1. State the controlling idea of your essay in a complete sentence.
 

2. Paragraph 1: state the controlling idea in a complete sentence; do the same for each succeeding paragraph.
 

3. Paragraph 2:
 

4. Paragraph 3:
 

5. Paragraph 4:
 

6. Paragraph 5:
 

7. Paragraph 6:
 

8. Paragraph 7:
 

9. Paragraph 8:
 
 

Now you should have a sentence outline of your essay. Reread each sentence and state below it how it supports the controlling idea of your essay. Then ask yourself the following questions: Does each sentence support your thesis? Is each sentence clearly related to the preceding and succeeding sentences? Is this the most effective order for your argument? Do you provide evidence for each statement? Does your conclusion answer the question, "So what"?

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