Three stages of rewriting: Revising, Editing, Proofing Revising: reorganizing, moving text around, reworking paragraphs and sections Revising: reorganizing, moving text around, reworking paragraphs and sections Editing: making sentence-level corrections Editing: making sentence-level corrections Proofing: making final corrections for word-choice, punctuation, spacing, format consistency Proofing: making final corrections for word-choice, punctuation, spacing, format consistency

Revising: Start with the big picture: content and organization. Are the subsections somewhat balanced in length? Are the subsections somewhat balanced in length? – if not, you may want to reorganize. Let computers help you, but understand the limitations. Let computers help you, but understand the limitations. –Use print preview to check paragraph lengths.

Editing your writing The cost of the filtration program was found by the design team to be justified if it resulted in a greater efficiency in the performance of the instrument. The cost of the filtration program was found by the design team to be justified if it resulted in a greater efficiency in the performance of the instrument. –Problems:-unnecessary passive voice -unclear pronoun reference - a string of prepositional phrases - a string of prepositional phrases

Editing Exercise The cost of the filtration program was found by the design team to be justified if it resulted in a greater efficiency in the performance of the instrument. The cost of the filtration program was found by the design team to be justified if it resulted in a greater efficiency in the performance of the instrument.

Editing: pruning The cost of the filtration program was found by the design team to be justified if it resulted in a greater efficiency in the performance of the instrument. The cost of the filtration program was found by the design team to be justified if it resulted in a greater efficiency in the performance of the instrument. The design team found that the cost of the filtration program would be justified if the instrument performed more efficiently. The design team found that the cost of the filtration program would be justified if the instrument performed more efficiently.

Also check these out: pronoun reference (“it” and “this”) pronoun reference (“it” and “this”) subject-verb agreement subject-verb agreement

Editing Strategies Decide whether you are more successful and comfortable editing online or in hard copy. Decide whether you are more successful and comfortable editing online or in hard copy. Get someone else to read particularly troublesome sections. Focus their attention. Get someone else to read particularly troublesome sections. Focus their attention. Read out loud. Read out loud. Keep TOC updated. Keep TOC updated. Use the spell checker but also proofread. Use the spell checker but also proofread. Use grammar checkers for what they can do. Use grammar checkers for what they can do.

Grammar Checkers: do they work? Their is a tavern in the town. Their is a tavern in the town. –Word 6:Consider there or theirs instead of their –Word 98:there –Word 2000:there –Word 2003:Order of words (their is); consider revising. –Word XP:(changed to “there” without even being asked)

Another Example And they’re my true love sits him down. And they’re my true love sits him down. –Word 6:Consider sets instead of sits Don’t start sentence with and. Don’t start sentence with and. Consider replacing they’re with Consider replacing they’re with they are. they are. –Word 98:No suggestions –Word 2000:No suggestions –Word 2003:No suggestions –Word XP:No suggestions

Proof Reading with Power Allow time after editing. Allow time after editing. Check whatever comes in pairs (quotation marks, etc.). Check whatever comes in pairs (quotation marks, etc.). Remember that mistakes tend to cluster. Remember that mistakes tend to cluster. Turn document upside down to check spacing. Turn document upside down to check spacing. Consider reading backwards. Consider reading backwards.

Most Important Tip Allow time in between revising, editing, and proofreading. Take breaks! Allow time in between revising, editing, and proofreading. Take breaks!