Revision Guidelines for Profile Essay Lab Day

Step #1:

Review your peer review forms from Friday and any notes you've taken about your own paper. Trust your instincts: if you think or feel that something in your paper needs work, it probably does. Continue to make revisions to your draft of Essay #4 using the feedback from your peers and your own notes that you think is most helpful. If you still have questions of your reviewers, ask them today. If you have other questions, ask me.

Step #2:

Work through your draft of Essay #4 using the questions below:

• Do you have a "catchy" and interesting title for your essay? If not, consult this information sheet.
   

• How would you describe your "strategy" in your introductory paragraph? Do you think it will be effective for your readers? If not, perhaps start over or combine what you have now with another strategy. Consult this information sheet which provides general information about introductions, or consult this information sheet which provides specific information about introductions for profile essays.
   

• Does each body paragraph have a clear main idea stated in a topic sentence (or implied within the paragraph)? Does each topic sentence "focus" each paragraph (there is nothing in a paragraph that doesn't relate to the topic sentence)?
   

• Is each body paragraph well developed using specific examples, descriptive details, relevant dialogue, and clear explanations? If you believe some body paragraphs are weak, consult this website from the University of Wisconsin at Waukesha, which gives steps and examples for "Developing Your Essay."
   

• Be sure that your profile essay has or creates a "Dominant Impression." For a profile essay, this is the same thing as a "thesis statement." In a profile essay, the dominant impression might be stated--or hinted at--early in the paper, but more commonly it is found toward the end of your paper, perhaps clearly stated--or at least strongly implied--in your conclusion. The "Dominant Impression" is what you want your readers to think and feel about your subject after they have finished reading your paper.
   

• How would you describe your "strategy" in your conclusion paragraph? Do you think it will be effective for your readers? If not, perhaps start over or combine what you have now with another strategy. Consult this information sheet which provides general information about introductions, or consult this information sheet which provides specific information about conclusions for profile essays.
   

• Review your Essay #4 assignment sheet one more time to make sure you haven't missed anything. Pay attention to those things you might not have paid attention to earlier. Also check out an older version of a profile essay scoring guide to see if you've missed anything.
   

Step #3:

Bring a copy of your "almost-final draft" to class on Wednesday. We will have the final editing session and then we will have more time to work in the lab to finish Essay #4 and write the process-reflection memo.