The Essay Revising and Editing

Writing the Essay Writing a First Draft Revision Editing

Writing the First Draft  You will most likely add to what you wrote during prewriting.  Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling yet.

Revision Definition: Rewriting a paper, building on what has already been done in order to make it stronger

Quick Hints to Make Revisions Easier  Set it aside for at least a day.  Work from typed or printed text.  Read it aloud to yourself.  Add your thoughts and changes directly on the paper.

Three Stages to the Revising Process  Revising Content  Revising Sentences

Revising Content  Is my paper UNIFIED?  Is my paper SUPPORTED?  Is my paper ORGANIZED?

Unified?  Do I have a thesis that is clearly stated or implied in the introductory paragraph of my essay?  Do all my supporting paragraphs truly support and back up my thesis?

Supported?  Are there three separate supporting points for the thesis?  Do I have specific evidence for each of the three supporting points? Is there plenty of specific evidence for each supporting point?

Organized?  Do I have an interesting introduction, a solid conclusion, and an accurate title?  Do I have a clear method of organizing my paper?  Do I use transitions and other connecting words?

Editing the Essay

Editing Definition: Checking for and correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Eliminating these types of mistakes will improve your paper and your grade! FYI!

The Independent Clause  Has subject, verb, and a complete thought. Example: John went to town. The Dependent Clause  Has subject, verb, and does NOT complete a thought. Example: When John went to town…

Run-On Sentences A run-on sentence incorrectly runs together two independent clauses without a conjunction or punctuation. EXAMPLE: My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon. My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old. He plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.

Comma Splices A comma splice incorrectly joins two independent clauses with a comma but no conjunction. EXAMPLE: My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old, he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon. My neighbor Mr. Hoffman is seventy-five years old, and he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon.

Fragments A fragment is a group of words punctuated like a sentence but missing one of the important elements to make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, or a complete thought. EXAMPLE: Running along the beach.