Summary

This is an outline summary of the steps in writing an essay.

• Choosing the subject

• Personal interest
• Adequate material

• Narrowing the subject

• Deciding the purpose

• Explain
• Convince
• Persuade

• Writing the thesis statement

• One sentence
• Defensible

• Gathering the material

• Source cards
• Note cards

• Quotation
• Summary
• Combination

• Outlining the material

• Major headings
• Subheadings

• Writing the draft

• Introductory paragraph
• Body paragraphs
• Concluding paragraph

• Editing the draft

• Spelling errors
• Grammatical errors
• Diction

• Revising the draft

• Unity
• Coherence
• Sentence variety

• Writing the final copy

• Correct format
• No corrections
• No errors

• Submitting the final copy

• To instructor personally
• Duplicate or backup copy