Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________________ Period: ____ 

Argumentative, Informational, or Literary (TDA) Essay CHECKLIST 

 

READ  
Directions: ​Choose the passage(s) that you would like to read. Make sure that you make a good 
choice for you! 
❏ Read the passage(s) ​at least 1 time​. Write down at least 3 annotations on each passage.   

QUESTIONS  
Directions:​ After reading, think about the questions below. Only think about the questions that 
are related to the passage(s) that you read.  
 
​Literary Passage(s) 
❏ Setting? Characters? Conflict? Climax? Resolution?  
❏ Theme? 
 
​Informational Passage(s): 
❏ What is the main idea of the passage(s)? 
❏ How is the passage(s) organized?  
❏ Was there anything that was confusing/words I didn’t know? (If so, use Google!) 
 
​Argumentative Passage(s): 
❏ What claim is the author trying to make in the passage(s)? 
❏ Do I agree or disagree with the author’s claim? 
❏ How are the passage(s) organized?  
❏ Was there anything that was confusing/words I didn’t know? (If so, use Google!) 
 
 
 PLAN 
Directions: ​Go through the planning steps below in order to understand the prompt and figure 
out how you will organize your essay.  
 
❏ Do RAFTS right on the prompt.  

❏ Write the topic of RAFTS as a question.  

 
____________________________________________________________________________________ 
 
❏ What do you need to know in order to answer the question? Make a list.  
 

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 
5. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 
 
❏ Fold and label your graphic organizer. 
 
❏ Using your graphic organizer, plan out the organization of your essay.  
 

FIND 

Directions: ​You are now ready to find the evidence that will answer the prompt/question. 
 
❏ Go into the passage(s) and find your evidence. (We recommend that you 
highlight/underline the evidence and then label it. If you label it, you don’t need to write 
it out in your graphic organizer.) 

WRITE 

Directions: ​You are now ready to start writing your essay. 

 
❏ Get a final copy piece of paper from your ELA teacher. 
❏ When you are done writing, check over your essay with the grading rubric. 
❏ After checking over your essay, please turn it in to your ELA teacher.