1. Presented by the UTA English Writing Center
Be Your Own Editor
Presented by the UTA English Writing Center
Updated 06/18/2015 SPT

2. Hosted by English Writing Center www.uta.edu/owl
A Division of the Department of English
Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts

3. Presented by: The Writing Center Executive Staff
Workshop Leaders
Presented by: The Writing Center Executive Staff

4. Common Myths
Revising means that I failed with my first draft and so I must rewrite.
Revising means checking grammar or using spellcheck on my word processor.
Revising means I have to “build one sentence at a time” and write the perfect sentence(s).

5. Common Fears
“I work so hard when I write that I don’t want to throw any of it away.”
“When I revise, I make things worse. I do my best without revising.”
“It will take too long and I have a deadline.”
“I no longer agree with my main point, so I have to start over.”

6. Revising vs. Editing
Revising Editing… Although they seem similar, they are very different processes!
Revising: reading and changing one’s work with the aim of “improving or correcting.”
Editing: polishing one’s work by correcting errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, spelling and formatting.
Revising deals with global concerns, while editing deals with local concerns. Always start with revising!

7. Global vs. Local
Global concerns address the “big picture” including thesis, support, organization, paragraph structure, audience, and purpose.
Local concerns address the details including sentence structure, word choice, grammar errors, and mechanics.

8. Purpose and Audience
The first step in revising your writing project begins with re-evaluating purpose and audience.

9. Purpose and Audience Common Writing Projects in Graduate School:
Abstract – word summary of your argument.
Literature Review – 5-15 page analysis of research materials, their main arguments, and the intersections and diversions between sources.
Conference Paper – 8-10 page presentation of research, findings, and/or argument to be explored in larger work.
Prospectus – page document that proposes and outlines a research project.
Thesis – page extended research project on a specific, focused subject.
Dissertation – page extended research project on a specific, focused subject.

10. Purpose and Audience
Use language specific to that purpose and audience (but beware of jargon!). Make your address clear by offering metacommentary as needed.
Can you tell the purpose or audience for this text?
“If you are headed to the crag today make sure you fill your rack with a range of cams and stoppers or you will have to bail your beta flash attempt. The crux includes a dyno off an arête. Make sure you flag before you dyno or you will barn door.”

11. Purpose and Audience
What about this introduction? Is the purpose and audience clear? If not, how would you improve it?
“Moving away from the representationalist trap of geometrical optics, I shift the focus to physical optics, to questions of diffraction rather than reflection. Diffractively reading the insights of feminist and queer theory and science studies approaches through one another entails thinking the ‘social’ and the ‘scientific’ together in an illuminating way… My aim is to contribute to efforts to sharpen the theoretical tool of performativity for science studies and feminist and queer theory endeavors alike…In this article, I offer an elaboration of performativity—a materialist, naturalist, and posthumanist elaboration—that allows matter its due as an active participant in the world’s becoming, in its ongoing ‘intraactivity.’ It is vitally important that we understand how matter matters.”
– Barad, Karen. “Posthumanist Performativity.” Signs 28.3 (2003):

12. The Revision Process
BEFORE you ever begin writing, schedule in time for revision. Think ahead!

13. The Revision Process
Wait a little while before revising (a day or two, perhaps). Get some distance. Then, come back with fresh eyes and read critically and objectively.
Tips:
Read your paper out loud to yourself. Does it make sense? Does it sound right?
Annotate your paper as you would assigned reading materials.
“Think Big, Don’t Tinker”: Only mark global concerns.

14. The Revision Process
Do not be afraid to condense sections, cut paragraphs, add a new paragraph or section, and/or significantly revise your thesis, topic sentences, or support.

15. The Revision Process
If you are still unsure about your revisions, get a second opinion – ask a friend/colleague to read and provide feedback or visit the Writing Center.

16. The Editing Process
Always begin with revisions, never begin with editing. Why? Because you don’t want to spend hours perfecting sentences that you may end up cutting later.
Once you’re satisfied with the revisions, focus on more detailed, specific concerns including
Word choice
Passive/active voice
Punctuation
Sentence structure
Formatting and/or Citations

17. The Editing Process
Shift around phrases and words to improve cohesion; use a dictionary or thesaurus to find the right word or phrase for more specific and accurate meaning.

18. The Editing Process
Be careful of wordiness. Edit out words you don’t need. Be specific, detailed, and to the point. This will also help you condense.

19. The Editing Process
Use active voice rather than passive. Cut out/replace “to be” verbs such as is, was, were, are, etc. Use descriptive verbs for more accurate, vivid language.

20. The Editing Process
Correct grammar such as sentence structure errors (run-ons, fragments) and punctuation errors (commas, semi-colons, periods, question marks).
Incorrect
Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption. Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals.
Correct
Scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption, although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals. Or
Although caffeine does cause convulsions and death in certain animals, scientists report no human deaths due to excessive caffeine consumption.

21. The Spelling Chequer Poem (or poet tree without mist takes)
The Editing Process
Use a dictionary or thesaurus to spell check… Here’s why you should never actually rely on MS Word’s Spellcheck.
The Spelling Chequer Poem
(or poet tree without mist takes)
Eye have a spelling chequer
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It came with my pea sea
It nose bee fore too late
It plainly marks four my revue
And eye can put the error rite
Miss steaks eye cannot see
Eye really fined it grate
Each thyme when I have struct the quays
I’ve run this poem threw it
I’m sure your policed to no
Eye weight four it two say
It’s letter perfect in its weigh
If watt eye rote is wrong or rite
My chequer tolled me sew
It shows me strait a weigh
– Author Unknown

22. The Editing Process
In the last and final step of the editing process, correct your formatting and citations based on the style appropriate for your course and/or discipline.

23. Writing Center Tutoring
Visit our website at
Register as a WC client for an appointment or workshop at
We can help you at any stage of the writing process. However, we do not “fix” your paper; instead, we provide thoughtful feedback and facilitate discussions to help you grow and improve as a writer.

24. Upcoming Workshops
GrammarShops We will be offering weekly grammar workshops this semester covering various grammatical concepts. Check our schedule ( or our calendar ( for days and times.