Rule: If essay answers "who am I / what will I do?" → personal. If essay answers "what does this text/event mean?" → analytical.

analytical-essays.md now includes:

• Phased Framework Methodology: Organize arguments into temporal/thematic phases (Revolution → Reaction → Reform)
• Critical Argument Linkage: Every paragraph must explicitly connect to thesis
• Paragraph Planning Tables: Map paragraphs to phases, claims, evidence, and thesis linkage
• Primary Source Requirements: Rules for evidence inventory and citation practices
• Expanded Self-Check Checklist: Structure, evidence, and completeness checks

These apply to ALL essay types. Check before any specific rules.

Rule: Every factual claim must be verifiable.

Elaboration: Don't invent dates, statistics, or events. If uncertain, mark for verification. Applicants lose credibility from a single factual error.

Example:

• BAD: "Professor Smith's 2019 paper on graph algorithms..."
• CHECK: Verify paper exists, verify year, verify it's about graph algorithms
• GOOD: [After verification] "Professor Smith's 2021 paper on shortest-path algorithms..."

Rule: Every quote must be checked against the original source.

Elaboration: Misquoted professors, misattributed ideas, or paraphrased-as-quoted text damages trust. When in doubt, paraphrase instead of quote.

Example:

• BAD: Professor Wong said, "Talk to people more." [Did they say exactly this?]
• CHECK: Find original source, verify exact wording
• GOOD: Professor Wong emphasized the value of conversation over formal interviews.

Rule: Never fabricate experiences, achievements, or reflections the writer hasn't expressed.

Elaboration: When writer input is needed, use placeholders. The writer must provide: specific research interests, personal reflections, lessons learned, connections between experiences.

Example:

[WRITER: What specific lesson did you take from this experience?

Example style: "I learned to survey literature first—we could have saved weeks"

Your version: _______________]

Rule: Every sentence must relate explicitly to adjacent sentences.

Elaboration: If the connection isn't clear, add transitional language. Readers shouldn't have to infer how ideas connect.

Example:

• BAD: "I studied algorithms. Cambridge has a strong theory group."
• GOOD: "I studied algorithms. This interest drew me to Cambridge's theory group."

Rule: Cut phrases that add no meaning.

Elaboration: These phrases signal weak writing and waste word count.

Remove:

• "I hope to..." → "I aim to" / "I intend to"
• "more importantly" → [delete]
• "In particular" → [delete or be specific]
• "which I took the summer after my second year" → [resume has dates]
• "incredibly exciting" → [be specific about what excites]

Rule: Use active voice unless passive is specifically justified.

Elaboration: Passive voice obscures agency and weakens impact.

Example:

• BAD: "It was learned that research requires persistence"
• GOOD: "I learned that research requires persistence"

Rule: If a paragraph can become one sentence without losing meaning, compress it.

Elaboration: Verbosity buries ideas. Force radical reduction to find the core.

Example:

• BEFORE (3 paragraphs): Discussion of dopamine, YouTube, vlogs, why vlogging works
• AFTER (2 sentences): "Laptop open, I resisted YouTube, the vlogs and dopamine. Yet my mind wondered—vloggers record unpolished moments for the public, yes, but for themselves too."

When providing essay feedback:

Structure:

• One focused paragraph per issue
• Quote problematic text, then commentary
• Maximum 3-4 issues per session

Format:

[Issue name]: "[quoted essay text]"

[Single paragraph: problem + suggested fix, 3-5 sentences max]

Priority order:

1. Missing forward projection
2. Circular narrative gaps
3. Weak openings
4. Weak/multiple throughlines
5. Abstract language without concrete moments
6. Structural problems

These signal weak throughlines in ANY essay type:

• "I learned a lot"
• "This experience shaped me"
• "I'm passionate about"
• "This taught me the importance of"
• "I've always been deeply interested"

Response: Push for specificity. What exactly? How specifically?