Checklist for Good Writing

Checklist for Good Writing

These simple tips will help in all papers no matter what the length. Once practiced a few times, this format will become part of your great writing skills!

Introduction:

1. Start your paper with an introduction of one or two sentences to introduce the topic in a broad but relevant manner. Such an introduction can consist of a global statement of the problem under consideration. For example, “Many children in the United States lack access to competent counseling.” Or, “The counseling profession has not done enough to increase access to mental health care for children from low-income families.” Generally, questions are not encouraged because few writers are able to adequately address the real issue at hand. Even worse, multiple questions reveal a lack of knowledge on the part of the author.

2. Then, once the topic has been introduced, you need to clarify your purpose. This “rhetorical situation” links your topic to your audience and a purpose without announcing your intention. For example, instead of: “This paper explores the resources available for poor families seeking better mental health care,” or “The purpose of this paper is to review recent research on advances in mental health care services,” write a sentence that explains why you are discussing this topic. Following are better rhetorical situation sentences: “Not enough resources are available for poor families seeking better mental health care for their children.” Or “Recent research on advances in mental health care services for children demonstrates the need for more pro-bona services to help those who are not covered by insurance.” If you are writing to the parents of these children, you will present your information in a different manner than if you are writing to the administrator for a local clinic who is considering beginning a pro-bona program. Adjust your writing throughout the entire paper so that everything you say is addressing that specific audience with your specific purpose.

3. Once the paper’s entire rhetorical situation (topic + audience + purpose) has been introduced, present an “A-B-C thesis sentence” that tells the reader how you will fulfill the purpose of the paper. This A-B-C sentence should be ONLY ONE SENTENCE at the end of the introductory paragraph (or section). Here is a sample A-B-C sentence: “Future counselors need to be prepared to deal with clients who (A) do not attend appointments, (B) are not honest with their counselors, and (C) resist the change process.” [Note that the A, B, and C will NOT appear in your paper. They are merely included here for illustration.] This thesis sentence can have as many “ABC” phrases as necessary to cover the topics for the paper. The “A-B-C thesis sentence” tells the reader what topics he or she can expect to encounter in your paper. I cannot stress enough how important a good thesis sentence can be to the overall success of the paper. A thesis sentence represents a topic outline for the paper and a “road map” for the reader. Furthermore, when the thesis sentence is placed at the end of the introduction, it serves as a “diving board,” or a smooth transition, into the paper.

Body of the Essay:

4. Once the introductory paragraph (or section) has been constructed, the next step is to discuss each of the three (or more) topics introduced in the thesis sentence. If necessary, use appropriate headings to organize your paper and to highlight the three (or more) topics that you address in the paper. For example, the first body paragraph (or first section) from the sample thesis sentence above would address the “(a)” section of the sentence. That is, the first body paragraph/section would discuss clients who “do not attend appointments.” Next, the second body paragraph (or second section) would discuss the “(b)” section of the sentence, or, clients who “are not honest with their counselors.” The third body paragraph (or third section) would address the “(c)” section of the sentence, or, “clients who resist the change process.” If you have more topics in your thesis sentence, your paper would continue to develop until all of the sections of the thesis sentence have been covered.

5. Each of these body paragraphs, regardless of what section they fall into, should have a strong topic sentence or controlling sentence which not only links the paragraph/section to the thesis statement but also limits the information that will appear in the paragraph. For example, in the sample thesis statement above, the first body paragraph/section will deal with how or why future counselors need to be aware of those patients who do not show up for appointments. Support and illustrations will expand that concept. If information appears in this section about the dishonesty of those clients, the essay would lose its organization because that particular information belongs in the second body paragraph/section. Each body paragraph should also have a concluding statement to neatly “tie up” the information from that particular paragraph. Concluding sentences should not begin talking about the information that will be introduced in the following paragraphs. The information within the next paragraph will be introduced by its own controlling sentence, and the process will continue until all main points are discussed.

