Revising and editing are the two tasks you undertake to significantly improve your essay. Both are very important elements of the writing process. You may think that a completed first draft means little improvement is needed. However, even experienced writers need to improve their drafts and rely on peers during revising and editing. You may know that athletes miss catches, fumble balls, or overshoot goals. Dancers forget steps, turn too slowly, or miss beats. For both athletes and dancers, the more they practice, the stronger their performance will become. Web designers seek better images, a more clever design, or a more appealing background for their web pages. Writing has the same capacity to profit from improvement and revision.<\/p>\n\n
Revising and editing allow you to examine two important aspects of your writing separately, so that you can give each task your undivided attention.<\/p>\n\n
Following your outline closely offers you a reasonable guarantee that your writing will stay on purpose and not drift away from the controlling idea. However, when writers are rushed, are tired, or cannot find the right words, their writing may become less than they want it to be. Their writing may no longer be clear and concise, and they may be adding information that is not needed to develop the main idea.<\/p>\n
When a piece of writing has unity, all the ideas in each paragraph and in the entire essay clearly belong and are arranged in an order that makes logical sense. When the writing has coherence, the ideas flow smoothly. The wording clearly indicates how one idea leads to another within a paragraph and from paragraph to paragraph.<\/p>\n\n
Sometimes writers get caught up in the moment and cannot resist a good digression. Even though you might enjoy such detours when you chat with friends, unplanned digressions usually harm a piece of writing.<\/p>\n
Read the following paragraph where a student has crossed out all digressions.<\/p>\n\n
Exercise 14.1<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n
Careful writers use transitions to clarify how the ideas in their sentences and paragraphs are related. These words and phrases help the writing flow smoothly. Adding transitions is not the only way to improve coherence, but they are often useful and give a mature feel to your essays. The list \"Common Transitional Words and Phrases\" groups many common transitions according to their purpose.<\/p>\n\n
After the paragraph above was revised for unity, the student next examined their paragraph about televisions to check for coherence. They looked for places where they needed to add a transition or perhaps reword the text to make the flow of ideas clear. In the version that follows, they have already deleted the sentences that were off.<\/p>\n\n
Exercise 14.2<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n
Some writers are very methodical and painstaking when they write a first draft. Other writers unleash a lot of words in order to get out all that they feel they need to say. Do either of these composing styles match your style? Or is your composing style somewhere in between? No matter which description best fits you, the first draft of almost every piece of writing, no matter its author, can be made clearer and more concise.<\/p>\n
If you have a tendency to write too much, you will need to look for unnecessary words. If you have a tendency to be vague or imprecise in your wording, you will need to find specific words to replace any overly general language.<\/p>\n\n
Sometimes writers use too many words when fewer words will appeal more to their audience and better fit their purpose. Here are some common examples of wordiness to look for in your draft. Eliminating wordiness helps all readers, because it makes your ideas clear, direct, and straightforward.<\/p>\n\n
Sentences that begin with<\/strong> There is<\/em> or<\/strong> There are<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Wordy:<\/strong> There are two major experiments that the Biology Department sponsors.<\/p>\n Revised:<\/strong> The Biology Department sponsors two major experiments.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \t Sentences with unnecessary modifiers.<\/strong><\/p>\n Wordy:<\/strong> Two extremely famous and well-known consumer advocates spoke eloquently in favor of the proposed important legislation.<\/p>\n Revised:<\/strong> Two well-known consumer advocates spoke in favor of the proposed legislation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \t Sentences with deadwood phrases that add little to the meaning.<\/strong> Be judicious when you use phrases such as in terms of<\/em>, with a mind to<\/em>, on the subject of<\/em>, as to whether or not<\/em>, more or less<\/em>, as far as\u2026is concerned<\/em>, and similar expressions. You can usually find a more straightforward way to state your point.<\/p>\n Wordy:<\/strong> As a world leader in the field of green technology, the company plans to focus its efforts in the area of geothermal energy.<\/p>\n A report as to whether or not to use geysers as an energy source is in the process of preparation.<\/p>\n Revised:<\/strong> As a world leader in green technology, the company plans to focus on geothermal energy.<\/p>\n A report about using geysers as an energy source is in preparation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \t Sentences in the passive voice or with forms of the verb<\/strong> to be<\/em>.<\/strong> Sentences with passive-voice verbs often create confusion, because the subject of the sentence does not perform an action. Sentences are clearer when the subject of the sentence performs the action and is followed by a strong verb. Use strong active-voice verbs in place of forms of to be<\/em>, which can lead to wordiness. Avoid passive voice when you can.<\/p>\n Wordy:<\/strong> It might perhaps be said that using a GPS device is something that is a benefit to drivers who have a poor sense of direction.<\/p>\n Revised:<\/strong> Using a GPS device benefits drivers who have a poor sense of direction.