Tips for writers
(from students ranking the three sample essays with the rubric)
-eliminate wordiness
Fewer words make the sentence communicate more clearly
-avoid redundancy
Unless you’re emphasizing or clarifying what you said before
-analyze, not summarize
No plot summary or repeating what happened: explain and analyze
-flow, logical transitions
Help the reader over your shoulder follow your ideas from point to point
-stick to the main point
Remove digressions or tie them in with good transition
-Ideas, not just examples
Don’t fill your essay with only examples; use them to explain your point
-Plan your structure Think about how to organize your ideas to make sense
-Correctly punctuate MLA parenthetical citation
“She will” (Austen 22). [no comma, no p., period after parenthesis
