1. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: REVISION
Welcome to Effective Writing 1- CM 107
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: REVISION
Unit 7 Seminar

2. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM UNITS 1-6?

3. SCHEDULE YOUR TIME
Make a schedule for drafting and stick as closely to it as possible.
Do not write the entire essay in one sitting.
You can do it all if you begin now! 

4. REMEMBER THE PROCESS . . .
The most common way students get “lost” in the essay is by not following the process for writing.
The topic, thesis, and outline have been parts of this process.
The draft and receiving feedback will be important parts of the same process; all this work is connected.
Take time to make time; create a schedule for your work so that you can juggle all the responsibilities in your life.

5. SEEKING HELP
Ask for help when you need it!  Your instructor is eager to help, but many times cannot help on the day before a project is due because there is not enough time.
Also use the Kaplan Writing Center as part of your writing process from beginning to final draft.
What other helpers, resources, and “amulets” exist?

6. DRAFTING Let’s look at how one student organized her work.
On the next page, you’ll see a highlighted paragraph. The functions of each paragraph have been highlighted as:
1: Topic Sentence
2: Supporting Details
3. Closing Sentence

7. BODY PARAGRAPHS
Example body paragraph (thesis key point 1): topic sentence, support, closing sentence
At the outset, Internet publishing promises writers powerful representation from major book vendors. For example, many Internet publishers have deals with industry giants such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon. In exchange for shared royalties, these booksellers list, promote, and sell both self-published and so-called “virtual reads” to their customer base (Lowell, 2005). This powerful marketing tool means that a writer can self-publish while having the selling advantage of those who have waited a long time to find print-publishing acceptance. This advantage can be attractive, as seen in the over 59 percent increase in self-published and electronic books (Lowell, 2005). As more booksellers agree to sign on for print-on-demand and e-book partnerships, the reading world can expect more authors to take this virtual publishing route.

8. What is the differenc e between revising and editing?

9. REVISING

10. review the structure, audience, and purpose
Step 1: Review each body paragraph of the essay:
Check the structure
Check the topic, supporting, and closing sentences for expression
Check the evidence
Consider the modes used/that could be used (PREFACTS)
Step 2: Review the introduction:
Check the two main parts of an introduction
Check the three functions of an introduction
Step 3: Review the conclusion:
Check the two main parts of a conclusion
Check the three functions of a conclusion
Step 4: Consider your target audience
Step 5: Review the purpose

11. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR REVISING A PAPER?
Revising means “to look at [the content] again.
Focus on the ideas and their expression
Read out loud
Get away for a while
Use a helpful acronym:
ARMS: Add? Remove? Move? Substitute?
FACT: Fit? Add? Cut? Test?
Use invention strategies
Review discarded ideas (e.g., the “trash” file)
Any other successful strategies?

12. WHAT IS EDITING? WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR EDITING A PAPER?
Get away for a while
Read it out loud
Make your words work!
Check the last word in sentences. Are they working?
Don’t be boring!
Add variety in diction and syntax
Use parallelism
Check coherence (e.g., transitions)
Check for punctuation—under use and over use
Don’t be “Double-Preposition Man/Woman”
Check for typos and wrong words
Avoid lapsing into the informal first or second person in an academic paper. Narrating your internal thought process should also be avoided.
Avoid unnecessary jawbreaker words and “triangulation strangulation.”
Other tips?

13. PROOFREADING VERSUS SPELL CHECK
Spell check is a good first pass of your document, but it should not be relied on to catch every error. For example, spell check won’t catch misused words, only misspelled words.
The same goes for Noodletools and other writing resources.
They are good tools, but you must be the one who knows how to use them.

14. Defiantly or Definitely?
MISUSED WORDS
Homophones—words that sound the same but have different spellings
Homonyms—words that sound the same and look the same. However, they have different meanings.
Since the words sound alike but have different meanings, homophones won’t usually be caught by spell check.
I or eye?
Its or it’s
Defiantly or Definitely?

15. EXAMPLES Examples of these words are:
-affect vs. effect      elicit vs. illicit   
-there, their, they're lead vs. led
-too, two, to            may be vs. maybe
-then vs. than          principal vs. principle
-loose vs. lose          desert vs. dessert

16. DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCES IN THESE PAIRS?
Most stores (except/accept) American Express.
The (affect/effect) of the storm was frightening.
Carmen is (already/all ready) in class.
Marcus is under the (allusion/illusion) that he is famous.

17. AS YOU EDIT . . .
Keep in mind that a sentence does not have to be brief to be effective; long sentences can be worthwhile, too.
In fact, an essay’s sentence length and structure should vary.
Some sentences should be brief and others should be longer.
Punctuation and the “sound” of sentences should vary.
However, every word should be necessary.

18. PARAGRAPH WITH TOO MANY SHORT SENTENCES
Autism may be caused by injections. Specifically, the injections given to infants are suspect. Booster shots for tetanus, measles, and Diphtheria may contain thermasol. Thermasol is a preservative made with mercury (Tyson, 2004). Preservatives are added to give the drugs a longer shelf life. Some bodies are not able to process mercury. This may put those people at risk for developing autism at “a rate of more than 500%, particularly those with a familial tendency toward autism” (Jackson, 2006, p.7).

19. PARAGRAPH WITH TOO MANY LONG SENTENCES
It seems impossible to not see the link between injections for children and the rise of autism in our country. Because American children receive a host of preventative inoculations such as measles/mumps/rubella, diphtheria/tetanus, chicken pox, and hepatitis, many experts believe the quality and quantity of the injections are problematic in the long term. With millions of dollars of profit at risk, pharmaceutical companies are choosing to include a mercury preservative that gives these injections a longer shelf life. Thermasol, the mercury preservative in question, leaves a residue behind in the system, and in particular the nervous system (Tyson, 2004). Interrupting the way the way the brain and nerves grow puts people at risk for developing autism at “a rate of more than 500%, particularly those with a familial tendency toward autism” (Jackson, 2006, p.7).

20. PARAGRAPH WITH A BALANCE
It seems impossible to not see the link between injections for children and the rise of autism in our country. Specifically, the injections given to infants are suspect. Because American children receive a host of preventative inoculations such as measles/mumps/rubella, diphtheria/tetanus, chicken pox, and hepatitis, many experts believe the quality and quantity of the injections are problematic in the long term. Thermasol is a preservative made with mercury (Tyson, 2004). Preservatives are added to give the drugs a longer shelf life. Some bodies are not able to process mercury and the nervous system suffers. Interrupting the way the way the brain and nerves grow puts people at risk for developing autism at “a rate of more than 500%, particularly those with a familial tendency toward autism” (Jackson, 2006, p.7).

21. WHAT QUESTIONS ARE THERE ON APA STYLE AND FORMAT?

22. ARE THERE ANY REMAINING QUESTIONS OR TIPS ON REVISING OR EDITING?
Class
Mike

23. Thank you for a great seminar!
Have a wonderful week!
Mike