Conclusion:

6. The concluding paragraph (or section) should be a call to action that utilizes the rhetorical situation (topic + audience + purpose) to review the main points of entire essay. Since this is a closing, or concluding paragraph, no new information should be introduced at this time. Close the paper with one final sentence that looks to the future of the topic discussed in the paper. For example, “As the Christian counseling profession reaches out to children of lower-income families, access to mental health care for these young clients will improve.”

7. If appropriate to the assignment (that is, only if your professor asked for it), your personal views, opinions, or reactions to the assignment can be discussed in a second paragraph/section in the conclusion section of your paper.

CONTENT ISSUES:

8. A paragraph must have at least 3 sentences in order to be a paragraph. These sentences should be a topic or controlling sentence, a supporting sentence, and a concluding sentence. Many, if not most, paragraphs will have more than three sentences: A topic or controlling sentence, a linking sentence, one or more supporting sentences about that topic, and a concluding sentence. Note that only one topic is addressed in a paragraph. If you begin a new topic, then begin a new paragraph.

9. Your writing must have unity and be focused; each paragraph should develop the subject of your paper. That is, the paper should be effectively organized.

10. The paper must demonstrate critical thinking skills. That is, it should demonstrate that you have thought about the topic carefully and that you understand the topic.

FORM ISSUES:

Format:

11. Quotes and references must always be presented according to APA format:
Examples:
➢ According to Johnson (2006), “The sun is hot” (p. 42).
➢ Johnson (2006) stated: “The sun is hot” (p. 42).
➢ “The sun is hot” (Johnson, 2006, p. 42).

References must be of good quality. Wikipedia is not a scholarly source; therefore, references from Wikipedia will result in point deductions.

Grammar and Mechanics:

12. Words must be spelled correctly. Sentences must be free of grammatical, syntactical, and punctuation errors. The paper must use Standard American English usage. Slang and chatroom words or abbreviations are not acceptable in a formal paper. Academic writing utilizes third-person pronouns only (he, him, she, her, they, them, etc.). First-person (I, me, my, our, we, us, etc.) and second-person pronouns (you, your) do not belong in academic writing.

13. You must be able to prepare a well-conceptualized, organized, written composition on a given topic using appropriate language and style for the purpose of the assignment. Chapters 1 and 2 of the APA Publication Manual provide excellent guidance on expressing ideas and avoiding basic writing mistakes.

REVISION AND PROOFREADING:

14. Be sure to follow all of the instructions for the assignment. Review the instructions before you submit your paper to make sure that you have included all of the required elements of the assignment. Proofread your paper for grammar, syntax, spelling, formatting, and “flow” errors. By “flow,” I mean that your paper flows well from one topic to the next, is easy to follow, and makes sense.

References: must be of good quality. Wikipedia is not a scholarly source; therefore, references from Wikipedia will result in point deductions. Grammar and Mechanics: 12. Words must be spelled correctly. Sentences must be free of grammatical, syntactical, and punctuation errors. The paper must use Standard American English usage. Slang and chatroom words or abbreviations are not acceptable in a formal paper. Academic writing utilizes third-person pronouns only (he, him, she, her, they, them, etc.). First-person (I, me, my, our, we, us, etc.) and second-person pronouns (you, your) do not belong in academic writing. 13. You must be able to prepare a well-conceptualized, organized, written composition on a given topic using appropriate language and style for the purpose of the assignment. Chapters 1 and 2 of the APA Publication Manual provide excellent guidance on expressing ideas and avoiding basic writing mistakes. REVISION AND PROOFREADING: 14. Be sure to follow all of the instructions for the assignment. Review the instructions before you submit your paper to make sure that you have included all of the required elements of the assignment. Proofread your paper for grammar, syntax, spelling, formatting, and “flow” errors. By “flow,” I mean that your paper flows well from one topic to the next, is easy to follow, and makes sense.