Review your first draft of essay one and complete the exercise suggested in the document

Read through the first page of the document on transitions here: Transitions (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Then follow the directions below:

  1. Review your first draft of essay one and complete the exercise suggested in the document: ” Tips for using transitions”. Read through your first draft essay and then summarize each paragraph from your essay.  Essentially, you will briefly state what each paragraph in your first draft is about. Use as few words as possible to describe each paragraph.Write theses few words next to each paragraph in the margin of your essay.
  2. Once you have completed the notes for all paragraphs, take the notes from the margins and plug them into a list;make sure the list is in order representing your paragraphs first, second, third… to last paragraph. If you have a total of 8 paragraphs then your list should have 8 phrases or sentences.
  3. Study the list. This list represents the general outline of your first draft. Looking closely at the list you will notice if the order of points makes sense, if it seems, repetative, out of order or is missing something. If you notice anything you’d like to explore, revise or change make a note or stop and change it before moving on.
  4. After examining the list, explain why you have set up the paragraphs( ideas) in this order. How does the order you have chosen make sense and help the reader follow your argument? Are you using a chronological order or some other type of pattern to create a logical flow? Have you used any transitional phrases? If you notice that the list does not look like it fits together well, revise the list so it is more unified then go back and revise the essay by shifting paragraphs or ideas to create more connection and unity. Each paragraph in your essay should build upon the previous paragraph while also preparing for the next paragraph.
  5. WHAT TO SUBMIT:  Once you complete steps 1-5, submit your finalized list and include a paragraph explaining the reason you chose to put your essay in the order you did.