Revising
Before you revise:
Back to The Writing Process- Gain some distance and objectivity before rereading what you have written or having it read and reviewed by others.
- Reread and/or respond to your readers. Make marginal notes and focus on the overall effect of the essay rather than individual spelling, grammar, and/or style errors.
- Re-examine purpose and audience. Do you do what you intended? Do your readers understand your intentions?
- Pay attention to the advice your readers give, but don't necessarily make all the changes they suggest.
- Consider your point of view.
- Make sure you are using descriptive details where appropriate.
- Do all your details and examples support you focus?
- What is NOT present in your subject that you might need to mention?
- What CHANGES occur in your subject?
- Make comparisons if they help you or your reader understand the subject better.
- Be sure to cue or signal your reader with transitions that help readers understand:
- space
- chronology
- comparison/contrast
- Revise sentences for clarity, emphasis, and variety.
- After you revise, edit for correct spelling, grammar, and style.