Persuasive Essay: Revision & Editing
Handout
The main purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince your readers of your point of view.
Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that all 5 paragraphs communicate your point of view effectively
to your readers. In the previous week, you have written the first draft of your essay, and this
week, you will do the post-writing tasks to polish up your first draft. To understand the
post-writing tasks, read, once again, the 3 steps in the writing process illustrated in Figure 1.
Steps to writing a persuasive essay:
Step 1: Prewriting
-Choose a topic and brainstorm for ideas
-Narrow down the topic to formulate your claim and the thesis statement
-Do thorough research to find robust evidence that supports your claim
-Prepare an outline of the essay
Step 2: While Writing
-Write the Introduction
-Write 3 body paragraphs, each presenting one argument from your thesis
statement
-Craft the Conclusion that summarises your essay
Step 3: Post Writing
Polish up your essay by-
a) Revision: Review, modify and reorganise the ideas by rearranging,
adding, or deleting ideas)
b) Editing: Proofread and correct errors in grammar and mechanics
Figure 1: A 3-step process for a persuasive essay
As illustrated in step 3: Post Writing in Figure 1, after writing the first draft of the essay, you
need to ensure that it has been revised well and edited thoroughly. For effective revision and
editing, you can follow two strategies: you can revise and edit your paper first, and then have it
peer-reviewed by a few readers, for instance, your classmates.
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Revising and Editing your essay
How to Revise your essay?
Revision helps to make your first draft a better piece of writing. Revision refers to making major
changes to improvise your ideas.
Following the strategies below, you can revise your essay:
❖ Adding information that elaborates on the topic more accurately
❖ Replacing any evidence/ grounds if you find a stronger one
❖ Rewriting the sentences to convey your message correctly
How can you Edit and Proofread your essay?
While editing and proofreading, you pay attention to every detail and make changes to
improvise the clarity and accuracy of your writing.
1. Firstly, check the clarity of each sentence; use transitions to lead from one sentence to
another smoothly.
2. Secondly, check the effectiveness of each word. Replace any vague or overused
words with synonyms. Also, try to use strong verbs as required.
3. Then, carefully identify grammatical errors such as faulty subject-verb agreement,
fragmented sentences, inconsistent verb tense, etc.
4. Lastly, proofread and correct spelling, punctuation, capitalisation, and typing
mistakes, if any.
Revising your essay becomes easy if you follow a checklist. Given below is a checklist to help
you revise your Persuasive Essay:
Checklist 1: Revise and Edit the first draft of your essay
Revision Checklist for the Introduction Yes No
1. Is the grabber interesting? Is it relevant to the topic? Does it
engage the reader? ❏ ❏
2. Do the connecting sentences (background information) prepare
the reader for the thesis? Are they adequately developed? ❏ ❏
3. Does the Thesis Statement clearly express the main claim and
the 3 reasons? ❏ ❏
4. Are the 3 reasons written clearly in the Thesis Statement
maintaining parallelism? ❏ ❏
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Revision Checklist for the 3 Body Paragraphs Yes No
5. Have I included the specific reasons from the Thesis Statement
in the 3 body paragraphs? ❏ ❏
6. Have I included an adequate explanation in each body
paragraph to support the reason stated in the Topic Sentence? ❏ ❏
7. Are the evidence and examples that I have used in body
paragraphs relevant to the Thesis Statement? ❏ ❏
8. Have I properly cited all the sources for my collected evidence
using the author-date method? ❏ ❏
9. Does the concluding sentence in every body paragraph
summarise the ideas mentioned in the entire paragraph? ❏ ❏
Revision Checklist for the Conclusion Yes No
10. Does the conclusion summarise the essay by rephrasing the
thesis statement with different wording? ❏ ❏
11. Have I included relevant suggestions or comments after the
restatement sentence? ❏ ❏
12. Does the clincher relate to the grabber in the Introduction?
❏ ❏
13. Have I avoided writing any new ideas or arguments in the
conclusion which can be confusing for the readers? ❏ ❏
Checklist for Editing and Proofreading your whole essay Yes No
14. Have I examined my essay for excess repetition (of words,
phrases, sentence structures)? ❏ ❏
15. Are there transition words between paragraphs and between
sentences? ❏ ❏
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16. Have I used strong verbs? Have I maintained consistent use of
verb tense? ❏ ❏
17. Have I proofread the paper for capitalisation and spelling?
❏ ❏
18. Have I proofread the paper for punctuation? Have I used a
comma after transition word(s)? ❏ ❏
19. Have I used a space after every punctuation mark?
Have I typed the essay using the same font type and size? ❏ ❏
After revising and editing their first draft, writers usually seek feedback from at least one reader
to help them find holes in the writing that need to be worked on. Following the same process,
your teacher may assign you to carefully read and provide constructive feedback on another
group’s essay while some other group of classmates may provide feedback on your essay.
Peer Review on the First Draft of your Persuasive Essay
What is a peer review?
Peer review refers to the process by which student writers provide and seek constructive
feedback from their peers for further revision, editing, and overall improvement of their writing.
This is a widely used practice in academic writing and is also useful for professional writing.
What are the benefits of peer review?
Reviewing peers paper and receiving feedback from peers benefit you in several ways:
a) You can learn from a well-written essay from a peer as well as when you have to write
suggestions for further improvements on another peer’s essay.
b) Doing peer review clarifies your understanding of the assignment and helps improve
your writing.
c) Peer review offers professional experience because this is how managers and
colleagues provide feedback.
d) Lastly, peer review saves you time by pointing out writing errors quickly, which is often
challenging for writers to locate their own mistakes.
How to provide constructive peer review/feedback on another’s essay?
