Revising and Editing Tips for Parents Parent Education Night

Before You Read Before reading, take a second to look at the assignment that needs to be edited/revised. Does the assignment physically meet the length/page requirement? If it is on paper, is the writing even readable? If it is on a computer, are there a number of words underlined in red, blue, green, etc.,?

The First Read When attempting to edit and revise a paper, the first step should be a cold read. A cold read means you read it without trying to be a critic. Many kids stress on their writing being read by others because they are afraid of critiques. A cold read also allows you to understand what the paper is about without getting distracted by mistakes.

Revising and Editing Revising is the step that the parents, teachers, and peers should make. Editing is what the author needs to do. It is very important that a student’s work isn’t corrected and changed by the person who revises the paper. Let the student be aware of what the mistakes were and let them be the ones who physically change them. Give them explanations of their mistakes.

Looking For Mistakes The hardest part of revising is knowing whether something is a mistake or not. A computer will assist in identifying many types of mistakes, but not all of them. It does allow you to get a strong idea of what is wrong. Common middle school mistakes include: Spelling Run on sentences Capitalization Punctuation Complete sentences Word choice

Common Rules The basics to look for when it comes to revising a paper can start with how it sounds. Does the paper sound grammatically correct if you read it out loud? If not, add or subtract words to make it better. Does it sound like there is a pause? If so, there should probably be a comma. Do you verbally hear mistakes? If so, correct your word choice.

Know the Assignment It’s important to know what type of writing assignment was assigned in the first place. Research papers follow a set standard of paragraph structure. Stories tend to have less specific structure but need to make sure dialogue rules are followed. Any other essays may also have their own set standards of how to give information or opinions.

Know the Child All students write in their own styles and have different ways of writing down their thoughts. Encourage their strengths while still highlighting their weaknesses. Brag about their creativity and emphasize the importance of making progress. Express the truth of how common it is to make mistakes.

Questions? Know that there are many times when you may not be sure how to help. The internet is full of great resources on the correct ways to write and use punctuation and grammar. Don’t be afraid to look up synonyms and definitions. Remember that there is always room for improvement.