|
Revision and proofreading should occur throughout the writing process. |
Step
8: Revise and Proofread
|
|
|
REVISION
Revision is actually something a good writer does throughout the writing process. Every time you consider which ideas to add or delete, every time you change a word or phrase to make your essay sound better, you are revising.
Revision does not mean "recopying" what you've already written. Revision means making changes to the content of the paper so that every word, sentence, and paragraph makes sense to the reader.
Many students tend to rush through revising; they're anxious to get done with the assignment. But a good writer will revise as much as necessary before the deadline to get the best possible result.
Three areas in
particular to examine as you consider how to improve the
content and style of your essay are as follows:
Clarity:
Is the essay clearly and logically written?
Unity:
Do all the
paragraphs relate to the central idea?
Coherence:
Do the ideas flow smoothly?
REVISION CHECKLIST
1. Does the essay
cover everything the prompt asked for?
2. Does each paragraph do what it's supposed to
do?
• The opening paragraph should state the central idea.
• The paragraphs in the body should support the central idea.
•The closing paragraph should reemphasize the main thoughts and the central idea.
3. Will a reader be able to follow the essay?
•Ideas should be laid out in a logical order.
•Transitional words and phrases should lead the reader clearly from one thought to another.
•Paragraphs should be in an effective order.
4. Do all the facts, examples, and reasons support the central idea?
• Details should be fully developed and related to the topic.
• Unnecessary words and phrases should be eliminated.
5. Are sentences clear and effective?
• A variety of sentence types should be used to keep the essay interesting.
• Sensory details should be used to improve description.
Proofreading is different from revision. Whereas revision focuses on improving the content of the essay, proofreading deals with recognizing and correcting errors or punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar.
PROOFREADING
CHECKLIST
1. Have all
fragments and run-on sentences been eliminated?
2. Does the essay use correct paragraphing and
indentation?
3. Is there agreement between subjects and verbs? Between
pronouns and antecedents?
4. Are pronoun references clear?
5. Has correct verb tense been used correctly and
consistently?
6. Have commas, apostrophes, and semicolons been used
correctly?
7. Have words been capitalized correctly?
8. Are there any sentences that could be combined to provide
sentence variety?
9. Does the essay show interesting and accurate word
choice?
10. Has a dictionary or spellchecker been used to correct
spelling errors?
Try
these techniques as you revise and proofread your
paper:
- Set your essay aside for awhile if you have time. Come back to it later. You will notice ways to make your essay better, and you'll see more errors to correct.
- Read the essay aloud to yourself. Often you can hear errors that you may not catch while reading silently.
- Have an adult or peer read your essay and give you suggestions about confusing parts.
 Related
Links |
|
Proofreading
Strategies Revision
Checklist for Essays A
Checklist for Revision Proofreading,
Editing, and Revising You
Mean Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Aren't All
the Same Thing?!? Revising
Techniques The
Editing Process Guide
to Grammar and Writing Grammar,
Spelling, and Punctuation Grammar
Help Big
Dog's Grammar: A Bare Bones Guide to
Grammar Some
Rules and Suggestions about
Spelling Spelling Spelling
Tips The
Importance of Correct
Punctuation Punctuation
Made Simple Practical
Punctuation Guide Lessons
in Punctuation Punctuation
Workshop Capitalization Capitalization Capitalization
Rules |
