Writing & Revision · One-page reference for every key concept
Brainstorm ideas, research sources, clarify purpose and audience, create an outline. The goal is to generate and organize — not to produce polished prose.
Write through the full essay without stopping to perfect. Commit to a thesis and develop it — perfectionism during drafting kills productivity.
Rethink the whole essay: thesis clarity and defensibility, paragraph structure, argument flow, evidence sufficiency, counterargument handling. Do this BEFORE sentence-level work.
Improve sentences: concision, diction, syntax variety, transitions. Fix grammar and punctuation. Only after global revision — otherwise you polish sentences you'll cut.
Final scan for surface errors: typos, punctuation, capitalization, citation format. The last pass — not a substitute for revision.
⟳ The process is recursive — a mid-draft thesis problem sends you back to prewriting; discovering a missing source mid-revision sends you back to researching.
"Social media has become very popular among teenagers in recent years."
"Social media negatively affects teenagers' mental health."
"Although social media provides community for isolated youth, its algorithmic design systematically prioritizes engagement over wellbeing, making its harms to adolescent mental health structural rather than incidental — and therefore not fixable through individual restraint alone."
| Evidence Type | Best Used When | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Quotation | The author's exact wording is rhetorically significant or distinctive | Quoting long passages when paraphrase would be more efficient |
| Paraphrase | You need the idea, not the exact words; integrates more smoothly | Paraphrase that is too close to the original (patchwriting) |
| Summary | Background context; conveying the gist of a long source | Using summary as a substitute for close analysis |
| Data / Statistics | Quantifying a claim or showing scale | Citing numbers without explaining their significance |
"One might argue that…" / "Critics contend that…" / "Some research suggests that…" — present the opposing view in its strongest form, not a strawman.
"It is true that…" / "Admittedly, …" / "To be sure, …" — grant what the counterargument gets right. Intellectual honesty makes the rebuttal more credible.
"However, …" / "Nevertheless, …" / "Yet this view overlooks…" — explain why, despite the concession, your original position is more important, accurate, or better supported.
| Revision Level | Key Questions | Strategies |
|---|---|---|
| Global (Whole Essay) | Is the thesis defensible? Does the argument flow? Is development sufficient? | Reverse-outline; thesis test; check paragraph order for logical progression |
| Paragraph Level | Does the topic sentence claim something? Is evidence integrated, not dropped? | TIQA check; unity test; add commentary where evidence is dropped |
| Sentence Level | Are sentences concise? Is diction precise? Do transitions signal logic? | Cut filler phrases; vary syntax; replace weak verbs ("is," "has") with precise verbs |
| Word Level | Is every word purposeful? Are terms defined? | Replace vague nouns ("society," "people") with specifics; cut redundancy |
Inserting a quotation without a lead-in or commentary. Every piece of evidence must be introduced and then analyzed — never left to "speak for itself."
Stating a fact, restating the prompt, or saying "there are many perspectives." The thesis must be specific, arguable, and signal the essay's reasoning.
Retelling what sources say without explaining how they prove your claim. Analysis asks "how" and "why," not just "what."
Polishing sentences before confirming the argument is sound. Edit after you revise — not instead of revision.