Body Paragraph Checklist

For intern reviewers — paragraphs 2 and 3 of Essay 2

0 of 12 items checked

How to use this checklist

Work through each section with the student's draft in front of you. Click any item to mark it as done. Each section covers one key skill for body paragraphs. Focus especially on reporting verbs and source integration — these are the areas students are currently working on.

Topic Sentence

Does the paragraph open with a clear, arguable claim?

▼
✓
The paragraph opens with a topic sentence The first sentence should state the paragraph's main point — not introduce background or dive straight into a source.
✓
The topic sentence makes a claim, not just a statement of topic It should say something arguable — not just "This paragraph is about X" or "There are several factors."
✓
The topic sentence connects to the essay's main argument It should be clear how this paragraph supports the thesis, even without reading the introduction.

Compare

This paragraph is about the difficulties Japanese learners face with English pronunciation.

Japanese learners face particular difficulty with consonant distinction, which significantly affects communication with native speakers.

Watch for

Topic sentences that begin with "According to..." — this puts the source before the student's own point. The student's claim should come first.

V

Reporting Verbs

Is each source introduced with an appropriate reporting verb?

▼
✓
Each source is introduced with a reporting verb Not just "(Author, year)" in brackets — the source should be woven in with a verb like argues, notes, finds, suggests.
✓
The reporting verb matches what the source is doing A neutral fact uses states / notes. A contested claim uses argues / contends. A finding uses finds / concludes. Check whether the verb fits.
✓
The student avoids repeating the same verb throughout Using says or states for every source is a missed opportunity. Encourage variety where it fits naturally.

Good examples

Ohata (2004) argues that the L1 phonological system acts as a perceptual filter for L2 sounds.

Asakuma (2018) finds that /r/ and /l/ are particularly difficult for Japanese speakers to distinguish.

Nicholas (2023) suggests that politeness transfer may affect email tone.

Tip

See the Reporting Verbs interactive tool for the full range of options and examples in context.

⇄

Source Integration

Is each source explained and connected to the argument?

▼
✓
After each source, the student explains it in their own words There should be at least one sentence after each citation that unpacks or restates the point — not just another citation immediately after.
✓
The student connects each source back to their own argument A sentence like "This suggests that..." or "This is relevant because..." links the source to the paragraph's point. Without this, sources float disconnected.
✓
The paragraph has at least 2 sources Essay 2 requires a minimum of 5 sources overall. Body paragraphs should each carry at least 2 to distribute them evenly.

The pattern to look for

1. Student's point → 2. Source + reporting verb → 3. Explanation in own words → 4. Connection to argument

If steps 3 or 4 are missing, the source is not properly integrated.

Watch for

"Quote dropping" — a citation followed immediately by another citation with no explanation between them. This is the most common issue at this stage.

✎

Language & Proofreading

A light read for clarity and accuracy

▼
✓
Sentences are clear and readable Flag any sentence that needs to be read twice. It may be too long, have unclear reference, or need restructuring.
✓
In-text citations are present and formatted consistently Each source reference should include author and year, e.g. (Ohata, 2004) or Ohata (2004). Flag any that are missing or inconsistent.
✓
No obvious grammar or spelling errors Note any that stand out without rewriting for the student — the goal is for them to revise, not for you to do it for them.

Note for interns

Your role is to point things out and ask questions, not to rewrite. Try: "This sentence is a bit unclear to me — what did you mean here?" or "Could you say a bit more about why this source is relevant?"