Definition Essay:

Essay with Specific Examples

Title?• Does the essay have a title?

• Does the title only name the defined concept? (It can, but could the author do better?)

Attention Grabber

• Is there an attention grabber at the beginning of the intro? Does it work? (Source?)

Thesis• Does the intro provide the

defined concept, and does the thesis state three discrete sub-divisions of it?

• (Parallelism?) • (Italicized word?)

To Be?•Put a box around any form of the verb TO BE that you find.

Three Topic Sentences

• Look at the three topic sentences. Are they directly related to the three descriptors named in the thesis?

Body Paragraph One

• Does it only include details that relate to what was advertised in the topic sentence?

• Are the details in the paragraph specific examples and not vague references?

Body Paragraph Two

• Does it only include details that relate to what was advertised in the topic sentence?

• Are the details in the paragraph specific examples and not vague references?

Body Paragraph Three

• Does it only include details that relate to what was advertised in the topic sentence?

• Are the details in the paragraph specific examples and not vague references?

Concluding Sentence

•Does the writer have a concluding sentence at the end of each body paragraph?

Conclusion Paragraph

• Is there a (meaningful) conclusion?

• Does it make a bigger point?

• Does it suggest how knowing and understanding a personal definition of the concept may be useful to others or into the future?

Did you notice…?

•Any passive voice•Any two part verbs like “I am smiling

Transitions• Did the writer use appropriate transitions words and sentences at the beginning of each body paragraph and when starting the second example in each BP?

Did you notice…?• Any form of GET• Any you, your, or you’re after the attention grabber

Did you notice…?

•At least one Smiley-face trick

•Any weak or immature word choice

Did you notice…?

•Any comma suggestions

•Any places where parallelism would work better

Follows Directions• Did the author include NameTeacherCourseMLA date in the upper left corner

Other MLA considerations

•12 point font•Double spaced•1 inch margin all around