Sanne de Vries

Critique my essay's argument without rewriting it for me

Maps your essay's argument, tests every claim against its evidence, finds the counterargument you missed and grades the logic, without rewriting a word.

At a glance

Best for: High school and college students revising an argumentative essay who want honest feedback on their reasoning while keeping the writing their own.
Tested on: Claude · Opus 5.5
You fill in: assignmentessay
You get: Thesis "Schools should ban phones for the entire school day because phones harm students' ability to learn." Clear, but your conclusion adds anxiety… (full result below)

Prompt

Critique the argument in my essay. Do not rewrite any of it, and don't fix grammar or style unless it makes the argument unclear. I want to learn to see the problems myself.

Assignment prompt: {{assignment}}
My essay (or the section I want checked):
{{essay}}

Give me:

1. My thesis as you understand it, in one sentence. If you can't find one, say so; that's the first problem.

1. Argument map: each main claim, the evidence I give for it, and whether the evidence actually supports the claim (yes / partly / no, plus one line why).

1. The strongest counterargument I haven't addressed, and where in the essay it would hurt me most.

1. Logic problems: quote any sentence with a leap, circular reasoning, overgeneralization, or correlation treated as cause. Name the problem and ask me a question that would help me fix it.

1. The one change that would raise the grade most, as a direction, not replacement text.

Finally, grade the argument (not the writing) from 1 to 4 on each of: clear thesis, quality of evidence, handling of counterarguments, logical flow.

Fill in

{{assignment}}: The essay question or prompt, including any requirements.e.g. Should schools ban phones during the school day? 800 words, at least two sources.
{{essay}}: Your draft, or the section you want checked.e.g. Phones should be banned in schools for the whole day because...

Example input

assignment: Should schools ban phones during the school day? Argue a position in 800 words, using at least two sources.

essay: Phones should be banned in schools for the whole day because they are destroying students' ability to learn. Since smartphones became common around 2012, test scores in the U.S. have gone down, which shows that phones are the reason students are doing worse. Everyone knows that when a phone buzzes, you can't concentrate.

Some people say students need phones for emergencies. But schools have office phones and parents can call the office, so this argument doesn't make sense.

A teacher I interviewed at my school, Ms. Alvarez, said that "at least half my class checks their phone during lessons if I don't collect them." This proves that phones are a huge distraction everywhere. Also, according to a study I found online, students who don't use phones get better grades.

In conclusion, banning phones would make students learn better, be less anxious, and get along better with each other. Schools that care about their students should ban phones.

5920

Generated Outputs (1)

2 hours ago

Claude

Opus 5.5

2 hours ago

Generated Output

1. Thesis
"Schools should ban phones for the entire school day because phones harm students' ability to learn." Clear, but your conclusion adds anxiety and social benefits that nothing before it argues.

2. Argument map

| Claim | Your evidence | Supports it? |
|---|---|---|
| Phones are why scores fell | U.S. scores dropped after smartphones spread (~2012) | No. Timing alone; many things changed after 2012 |
| Phones stop concentration | "Everyone knows..." | No. A statement of belief, not evidence |
| The emergency objection fails | Schools have office phones | Partly. Answers a weak version of the objection |
| Phones are a huge distraction everywhere | One teacher's quote | Partly. Good evidence for one classroom, not "everywhere" |
| Non-users get better grades | "a study I found online" | Can't tell. No author, date or what was measured |
| A ban reduces anxiety and improves relationships | None | No. New claims in the conclusion |

3. Strongest missing counterargument
Not emergencies, but a classroom-only ban. A reader could accept everything you say about distraction during lessons and still ask why lunch and breaks must be phone-free too. Your thesis says "the whole day," so this hits you in the first sentence and again in the conclusion.

4. Logic problems

• "Since smartphones became common around 2012, test scores... have gone down, which shows that phones are the reason": correlation treated as cause. What else changed for students after 2012, and how would you rule it out?

• "Everyone knows that when a phone buzzes, you can't concentrate": appeal to common belief. What evidence would convince a reader who doesn't already agree?

• "This proves that phones are a huge distraction everywhere": overgeneralization. What can one teacher's class show, and what would you need before saying "everywhere"?

• "so this argument doesn't make sense": dismissing the objection. What's the strongest version of the emergency concern, and would office phones answer it?

• "Schools that care about their students should ban phones": loaded framing, implying anyone who disagrees doesn't care. Could a caring school reasonably choose a different policy?

5. The one change that would help most
Replace the 2012 test-score argument with an identified source (author, year, what was measured) linking phone use or phone policies to learning. That repairs your weakest link and meets the two-source requirement.

Rubric (argument only)

• Clear thesis: 3/4. Clear position, but the conclusion drifts beyond it.

• Quality of evidence: 1/4. One usable source (the interview); the study can't be identified.

• Handling of counterarguments: 2/4. One addressed, briefly.

• Logical flow: 2/4. The paragraphs follow on, but the key steps are leaps.

Why it works

"Do not rewrite any of it" keeps the work yours, which matters for both learning and academic honesty, and it forces the feedback into questions and directions you can act on.

The argument map separates claims from evidence, which is where most essay weaknesses hide. "Where it would hurt me most" makes the counterargument practical rather than abstract. Asking the model to quote the sentence and ask a fixing question for each logic problem teaches you to spot the pattern next time. The rubric grades argument, not prose, so polished writing can't hide weak reasoning.

When not to use it

Check your school's AI policy before using any AI feedback on graded work. This won't verify your sources or facts, so you still need to check them. It's also the wrong tool if your problem is structure or clarity at the sentence level; ask a writing center or teacher for that. The rubric is generic, so your teacher's may weigh things differently.

Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!