What does this mean?
What happened? When did it occur?
Why did it happen, or why did I want it to happen?
Why do I believe or want this?
How does this work?
How did/does this happen?
Who am I talking about?
Why am I talking about it/her/him/them?
Why is this important to tell, to know?
What else is important about this idea/detail/point?
How could I help my audience see this more clearly?
What details could I include to make this clearer?
What background/context/history would help to make this clearer or more interesting?
Why am I saying this?
Why am I interested in talking about this, about telling this to my reader?
What?
Why?
How?
When?
What are the details?
This list is also great to use when you are asked by colleagues to evaluate their essays. As you read their essays, keep this list nearby and run through the list whenever you come across a passage which seems underdeveloped or unclear. Don't just moan that something is unclear, try to help them find details, examples or alternative wording which would solve the problem or SHORE up the weakness.

You should receive a hard copy of this list from your tutor. If that hasn't happened yet, ask for it or print the list off this page. If you don't know how to do this...