!  
 
With your partner, look at the direct quotes 
in your essay. Are they introduced in some 
way? 
 
For example, you may have an introduction 
to a quote like, “In ‘Architect of the 21st Century,’ Jon Meacham 
argues…”  
 
If you don’t have these, add them in!  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sentence Strength! 
 
With your partner, find two sentences 
in your writing that could flow better. 
 
Work together to reword these so that  
they make more sense.  
 
Watch out for run-on sentences! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Terrific Topic 
Sentences! 
 
Strong topic sentences have several 
characteristics. 
They: 
1. Are specific 
2. Tie back to the thesis 
3. Give details about what to  
expect in the paragraph 
4. Have a “So What?” 
 
With your partner, read your topic sentences aloud. 
How could you make them stronger? Revise.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Confident Conclusion 
 
Re-read your conclusion! 
Does it end your paper  
in a natural way? Find one 
sentence that could 
be made stronger, and fix it! 
 
Then, ask: “Does my 
conclusion have a “so  
what?” Tell me why this topic 
matters!