ENGL 1010: English Composition: 5. Write & Revise

MLA Citation & Template

Writing Guides

Write a Thesis Statement

A good thesis statement will:

  • Introduce the reader to your main argument
  • Let the reader know what to expect
  • Make a claim that can be supported and argued against
  • Usually be the last sentence of the introductory/first paragraph

Example thesis statements:

Plastic bags should be regulated to help reduce ocean pollution.
Americans should start driving electric cars, because they are better for the environment than other types of passenger vehicles.

Organize Your Essay

Make an outline and/or mind map to help you organize your ideas and sources.  

​Outlines

Helps you organize the sections of your essay and usually go from general topics to more specific. Example outline:

I. Introduction

A. Background on ocean pollution

1. Water Pollution Act of 1948

2. Clean Water Act of 1972

 B. Sources of aquatic trash

 C. Thesis statement

II. Body paragraph 1 - Impacts on oceans

 A.  Habitat and biological impacts

1. Pollutants/PCBs

2. Movement of species out of natural range

B. Impacts on aquatic animals

1. Microplastic particle ingestion

2. Suffocation/entanglement

3. Whale that died with 88 lbs of plastic in stomach in Philippines

III. Body paragraph 2 - Impacts on humans

A. Exposure to carcinogens

B. Inhibiting recreation

IV. Body paragraph 3 - supporting evidence- effective regulations

A. Clean Water Act

B. Pollution Prevention Act

C. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

V. Body paragraph 4 - counter argument

A. More regulation will be expensive

B. Facts against counter argument

1. Stats showing expense of NOT regulating

VI. Conclusion

A. Why healthy oceans are important

B. Sum up points and facts against counter argument 

VII. Works Cited

Mind Map

Helps you visualize the connections among your ideas. Start with your main idea in the center and connect the other ideas around it. You could use images instead of words for concepts. Example mind map:

 

Mind map of ocean pollution

Revise

It can be helpful to focus on one aspect of revision at a time. Here are a few tips for breaking revision up into manageable steps:

  1. Step away from your essay for a day or even a few hours so that you can read it with fresh eyes.
  2. With the first revision, be sure you main points are clear and worry about commas and spelling later.
  3. Check your organization: Do your ideas flow from one point to the next in a clear and logical way?
  4. Check your thesis and supporting arguments: Do you have enough information to support your main idea?
  5. Check your conclusion: Does your final paragraph tie up the lose ends in a satisfying way?
  6. Check for smaller corrections like spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Sometimes reading your work aloud can help you find grammar errors or confusing wording.

Remember, writing tutors are available to help you. For online help, submit a Microsoft Word doc and your assignment/rubric using your PSCC email to ascatutor@pstcc.edu.​ Responses could take up to 48 hours.

URL: https://lib.pstcc.edu/engl1010