1. Writing is a form of communication
Writing is a form of communication. It’s not just about what you say, it’s how you say it
You are communicating more than your topic/thesis. How you communicate your message says a lot about you as a writer, thinker, and student.
Don’t communicate that you don’t really care about your topic through lack of proofreading!
Don’t communicate that you are a sloppy writer!
Don’t let your reader become distracted from your message due to careless errors.

2. Proofread with an open mind.
Be willing to make changes.
Be willing to put in the time and effort.
Leave yourself plenty of time to examine your writing.
Keep your reader in mind at all times.

3. Strategies for Proofreading

4. General Strategies
Take a break! Allow yourself some time between writing and proofing. Even a five-minute break is productive because it will help you get some distance from what you have written. The goal is to return with a fresh eye and mind.
Leave yourself enough time to proofread thoroughly.
Since many errors are made by speeding through writing your paper, you should take your time to look over your writing carefully. This will help you to catch errors you might otherwise miss.
Always read through your writing slowly. If you read at a normal speed, you won't give your eyes sufficient time to spot errors..

5. Slowly read your essay aloud.
Hearing your written words may help you “hear” errors.
Prepare to read your writing several times and at different times.
To make yourself attentive to your written work, involve all senses of touch, sound, and sight.
Run your finger along the text as you read it.
Listen to someone else read your paper.
PAINFUL! But effective!
Read slowly and read only the words on the page, especially when your brain may “add” words that you meant but that may not actually be on the page.

6. Use computer spell check and grammar check—but with caution!
Don’t rely on spell check and grammar check to catch all your mistakes, or even to be 100% correct about the mistake it does catch!
Use your own knowledge and logic. If it doesn’t seem right to you, don’t change something just because grammar check says to change it!
Also, there are quite a few common proofreading errors that spell check won’t catch because they are actually words:
won’t vs wont
Can’t vs cant
Incorrectly divided words: typecast/type cast, with out/without
Wrong words: marital vs martial, impotence vs importance
Incorrect verb tense: spellcheck only checks WORDS, it doesn’t know your intent or meaning.

7. Examine the Content Examine the introduction.
Examine each body paragraph.
Examine the conclusion.
In this stage, you are checking the ideas of your research paper.

8. Introductory Paragraph
Is there a interesting opening to grab the reader’s attention?
Does this opening fit the thesis and the mood of the rest of the essay?
Have you made a smooth transition between the first line(s) and the thesis statement?
Are there any sentences that would be better moved to a body paragraph?
To put it another way, do I have too much detail in my intro?

9. Thesis Statement
Is there a thesis statement at the end of the introductory paragraph?
Does the thesis address the assignment?
Is the thesis a statement of claim about the work of literature?
Does the thesis reflect the content of the body paragraphs?

10. The Body Paragraphs
Does each body paragraph contain a topic sentence?
Do the sentences in the body develop the opening sentence?
Does each paragraph cover one main point (focusing idea)?
Are they in logical order?
Does each paragraph have a smooth ending, transitioning into the next paragraph??
Activity: Label your body paragraphs as a test to make sure they each have ONE central topic.

11. Concluding Paragraph Have you restated the thesis statement?
Have you made an overall statement concerning the points that you discussed separately in the body paragraphs?
Have you brought up a completely new point?
If so, delete it. Do not bring up new information in the conclusion
Do you leave your reader with something to consider?
Is there a feeling of closure in the last line?

12. Examine the Mechanics.

13. Check your sentence structure.
Look for:
Fragments—incomplete thoughts.
Comma splices—two sentences separated by only a comma.
Run-ons—two sentences running into each other with no separation.

14. Look for Fragments.
Remember, fragments are incomplete thoughts that should not be used in academic writing.
Examples:
It is believed that Marie Antoinette spent huge amounts of money on herself and her favorites. Helped bring on the French Revolution.
It is believed that Marie Antoinette spent huge amounts of money on herself and her favorites, and her wasteful extravagance helped bring on the French Revolution.
It is believed that Marie Antoinette spent huge amounts of money on herself and her favorites. This perception of wasteful extravagance helped bring on the French Revolution.

