• 5.3: Revision

      • 5.3.1: Revision

        • The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: "Reorganizing Drafts" Page

          Throughout this course, you have practiced your skills at prewriting and organization to develop a strong essay. Even if you have carefully planned out your essay in advance, your plans may change somewhat as you write. Maybe you discover a new piece of evidence in your research that changes your thesis. Maybe you realize that you have a lot more to say about one subpoint than you do about the others. Or maybe something just doesn't seem to ""flow"" right, even if you can't figure out exactly what the problem may be.

          These and other scenarios call for revision. Revision is an important step of the writing process. Often your instructor will ask you to revise your writing after receiving feedback from her or him. As a result, many students approach revision by simply making minor changes suggested by the instructor, without giving much thought to why they are making those changes or what effect those changes may have. 

          Effective writers—from beginning students to professional authors—will often employ revision strategies multiple times throughout the writing process. They approach revision as an opportunity to re-envision the essay as a whole. This article outlines five strategies for reorganizing an essay draft as part of the revision process. 

      • 5.3.2: Proofreading

        • Handbook for Writers, v.1.0: "Chapter 8, Revising"

          Once you have written a complete draft of your essay, you will want to engage in a final round of revision, including carefully proofreading your work. Read this chapter about the revision process, paying particular attention to section 8.2, “Editing and Proofreading.” 

          After you have read the chapter, make a list of grammar, punctuation, spelling, or stylistic issues that you know you struggle with as a writer. For example, you may have noticed that you have a hard time remembering the difference between colons and semicolons, ensuring subject-verb agreement, or varying the length and structure of your sentences. Next, make yourself a personalized proofreading and editing guide: for each issue you have identified, write a quick overview of best practices for writing effectively. Use your personalized guide when revising the essay you will write at the end of this unit.