ENG 101
Will33 
WCCResearchEssayRevisionProcessAdvice.pdf
WCC Fall 2021
Research Essay Revision Process Advice As you revise/improve your research essay, carefully review and consider the following advice:
Essay Assignment:
o Even though quality is more important than quantity, do not disregard length. It is quite difficult to
meet the requirements of an assignment in only a few pages.
o Focus on the purpose, guidelines, and requirements of the assigned essay (in other words, focus on
the task at hand).
o Any research-based essay should be founded upon your reliable research sources.
Quality of Writing:
o Be as clear, direct, and precise as possible.
o Avoid making broad generalizations about people, humanity, or society in general. Vague
generalizations lack clarity and are never accurate.
o Refer to author by last name, never by ‘the author’ or ‘the writer.’
o Do not provide extraneous information about your sources within the body of your essay (For
example, ‘on page 48,’ ‘this book chapter,’ or ‘originally published in the Atlantic’). All the
required documentation for each source will appear on the works cited page.
o Make sure that each and every sentence is a complete sentence.
o Reduce wordiness in sentence construction.
Paragraph Composition:
o Make sure your introduction and conclusion are concise and appropriate in length.
o Rely on the introduction to introduce the topic and purpose of your essay.
o Rely on the conclusion to draw a satisfying close to your essay.
o When you introduce a new distinct point, begin a new paragraph.
o Do not try to force multiple points/ideas into a single paragraph.
o Fully develop each distinct point in its own body paragraph.
o Within body paragraphs, rely on direct quotations to clearly establish a source’s
idea/point/viewpoint/claim.
o Within body paragraphs, draw connections between your sources.
o Clearly establish an author’s/source’s point before you build off of it with your own unique
experiences, ideas, or insights.
MLA Style:
o Properly cite any and all information drawn from your research sources.
o Weave direct quotes into your sentences. See the ‘MLA Format Review Handout’ for examples.
o Follow up each quotation with further explanation of the meaning/significance of the quote.
o Use strong and meaningful verbs, especially when introducing a quotation.
o Avoid introducing quotes with weak phrases like ‘goes on to say,’ ‘talks about’ or ‘mentions.’
o Double-check in-text citations and works cited entries for accuracy.
o Do not begin or end a quote with an ellipsis (…). An ellipsis indicates that words have been
omitted within a quote.
o Works Cited page should be Double-spaced and list the works cited entries in alphabetical order
by author’s last name. Also, don't skip lines between works cited entries.
