Revising/editing A LITERARY ANALYSIS Revision is altering what you say (aka ARMS) Do I follow the elements of blueprint- TAG, thread, intro/conclusion elements? Is my thesis/claim succinct? Do I then present the best examples and arguments to validate it? Do I include and set up my excerpts? Do I repeat the quote or “use” it? Is there a clear balance of insights/opinions of your own, in addition the specific evidence? Editing is more about conventions and how you say it The obvious stuff -periods, title/title, no symbols, etc. The not so obvious tuff the spell check might not catch -homophones, repeated/missing words Scan and find all verbs –they need to be present tense if discussing plot! Double check citation rules (in-text and works cited, long/block quotes, etc)

ARMS …a simple way to improve an essay A (add) Missing task items, excerpts to further argument, details/descriptions or any content related items R (remove) Unnecessary repetitions, unimportant excerpts, off task/topic information M (move) Sentence structure for variety/style, paragraphs for emphasis, idea order for a logical flow S (substitute) Overused words, weak verbs with strong verbs, better adjectives, generic words…for style and/or clarity