Review the Assignment
• Carefully reread the writing assignment.
• Look for key words that can help you understand the assignment (i.e. Summarize, Compare, Contrast, Argument, etc.).

Generate Ideas
• Prewriting/ Brainstorming: Jot down your ideas for your essay.
• Mapping/ clustering: Jot down your ideas. When you get a few ideas written down, you can start to group them, using colored circles or whatever. Draw linking lines as you see connections.
• Short timed writes (free writing): Write your topic at the top of an empty page, this will help your mind focus on the topic. Set the clock for five to ten minutes and put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and go at it. You are not allowed to stop writing! Try to stay on topic, but the most important thing is to get ideas on paper.

Shaping Ideas
• Organize your ideas and plan the sequence of your paper. Envision which ideas will be main points and which will be support details.
• Outlining: Create a formal outline to assist you with the progression of your paper. Try starting with your thesis or main idea and list downward with your support points and details.

First Draft
• Create the first complete draft of your paper. Make sure you are staying on-topic and including all parts of the assignment.

Peer Review 
• Get feedback from classmates. If this is not scheduled during class time, set up your own peer review groups!

Revision
• Look closely at comments from classmates, a tutor, or your instructor. Remember: these are merely suggestions to improve your writing, so do not be insulted by criticism. It is for your own benefit to review your feedback and consider which you will include in the final draft
• Revise, revise, revise! Revision is never complete. Even after you may have completed another draft, don’t be afraid to review the draft again and make necessary changes.

Editing: Some questions you may consider:
• Are the ideas clearly presented and organized within the writing?
• Is the main idea or argument of the writing adequately developed? 
• Are there transitions between paragraphs and ideas?

Proofreading
• Spelling
• Punctuation
• Grammar
• Sentence structure