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How Not to Stress About Writing
What is My Professor Looking For?
Where Can I Go to Get Resources?
How to get a handle on the big picture
Proofreading for yourself
Documentation styles
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Twenty Questions for Research Writing
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Writing Handbook
Revise, Revise, Revise! How to Get a handle on the big picture
Revising is a necessary, but often ignored, step in the writing
process. As a writer, you should develop your own system for revising
and include the process every time you write something that will
be read and evaluated by another. You may use these tips as a new
system for revising or incorporate it into a system you have already
developed.
Important Steps in Revising
1.) Look at the big picture.
•This means looking at your theme, thesis sentence, introduction,
topic
sentences, transitions, and conclusion.
•Ask yourself these questions:
- What is my theme?
- Does my theme include the purpose of my writing?
- Does my thesis sentence support my theme?
- Does my introduction include my thesis sentence?
- Are my topic sentences related to each other?
- Does my conclusion sum up what I’ve just written? OR
- Do I restate my thesis sentence in the conclusion?
If you have problems answering these questions, it may indicate
that there
are problems with theme unity or support within your piece of writing.
2.) Look at the blocks that build the picture.
•This means looking at your paragraphing. Paragraphs develop
topic
sentences. Typically, they either prove, support, or explain the
topic
sentence. A paragraph that introduces a new subject and is not an
illustration or comparison/contrast to the topic sentence or theme
may not
serve any function within your writing.
•Additionally, paragraphs have definite patterns or orders
which you must
choose in order to write your proof, support, or details in a clear
manner.
Awareness of each paragraph’s order can aid you in identifying
the purpose
of and need for a particular paragraph.
•Ask yourself these questions regarding paragraphing:
- What does this paragraph tell about my topic?
- What is the topic sentence of the individual paragraph?
- Does this paragraph serve to explain, prove, or support my theme?
- Does this paragraph logically follow the last one and help lead
into the
3.) Make sure that each paragraph has:
• A Point (a claim, assertion, or observation around which
the paragraph
revolves)
• Examples or Evidence that illustrate or support the point
• Explanation of how the paragraph directly supports or illustrates
your thesis
statement.
4.) Read your final product over for any grammatical errors, or
ask a
friend to proofread.
TIP: Take breaks from your paper. Before revising, have a snack
or chat with
a friend. When you return to your paper, you will see it with fresh
eyes and will likely catch mistakes you previously missed. Also,
if you are up late writing the night before it’s due, go to
bed once you have a complete draft and save your revising for the
morning (wake up early if you have to!)
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