Process Writing: Revision and Editing

Expository Writing

STOP!

*Note: Complete this lecture ONLY AFTER you have submitted your Essay AND received comments back from your peer editor(s) and/or your instructor.

**Note: Much of the material for this lecture can be found in SSW, Chapter 4. Please follow along in your text.

Why Revise?

Revision, ugh. You’ve already written your paper, right? And you’ve spent a lot of time making sure it was a good first draft.

Why should you spend more time revising? Isn’t that just a waste of time when you could be doing other things?

Well, no.

Even the best writers improve their work by revising.

Revising gives you the opportunity to think about what you have written and how you have attempted to prove your point, and then to make adjustments to your story or argument.

Your text suggests that “To revise successfully, you need to control your ego and your fear and become your own first critical reader.

Set aside natural feelings of accomplishment…and dread....

Instead recognize that revision offers an opportunity to upgrade your strong features and strengthen your weak ones” (54-55).

What is Revision?

What exactly is revision? Revision is different from editing or proofreading. When you revise, look at the bigger issues that exist within a paper. Consider the whole draft; therefore, content should be your first concern. Start by revising at the whole-essay-level. Check out what your text says about the acronym FACT.

FACT?

•Does everything fit together and stick to the central idea? Cut sections that don’t fit or rework them so that they do.

F = Fit•Add

missing details that will make the draft much more appealing and comprehensive to the reader.

A = Add

•Cut material that doesn’t add to the essay, especially repetitive statements.

C = Cut

•Test the organization of your essay to be certain that the story flows from one idea to the next.

T = Test

Whole-Essay Revision…

Take a look at how the sample student essay on pp. 58-59 has been revised. Now take a look at your own paper. Regardless of the comments you received from your instructor or your peer editor, what changes, additions, or cuts would you like to make to your draft? Mark those changes on the draft itself or jot down your ideas on a separate piece of paper or on your computer.

Paragraph Revision…Once you have considered the whole-essay-level of content revision, focus your efforts on paragraph-level revision.

Notice the “Revision Checklist for Paragraphs” located on p. 63.

Moving paragraph to paragraph, check your draft with the items on the checklist and determine where improvements might be made.

Mark the places where you want to make improvements.

Remember that with any paper, and especially with an illustrative essay, details are essential.

Sentence-Level Revision…

Next, look at sentence-level revision. Use the “Revision Checklist for Sentences” on p. 65. Working from this checklist will ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and effective.

Working through your draft, check to be sure that your sentences meet the guidelines suggested.

What is Editing?When you revise, you look at the content of your essay; when you edit you examine the word choice, grammar, sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, and formatting of your paper.

It is important to proofread carefully.

It is also a good idea to take your draft to the Writing Center for assistance if you feel you need more help.

Your text states that, “Effective proofreading calls for you to assume a detective role and probe for errors that weaken your writing” (73).

Note that you will receive extra credit points on your finished drafts if you have visited the Writing Center or attended a Write-Wise Wednesday workshop during the writing process.

Edit for errors…

Work through your draft again, this time editing for grammatical and sentence structure errors.

Go slowly and strive to be deliberate.

Well Done!

*Note: Once you have finished this lecture and made revisions to your essay, you may submit your new and improved draft through Safe Assign.

Congratulations! Your paper is complete.

As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Works Cited

Reinking, James A. and Robert von der Osten. Strategies for Successful Writing, Ninth Ed. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011.