"As a peer reviewer, your job is not to provide answers. You raise questions; the writer makes
the choices. You act as a mirror, showing the writer how the draft looks to you and pointing out
areas which need attention." - S. Williams (Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa's Writing Program).
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Make your peer review feedback more effective and purposeful by applying these strategies:
1. Be a reader and offer a reader’s perspective (e.g., “This statistic seemed confusing to
me as a reader. How does it connect or support your ideas?”)
2. Read the entire essay more than once, before writing your feedback.
3. Use a checklist to provide focused feedback.
4. Structure your feedback. Point out what a writer is doing well to boost his/her
confidence, raise questions to allow him/her to reflect on your point of view, and provide
suggestions so that the writer gets a concrete idea of what and where to revise. Use all
three approaches- offering praise, questions, and solid suggestions- as you respond to
different areas of the essay.
5. Provide specific and concrete feedback. Instead of saying the work was unclear,
identify where you got lost as a reader or where connections might be needed.
6. Write your feedback in a polite, encouraging tone.
How to receive peer feedback on your essay?
Having your essay reviewed by a peer will help you revise and polish your writing and develop
as a writer. Consider these strategies when accepting feedback:
1. Be receptive. Your peer is a reader who provides feedback from a reader’s point of
view. So be gracious and open to suggestions, rather than becoming defensive.
2. Ask questions and seek clarification, if you do not understand any feedback.
3. Decide the revision points on your own. You may not agree with all the feedback you
receive from your peers. So, consider the feedback you have received from all sources
(peers, group members, teacher) and decide what suggestions you would like to use for
your revision.
4. Learn from the feedback to improve your next writing assignment.
Use the checklist below to provide feedback on your peer’s Persuasive Essay. The left column
of this list includes feedback points for all five paragraphs of the essay and a few points on
grammar and mechanics. Based on these points, write your remarks in the second column -
either did well or could improve. In the third column, provide explanations and specific
examples for your remarks. This third column will help the writers of the essay to revise and
edit their persuasive essay.
For further clarification, see the sample peer feedback on the Introduction .
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Checklist 2: Providing Peer Feedback
Checklist points Did well or, Explanation & specific
Could examples for your remark
improve
Introduction Could improve The grabber is interesting,
(sample peer but more background
1. Does the Introduction have 3 parts- grabber, connecting feedback) information can be added in
sentences, and the Thesis Statement? the connecting sentences.
The thesis statement has 3
2. Is the grabber interesting? Is it relevant to the topic? reasons; however, a parallel
Does it engage the reader? structure could be
maintained for further clarity.
3. Do the connecting sentences (background information) (sample peer feedback)
prepare the reader for the thesis? Are they adequately
developed?
4. Does the thesis statement clearly express the main
claim and the 3 reasons? Are the 3 reasons presented in a
parallel structure?
Body Paragraph 1
1. Does it have a 3-part structure- a topic sentence,
supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence?
2. Does the topic sentence express Reason 1 from the
Thesis Statement?
3. Do the supporting sentences provide an adequate
explanation of the reason and supporting ideas?
4. Is there any evidence used? Is the evidence strong
enough for the reader?
5. Are the evidence cited following the author-date method?
6. Does the concluding sentence summarize this paragraph
well?
Body Paragraph 2
1. Does it have a 3-part structure- a topic sentence,
supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence?
2. Does the topic sentence express Reason 2 from the
Thesis Statement?
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3. Do the supporting sentences provide an adequate
explanation of the reason and supporting ideas?
4. Is there any evidence used? Is the evidence strong
enough for the reader?
5. Is the evidence cited following the author-date method?
6. Does the concluding sentence summarize this paragraph
well?
Body Paragraph 3
1. Does it have a 3-part structure- a topic sentence,
supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence?
2. Does the topic sentence express Reason 3 from the
Thesis Statement?
3. Do the supporting sentences provide an adequate
explanation of the reason and supporting ideas?
4. Is there any evidence used? Is the evidence strong
enough for the reader?
5. Is the evidence cited following the author-date method?
6. Does the concluding sentence summarize this paragraph
well?
Conclusion
1. Does the conclusion summarise the essay by rephrasing
the thesis statement with different wording?
2. Are the suggestions and comments relevant to the topic?
3. Does the clincher relate to the grabber in the introduction?
4. Has the conclusion avoided any new ideas or
information?
Grammar and mechanics
1. Are there appropriate transition words used to
connect the paragraphs? Have transitions been used
to connect ideas inside each paragraph?
2. Is there a comma after every transition word or
phrase?
3. Is there any repetition of words or phrases?
4. Are there any major grammar issues that hamper
communication of ideas?
5. Are there any mistakes in capitalization, spelling and
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punctuation?
6. Is there a space after every punctuation mark?
Has the essay been written using the same typing
font and size?
Top tips:
1. In this post-writing stage, use checklist 1 to revise and edit your essay.
2. Then, use checklist 2 to provide peer feedback.
3. As a peer reviewer, write constructive peer feedback in a polite manner.
4. As the writer, receive peer feedback considering it as an opportunity to polish up your
writing for teacher’s assessment.
5. Use checklist 2 to understand peer feedback and to revise and edit your essay.
6. Always ask clarification questions, if any, on peer feedback.
References:
George Mason University, Writing Centre, Editing checklist. Retrieved from
https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/editing-checklist
Missouri State University. Peer Review Strategies. Retrieved from
https://www.coursehero.com/file/32652349/Peer-Review-Strategiesdocx/
“Southwestern University”, Benefits of Peer Review. Retrieved from
https://www.southwestern.edu/offices/writing/faculty-resources-for-writing-instruction/p
eer-review/benefits-of-peer-review/
Williams, S. University of Hawaii. Retrieved from
https://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/peerreview/tips.html