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \t Sentences with constructions that can be shortened.<\/strong><\/p>\n Wordy:<\/strong> The e-book reader, which is a recent invention, may become as commonplace as the cell phone.<\/p>\n My over-sixty uncle bought an e-book reader, and his wife bought an e-book reader, too.<\/p>\n Revised:<\/strong> The e-book reader, a recent invention, may become as commonplace as the cell phone.<\/p>\n My over-sixty uncle and his wife both bought e-book readers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Exercise 14.3<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n Most academic essays should be written in formal English suitable for an academic situation. Follow these principles to be sure that your word choice is appropriate. For more information about word choice, see \"Working with Words: Which Word Is Right?\".<\/p>\n\n Now read the revisions this student made to make they third paragraph clearer and more concise. They have already incorporated the changes they made to improve unity and coherence.<\/p>\n\n Exercise 14.4<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n After working so closely with a piece of writing, writers often need to step back and ask for a more objective reader. What writers most need is feedback from readers who can respond only to the words on the page. When they are ready, writers show their drafts to someone they respect and who can give an honest response about its strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n You, too, can ask a peer to read your draft when it is ready. After evaluating the feedback and assessing what is most helpful, the reader\u2019s feedback will help you when you revise your draft. This process is called peer review.<\/p>\n You can work with a partner in your class and identify specific ways to strengthen each other\u2019s essays. Although you may be uncomfortable sharing your writing at first, remember that each writer is working toward the same goal: a final draft that fits the audience and the purpose. Maintaining a positive attitude when providing feedback will put you and your partner at ease. The box that follows provides a useful framework for the peer review session.<\/p>\n\n Questions for Peer Review<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n Title of essay:<\/p>\n Date:<\/p>\n Writer\u2019s name:<\/p>\n Peer reviewer\u2019s name:<\/p>\n\n These places in your essay are not clear to me:<\/p>\n\n Exercise 14.5<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n The purpose of peer feedback is to receive constructive criticism of your essay. Your peer reviewer is your first real audience, and you have the opportunity to learn what confuses and delights a reader so that you can improve your work before sharing the final draft with a wider audience (or your intended audience).<\/p>\n It may not be necessary to incorporate every recommendation your peer reviewer makes. However, if you start to observe a pattern in the responses you receive from peer reviewers, you might want to take that feedback into consideration in future assignments. For example, if you read consistent comments about a need for more research, then you may want to consider including more research in future assignments.<\/p>\n\n You might get feedback from more than one reader as you share different stages of your revised draft. In this situation, you may receive feedback from readers who do not understand the assignment or who lack your involvement with and enthusiasm for it.<\/p>\n You need to evaluate the responses you receive according to two important criteria:<\/p>\n\n Then, using these standards, accept or reject revision feedback.<\/p>\n\n Exercise 14.6<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n If you have been incorporating each set of revisions as Mariah has, you have produced multiple drafts of your writing. So far, all your changes have been content changes. Perhaps with the help of peer feedback, you have made sure that you sufficiently supported your ideas. You have checked for problems with unity and coherence. You have examined your essay for word choice, revising to cut unnecessary words and to replace weak wording with specific and appropriate wording.<\/p>\n The next step after revising the content is editing. When you edit, you examine the surface features of your text. You examine your spelling, grammar, usage, and punctuation. You also make sure you use the proper format when creating your finished assignment.<\/p>\n\n The first section of this book offers a useful review of grammar, mechanics, and usage. Use it to help you eliminate major errors in your writing and refine your understanding of the conventions of language. Do not hesitate to ask for help, too, from peer tutors in your academic department or in the college\u2019s writing lab. In the meantime, use the checklist 14.1 to help you edit your writing.<\/p>\n\n Checklist 14.1 Editing Your Writing<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n Remember to use proper format when creating your finished assignment. Sometimes an instructor, a department, or a college will require students to follow specific instructions on titles, margins, page numbers, or the location of the writer\u2019s name. These requirements may be more detailed and rigid for research projects and term papers, which often observe the American Psychological Association (APA) or Modern Language Association (MLA) style guides, especially when citations of sources are included.<\/p>\n To ensure the format is correct and follows any specific instructions, make a final check before you submit an assignment.<\/p>\n\nChoosing Specific, Appropriate Words<\/h1>\n
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Completing a Peer Review<\/h1>\n
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Using Feedback Objectively<\/h1>\n
Using Feedback from Multiple Sources<\/h1>\n
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Editing Your Draft<\/h1>\n
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Formatting<\/h1>\n