THE INS AND OUTS OF

EDITING AND REVISING

Dr. Ryan Allen

Assistant Professor of English & Writing

Director, Writing Center

Briar Cliff University

ryan.allen@briarcliff.edu

712-279-5211

Why Editing and Revising? Why Now?

Editing and revising is important because communication is a process, whether written, spoken, played, or thought. Miles Davis doesn’t produce The Birth of Cool without hitting

a few bad notes in the process. Ernest Hemingway once noted he had to revise the last page

of one of his novels 60+ times. Lance Armstrong falls off his bike every now and again, Tony

Hawk wrecks on his skateboard. Translation: WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES! Editing and revising is about learning to recognize and

implement successful strategies for effective drafting at the word, sentence, paragraph, essay, and APA/MLA/Chicago levels.

Overview

Editing and revising, in its simplest sense, involves: Cutting/Adding /Changing material

Revision includes the following processes: take something out add something rearrange the order of presenting information substitute something by taking something out and putting

something in its place replacing entire sections starting over

Editing includes the following processes: checking for writing conventions such as punctuation,

spelling, usage, and formatting

OWL Resources

General Proofreading Strategies http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561

/01/ Finding Common Errors

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/02/

Steps for Revising your Paper http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561

/05/ Revising for Cohesion

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/04/

Reverse Outlining http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/689

/01/

Some Questions to Ask of Your Writing

Evaluate your Draft Does the paper or project meet the assignment

requirements? Do you have a clear focus? Are your main points adequately developed? Is your organization effective? Do you consider your potential readers’

knowledge and points of view? Do you represent yourself effectively?

Brief Reminders

Rewriting Strategies Keep audience in mind Sharpen focus wherever possible Adequately define terms Check links between paragraphs Consider your title, intro, and conclusion.

Resources to Examine

Drafting tips: http://www.arc.sbc.edu/roughdraft.html

Sequential strategies for drafting: http://www.unc.edu/~twtaylor/success.html

Knowing the difference between editing and revising: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/

revision.html

Valuable Punctuation Resources http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resour

ce/566/01/ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resour

ce/566/02/

5 Levels of Editing & Revising1. Essay Level2. Paragraph Level3. Sentence Level4. Word Level5. Citation Level

Essay Level

This is the most macro level of editing and revising

Look at the essay in its totality Does it have a proper title page? Is there a proper heading? Are the page numbers formatted properly? Is every line double-spaced? Are paragraphs indented properly? Are the margins correct?

Essentially, ask yourself: does this essay look like it should?

QUESTIONS?

Paragraph Level

Introductory Paragraphs

Body Paragraphs

Concluding Paragraph

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/606/0/

Introductory Paragraph(s)

1st Paragraph Grab attention

Paradoxical or intriguing statement Leading question Startling fact or statistic Statement of problem Popular misconception

2nd paragraph Begin to build context

Historical/Social/Political/Cultural Backdrop Define key terms Theoretical framework Thesis statement Preview/Forecast of main points

Body Paragraphs

Are your paragraphs developed properly? Do you have a topic sentence? Do you have a main point? Do you make a claim in support or opposition of

that main point? Do you offer any evidence to support your previous

assertion? Do you have a concluding sentence that ties all of

the paragraph together? Do you have a transition that adequately bridges

what was delivered in the previous paragraph with what will be delivered in the next one?

Concluding Paragraph

Re-calibrate material from introduction Re-enlarge context Restate thesis and main points Leave reader with lasting, dominant

impression

QUESTIONS?

Sentence Level

Are all of your sentences grammatically and mechanically sound? Did you capitalize the first word of the

sentence? Did you provide the proper punctuation to

end the sentence? Did you avoid sentence fragments, run-ons,

and comma splices?

Word Level

Are you using active, and not passive voice? Ex. “The participants responded,” not “the

participants have been asked” Are you using 3rd person, and not 1st person point

of view? Ex. “The study showed that…” not “I found out

that…” Have you used clear, concise, and plain language

—it’s is all about precision. Be specific in descriptions and explanations Condense information when you can Avoid flowery language; minimize figurative language

Word Level (cont.)

Do you have effective transition words throughout essay?

For some guidance on writing effective transitions, see: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/

574/01/

QUESTIONS?

Citation Level

Is your reference page formatted properly ABC order Distinctions between book, periodical, and electronic source

citations noted Capitalization usage Italicization usage

Are your in-text citations and reference list formatted properly, whether in APA, MLA, or Chicago style?

Did you provide adequate signal words and lead-ins Good lead-ins often include:

Author’s name Year of publication Signal word(s) Title

Plagiarism Check

Make sure that all information that is not common knowledge is properly cited

Quotations and close paraphrases require: Author Year of publication Page #

Ex: (Allen, 2009, p.33) for APA MLA is a bit easier (Allen 33)

Paraphrasing

For guidance look to: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/

A paraphrase is: your own rendition of essential information and

ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form.

one legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source.

a more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.

6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full

meaning. 2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. 3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later

how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.

4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.

5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.

6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Paraphrasing Example

The following example includes a short quote taken from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., followed by examples of both unacceptable and acceptable paraphrases: “It is true that the police have exercised a degree of discipline in

handling the demonstrators. In this sense they have conducted themselves rather ‘nonviolently’ in public. But for what purpose? To preserve the evil system of segregation.” (King, 1963).

King argues that although the police have exercised some discipline in controlling the demonstrators, they have exerted control to preserve an evil system, that of segregation. Unacceptable Paraphrase (borrows too much original language)

King points out that police who showed restraint in confronting demonstrators were still upholding segregation (King, 1963). Acceptable Paraphrase

King, M.L. (1963), Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Retrieved October 20, 2008 from http://www.mlkonline.net/jail.html

Additional Resource for Final Revision

Sample Final Draft: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.pdf

Peer Review

In the course of devoting so much time to our own individual research projects, we often get tunnel vision in examining our own work

Having a peer or someone whose opinion you trust read your essay is often a great way to catch errors or problematic elements you may have overlooked

Peer Review Suggestions

1. Does the title describe the subject of the paper? Does it create interest in the subject?

2. Are the introductory paragraphs effective and relevant to the paper that follows?3. Is the thesis stated in the beginning paragraphs of paper?4. Does the writer offer support for the thesis from a variety of valid and reliable

sources?5. Does the paper go into enough detail to support the thesis, and are the details

relevant to the thesis?6. Do the arguments presented in the paper flow logically? Is the essay well

organized?7. Is the tone in the essay consistent throughout? Is the word choice varied and

appropriate throughout?8. Did you have to read some parts more than once to fully understand them?9. Are quotations properly introduced and integrated into the text?10. Are all facts and quotations that are not common knowledge documented

properly?11. Is the documentation in the correct form? 12. Is the essay free of errors of grammar and punctuation?

QUESTIONS?

FINAL EDITING AND REVISING SUGGESTION

READ YOUR ESSAY OUT LOUD!!

You may not be an expert in the written English language, but we hear and speak it all the

time.

Errors you can’t see in print you may catch when you hear them read aloud.

CONCERNS?COMPLAINTS?CRITICISMS?

Please contact the Writing Center.writing.center@briarcliff.edu

712-279-5520 Heelan Hall 050