Revise Five Times (then Revise Five Times (then proofread)proofread)

Pointers on written assignments when you lack time

The Five Revisions

Content and EmphasisContent and Emphasis

If you have time for only one revision

go over content and emphasis

Aspects of the content and Aspects of the content and emphasis revisionemphasis revision

Make sure all information is included in the Make sure all information is included in the paperpaper

Cut down on unneeded detailCut down on unneeded detail

Highlight the important ideasHighlight the important ideas

““deemphasize the less important ideas”deemphasize the less important ideas”

ClarityClarity

If you have time for two revisions then If you have time for two revisions then check for clarity.check for clarity.

Aspects of the Clarity revisionAspects of the Clarity revision

Do you have logical organization (does it Do you have logical organization (does it help the reader understand the message.help the reader understand the message.

Are the sentences easily understood.Are the sentences easily understood.

Do you have good transitions from Do you have good transitions from paragraph to paragraph.paragraph to paragraph.

CorrectnessCorrectness

If you have time for three revisions check If you have time for three revisions check for correctness.for correctness.

Aspects of the Correctness revisionAspects of the Correctness revision

Look for problems in grammar, word Look for problems in grammar, word choice, spelling, punctuation and sentence choice, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.structure.

BrevityBrevity

If you have time for four revisions look at If you have time for four revisions look at Brevity.Brevity.

Aspects of the Brevity revisionAspects of the Brevity revision

““Try to shorten wordy phrases” and Try to shorten wordy phrases” and eliminate unnecessary sentences.eliminate unnecessary sentences.

““Combine or delete unimportant ideas”Combine or delete unimportant ideas”

Concentrate on the focus of the paperConcentrate on the focus of the paper

StyleStyle

If you have time for 5 revisions then look If you have time for 5 revisions then look at styleat style

In technical writing this usually is not In technical writing this usually is not needed.needed.

In other types of writing this is important to In other types of writing this is important to make your paper is consistent with other make your paper is consistent with other papers you have written.papers you have written.

Final Step: ProofreadFinal Step: Proofread

Make sure to correct errors caused by Make sure to correct errors caused by human and computer errors such as human and computer errors such as spelling that the spell checker missed as spelling that the spell checker missed as being wrong.being wrong.

Fix computer formatting problemsFix computer formatting problems

Finally if you have the luxury have a Finally if you have the luxury have a colleague read your paper.colleague read your paper.