Cut each essay to 200 words. Move the file to Word and save on the server where you will be able to find it next year. Proofread meticulously, using the checklist I provided. Late essays will lose 1 letter grade per day.

Tuesday: Citizenship
Wednesday: Work Ethic
Thursday: Personal Goals

PROOFREADING CHECKLIST

Ideas and Organization

□ My essay states its main point clearly at the beginning.
□ I write in paragraphs, and each paragraph has one purpose
□ My ending fits the rest of the essay

Style

□ I speak in my own voice, saying what I think and giving examples from my real life.
□ I avoid vague platitudes and cliches.
□ I have no Google copy and paste blah blah blah

Conventions

□ Each sentence is a complete thought, with a subject and a verb.
□ My point of view is consistent (first person–no slipping to second person)
□ I have checked that I am using the right word (their, there, they’re; to, too; were, where; then, than; its, it’s; etc)
□ My pronouns have clear antecedents
□ My pronouns agree with their antecedents (singular with singular, plural with plural)
□ I use both possessive apostrophes and apostrophes in contractions
□ I use no comma splices (joining two independent clauses with only a comma)
□ I set off introductory phrases and clauses with a comma
□ I join two independent clauses with a conjunction and a comma
□ I set off apposatives (non-essential interrupting phrases) with commas

PDF version of Checklist