Revising and EditingTRANSFORMING YOUR PAPER

FOR YOUR AUDIENCE

COPYRIGHT LISA MCNEILLEY, 2010

Revising for Your Reader

Your first draft is for YOU to get your ideas on paper.

Your revised draft is for your READER.

Make itinterestingeasy to understandcompellingpersuasive

Basic Operations

Add material

Delete material

Move sentences/paragraphs

Reword sentences to clarify and add focus

Focus of Revision

Thesis/ rest of the paper

Structure of the essay

Content and Ideas

Shift from writer to reader

Match Between Thesis and Content

Thesis: Is it clear? Does it reflect the paper?

What does this have to do with my purpose?

Structure of Paper

Outline: Did I use the best organizing strategy?

Does my outline reflect the strategy?

Does the outline match my paper?

Use key words in the margin to locate patterns, repetition, ideas that go together.

Paragraph Structure

About five sentences long

Unified in topic—named in topic sentence

Supported with evidence and details

Generally follow two structures (in following slides)

Paragraph Structure

Option 1

[Transition]

Topic Sentence

2-3 items of support

Explanation

Paragraph Structure

Option 2

Topic Sentence

1st item of support

Explanation

Transition

2nd item of support

Explanation …

Clarity of Ideas

What am I trying to say here?

What I really mean is…

Example of Improving Clarity

Better laws, because of the inadequacies of current laws and the ways that no one is able to enforce them because there really isn’t anyone entirely responsible, are important because they would improve enforcement.

Current laws are not adequate because there is no accountability for enforcement. There is a need for new laws.

Support of Your Ideas

Is there enough? Too much?

Is it specific?

Is it clearly related to my topic sentence?

Is it vivid?

Language/Style/Tone:Appeal to Readers

Is it appropriate to my reader?

Is it too informal? Do I avoid contraction?

Does language reflect passion, emotion, intensity?

Language/Style/Tone:Appeal to Readers, cont’d

Is it wordy?

Do sentences flow?

By beginning with the first step and going through the entire process, the first step is complicated.

Editing: The Final Stage Sentence and word level issues.Correcting grammarChoosing the best words—consider

connotationsVarying sentence structureLanguage at word level Precise and specific Avoid jargon and clichés Avoid bias

Editing Tips

Look things up.

Know your errors.

Check pronoun and verb usage.

Look for run-ons and fragments.

Proofreading

Proofreading deals with mechanics of writing.

Double check names, titles, numbers, quotes.

Check spelling yourself

Read backwards.

Read out loud.

Last Chance

Remember to think of your reader!

Read your paper out loud.