Checklist for Your Draft

þ A good title, showing your thesis idea and or focus (not the title of your movie, but of your evaluation)

þ An opening strategy that gets the essay moving in the direction your want it to go.

þ Clear and specific thesis statement early in the essay, that clearly lays out your judgment.

þ Clear and explicit topic sentences for your paragraphs so that they begin by nailing down the main idea to be explained in the paragraph. 

þ Topic sentences can also be used to create transitions between the major ideas in your essay and to relate those ideas to each other and to the thesis idea

þ Unified paragraphs.  Each paragraph should deal with one main idea.  It should specify that idea in a topic sentence that is close to the beginning of the paragraph.  Use transition words to keep paragraphs cohesive.   Try not to end a paragraph on a quote using some one else’s words and idea.  Round out your paragraphs with your own ideas and words.

þ Specific evidence to prove and back up your reasons. Use specific evidence to support all your assertions and claims. 

þ A comparison with some other movie or similar thing.

þ Some accommodation or refutation of the counterargument.

þ Accurate documentation of all your sources.  Be sure you give credit to other’s ideas, phrasing, wording.  MLA format.   

þ A closing strategy.   The final paragraph or two should not just repeat what you have already said. It might suggest the implications of these ideas, might motivate readers to some action.

Some other tips for #3 (and other papers)

¨ Ask yourself these questions:  Why is Your Movie good?  What makes a good movie in general?  Or a good movie (in the genre your movie is in) more specifically?  Does Your Movie do this and how?  Explain why and how in this paper, not just what.

¨ Relate your judgement back to your criteria (Because it  . . . X is an excellent movie).

¨ Organize around your criteria / reasons (parts).

¨ Try to give more than faint praise (good to excellent, riveting?).  Make your position clear and strong.

¨ Define terms:  what do you mean by timing?  The timing of a good joke, the pace of the movie?  What is good acting? 

¨ Be specific and precise. If you use “very” and “lots,” you’re not being very specific.  Also, avoid “so” as an adverb.  The movie is so long, or they are so right for each other.  Worse yet, avoid “totally”—we want to sound like ourselves when we write, but we don’t want to sound exactly as we speak.

¨ Cite specific instances and scenes to provide evidence for and develop your evaluation. 

¨ Avoid too much “I think,” “I feel,” “I believe” (unless the situation specifically calls for your thinking process or the way you felt during the movie).  We know you think and feel this way because your name is at the top of the paper.

¨ The writing in this paper should maintain at least the appearance of objectivity:  “it’s good because this is what a good movie does, based on these criteria we can agree upon,” not “I liked it because I can relate to the story.” Share how others can relate to it.

¨ Underline or put titles in italics.

¨ After arguing your position, come back to what the other side might say or think (give it credence), but then refute it (gently—we don’t attack when we argue).   

¨ Though we didn’t specify a length, two pages may not be enough to discuss criteria and run through evidence thoroughly that relate to those criteria. 

¨ Spell the names right.

¨ If you want to talk about your movie as a period piece, define what you mean by an "80s movie." The 80s was known for its optimism, patriotism, etc . . . and your film exhibits these? Define terms like "chick flick." 

¨ You are free to check out other reviews (a web search will turn up several), but any work you hand in must be your own (if you use the reviewers' words in any way, you must cite them MLA style--failure to do so will result in an "F" for the course and the institution of formal disciplinary procedures.).