REVISION CHECKLIST
IDEAS It’s easy to tell what the main idea is. You won’t have to guess. Details expand my main idea and add interest. I avoided generalities and common knowledge. I know my topic well. You will learn something from my paper.
Examples: Write small. Don’t write about baseball. Write about the time you hit a home run when you thought you were going to strike out. Include details that paint a picture. Don’t say you saw a dog going down the street. Say you saw a limping black Labrador hobbling down the sidewalk, sniffing for leftovers. Have a strong main idea. “All about cats” is a weak idea because it’s too big. Get in focus: “Cats make the best pets because they are affectionate and independent.
Organization I stick with my topic–I don’t wander down “side roads”. My lead will hook you. It sets up what follows. The pattern fits, so my writing is easy to follow, like a good road map. Transitions build bridges between ideas. My conclusion brings everything to closure and leaves you thinking.
Example: Grab your readers with a strong lead. Never begin, “This will be a story about driving a truck.” Get your readers’ attention: “I could barely see over the dash and I couldn’t reach the pedals- but I was driving Dad’s truck.” Put ideas in order. If you find yourself writing, “Oh, I should have told you about the man-eating tiger” you need to put your details in a better order! Leave readers hungry for more with a strong ending. Don’t write. “Well, that’s all I have to say about summer camp.” Instead, write, “Despite being eaten alive by mosquitoes and nearly dying of poison ivy, I am enrolling in next year’s camp. I guess I enjoy suffering.”
Voice This sounds like me. It's distinctive and individual. You will want to share my writing aloud. I like this topic-and it shows! My writing is full of energy and life. This voice is just right for my audience and purpose.
Examples: Be yourself. Your writing should sound like you, no one else. Never sound bored. Don’t write, “So mushrooms are kind of interesting.” Instead, write, “Mushrooms come in hundreds of shapes and colors, and if you can’t tell them apart, they just might poison you!” Connect with your audience. Instead of writing “Computers are important in our lives,” try writing, “What would you do if you couldn’t use a computer for a whole year?”
Word Choice Every word I choose makes sense. The way I use words helps make the meaning clear. Strong verbs give my writing a boost of power. Sensory words help my readers see, feel, hear, taste, or smell things. My writing is clutter-free—I cut what was not needed.
Examples: Avoid old tired words: nice, good, fun, stuff, all that, you know, I mean, really, very. Use words correctly. Don’t write, “I felt impaled by his bad manners.” Write “I feel appalled by his bad manners.” Use a common word in a new way: “His couch had so much lint on the cushions that it appeared to have a bad case of dandruff.”
Sentence Fluency My writing is smooth and natural–easy to read with expression. Sentences range from short and snappy to long and graceful. My sentence beginnings are varied, and I avoided run-ons. If I used dialogue, it sounds like real people speaking.
Example: Don’t make all sentences the same length or you’ll put your reader to sleep. Don’t write, “I like school. I like it a lot. I like math. I like reading. I like writing.” How boring! Write instead, “Though I like most school subjects, reading, writing and math are my favorites.” Vary sentence beginnings with words and phrases like Nevertheless, Although, Meanwhile, In addition, Next, After a time, On the other hand… and so forth. Read your writing aloud to yourself when you have finished your draft. Is it smooth? Did you leave any words out? Did you repeat any words too many times?
Conventions You’d have to hunt to find errors in my paper. I checked all conventions, top to bottom. I read this paper aloud-and silently-to track down any errors. This writing is ready to publish without further editing.
Example: Check your spelling. Use a spell checker if you have one on your computer, but don’t count on it totally. A spell checker doesn’t know, for instance, if you meant to use the word to, too or two! Check punctuation by reading out loud. Read slowly and with expression so you can tell when there are pauses (commas and periods), questions (question marks), strong statements (exclamation marks) or direct quotations (quotation marks). If you aren’t sure about grammar, capital letters, or paragraphs, use a good handbook to look up the information you need. Always check it out!