15. To repair a fragment, Combine two related ideas.
There are all kinds of prejudice. And discrimination.
There are all kinds of prejudice and discrimination.
The history of this issue is complex. Even though it is not often acknowledged as such.
The history of this issue is complex, even though it is not often acknowledged as such.

16. Look for comma splices.
Look for comma splices—two sentences separated by only a comma.
He was late, he had to wait for the next bus.
He was late. He had to wait for the next bus.
He was late, and he had to wait for the next bus.
Westward migration had passed over Wyoming, even the discovery of gold in nearby Montana failed to attract settlers.
Westward migration had passed over Wyoming; even the discovery of gold in nearby Montana failed to attract settlers.

17. To repair a comma splice or run-on, try one of the following:
Use a semi-colon between the two thoughts.
Use a period and a capital letter for the first word of the second sentence.
Insert a coordinating conjunction along with a comma.
Insert a subordinating conjunction to connect the two ideas.

18. Misplaced or Dangling Modifier
Check every modifier (whether a word, phrase, or clause) to make sure that it is as close as possible to the word it describes or relates to. Be on the lookout for misplaced modifiers that may confuse your readers by seeming to modify some other word, phrase, or clause.

19. Misplaced or Dangling Modifier
Take a look at this sentence: "He became the first foreigner to run for public office in 1921." This sentence means that the subject was the first foreigner among others to register for candidacy in the year However, what the writer intends to say is that the subject was the first foreigner to run for public office in the whole history of the country, and that this happened in To correct this sentence, you can write, "In 1921, he became the first foreigner to run for public office."

20. Misplaced or Dangling Modifier
In the sentence "He submitted his paper to a conference titled 'Effects of Alcohol Drinking,'" what does the title refer to, the paper or the conference? Based on the title, it SHOULD refer the title of a paper and not a conference. But the way that the sentence was constructed makes it appear as if the title applies to the conference. You can change this into "He submitted his paper titled 'Effects of Alcohol Drinking' to a conference."

21. Funny Misplaced Modifiers from Real Publications
"Plastic bags are a favorite of grocers because of their price, about 2 cents per bag compared to 5 cents for paper. Used widely since the 1970s, environmentalists now estimate between 500 billion to a trillion bags are produced annually worldwide.“
Savannah Morning News, January 30, 2008
“An hour later a chubby man in a wrinkled suit with pasty skin walked in.”
David Baldacci, The Innocent. Grand Central Publishing, 2012
"They just said it's going to rain on the radio.“
"Tiger" comic strip
"You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian composers, artists, and writers are buried daily, except on Thursdays.“
in a guide to a Russian Orthodox monastery
"After being busted on drug charges in Los Angeles last month, a federal judge will decide on Friday whether to rescind his probation and send the rapper back to prison.”
"Rapper T.I. Talks Man off Ledge." Slate, October 14, 2010

22. How to Fix Wordy and Confusing Sentences

23. Eliminating Unnecessary Words
Accepted by five different colleges, Tasha seems to be facing an apparently very difficult decision.
Accepted by five colleges, Tasha is facing a difficult decision.
It is necessary for Americans today to learn to speak more than one language.
Americans must learn to speak more than one language.
There are four large moons and more than thirty small ones that orbit the planet Jupiter.
Four large moons and more than thirty small ones orbit the planet Jupiter.

24. Revise Wordy Phrases Checklist
CONCISE
As far as ____ is concerned
At the time that
At this point in time
In spite of the fact that
In the event that
In view of the fact that
Concerning
When
Now
Although If
Because or since

25. Reminders About the Final Exam
I have elected to forgo the traditional in-class final for this class.
Instead of a traditional final, we will be doing
a class reflection essay (mandatory)
I am required to have you to produce writing for the final
an (optional) extra credit presentation on their Research Paper topic
NOTE: IT IS STILL MANDATORY TO ATTEND THE FINAL EXAM TIME ON MAY 31st

26. Grade Reports and More!
I am passing back graded homework, the Brave New World Quiz and full grade reports.
Please make note of your grades on individual assignments (especially Essays 1 and 2) as well as your total grade
If you see a code REWR in place of one of the Essay grades, COME TALK TO ME.
See you on Thursday for full discussion of the Extra Credit Presentations and Reflection Essay! 