Revising and Editing TRANSFORMING YOUR PAPER FOR YOUR AUDIENCE COPYRIGHT LISA MCNEILLEY, 2010

Revising for Your Reader Your first draft is for YOU to get your ideas on paper. Your revised draft is for your READER. Make it interesting easy to understand compelling persuasive

Basic Operations Add material Delete material Move sentences/paragraphs Reword sentences to clarify and add focus

Focus of Revision Thesis/ rest of the paper Structure of the essay Content and Ideas Shift from writer to reader

Match Between Thesis and Content Thesis: Is it clear? Does it reflect the paper? What does this have to do with my purpose?

Structure of Paper Outline: Did I use the best organizing strategy? Does my outline reflect the strategy? Does the outline match my paper? Use key words in the margin to locate patterns, repetition, ideas that go together.

Paragraph Structure About five sentences long Unified in topicnamed in topic sentence Supported with evidence and details Generally follow two structures (in following slides)

Paragraph Structure Option 1 [Transition] Topic Sentence 2-3 items of support Explanation

Paragraph Structure Option 2 Topic Sentence 1st item of support Explanation Transition 2nd item of support Explanation …

Clarity of Ideas What am I trying to say here? What I really mean is…

Example of Improving Clarity Better laws, because of the inadequacies of current laws and the ways that no one is able to enforce them because there really isnt anyone entirely responsible, are important because they would improve enforcement. Current laws are not adequate because there is no accountability for enforcement. There is a need for new laws.

Support of Your Ideas Is there enough? Too much? Is it specific? Is it clearly related to my topic sentence? Is it vivid?

Language/Style/Tone: Appeal to Readers Is it appropriate to my reader? Is it too informal? Do I avoid contraction? Does language reflect passion, emotion, intensity?

Language/Style/Tone: Appeal to Readers, contd Is it wordy? Do sentences flow? By beginning with the first step and going through the entire process, the first step is complicated.

Editing: The Final Stage Sentence and word level issues. Correcting grammar Choosing the best wordsconsider connotations Varying sentence structure Language at word level Precise and specific Avoid jargon and clichés Avoid bias

Editing Tips Look things up. Know your errors. Check pronoun and verb usage. Look for run-ons and fragments.

Proofreading Proofreading deals with mechanics of writing. Double check names, titles, numbers, quotes. Check spelling yourself Read backwards. Read out loud.

Last Chance Remember to think of your reader! Read your paper out loud.