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Rewriting: Editing and Proofreading

Automobiles are redesigned each year to meet the needs of the driver. Usually some part of the car, which has been tested through hours of driving, fails to do what it was intended to do. That part is redesigned or eliminated before the next model is produced.

Writers revise for somewhat the same reason. They test their writing to see if it says what they want it to say. If it doesn’t meet the test, they change the focus or find stronger support or switch paragraphs around to a more logical order or strengthen the conclusion.

Three frequently asked questions about this step in the writing process are these: Do I have to revise? When do I revise? How do I know what to change?

Do I Have to Revise?

Yes. Even Shakespeare worked hard revising his sonnets and plays. This step in the writing process may seem like an invisible one because, as a reader, you don’t see the revisions that produced the final copy. It is, however, one of the most important steps in the process. Revision helps the true meaning of your writing to shine through.

When Do I Revise?

Revision actually occurs throughout the writing process. After you have generated ideas and written a focus statement, you may read this statement several times and decide to rewrite it or exchange it for a better one. On the other hand, you may find an idea at the beginning of the process, follow it where it leads, and then find that your composition doesn’t say the same thing at the end as at the beginning. At this point, you will need to decide whether or not to revise your focus, or maybe you will cut out those sections that do not support your original statement. You might even write the first sentence of your composition, stop, read it aloud, and find that you don’t like the word order or the choice of vocabulary. You may revise it, read it again, and revise it several more times until it says exactly what you want it to say. As you can see, revision happens at any time during the process of writing.

How Do I Know What to Change?

Producing something in writing is almost like producing a child. At first, you really can’t think of anything you want to change because you have created it. In spite of these subjective views about your composition, there are some strategies that can help you recognize weaknesses in your own writing. One of these strategies is to ask yourself some important questions about your paper, both as you write the first draft and later on when it is completed.

Checklist for Revising

1. Does the paper have a clear focus or thesis? (Underline the statement that presents this main idea.)

2. Does everything in the paper support the focus or thesis?

3. Is there strong enough support for the thesis in the form of examples, facts, anecdotes, and so on?

4. Is the support arranged in logical order?

5. Is the first paragraph interesting?

6. Does the conclustion "tie up" the ideas neatly and strongly? In other words, do I feel satisfied at the end?

7. Is the body of the paper at least twice as long as the introduction and the conclusion put together?

8. Are the paragraphs fully developed, usually about one-half to one-third of a page in length?

9. Are there transitions from one idea to the next?

10. Is the point of view consistent?

11. Does the paper do what I wanted it to do?

12. Does it meet the requirements of the assignment?

Proofreading

When you are satisfied with the content and organization of your paper, it is time to check carefully for mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If mistakes in these areas remain in your paper, they can distract the reader from the meaning you are trying to convey.

Even when you are writing in your first language, it’s easy to overlook mistakes in your own writing. Here are some strategies to help you recognize your mis­takes.

1. Keep a list of your mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Proof­read your composition one time just for these errors.

2. If your problem is spelling, have a good speller read your paper and mark the words that are misspelled. Then look these words up in your dictionary. The practice of looking up the word may help you remember its spelling next time. Make a list of your commonly misspelled words.

3. Use a ruler or bookmark as you proofread. This will force your eyes to focus on one line of words at a time,

4. Read your composition aloud slowly, one word at a time.

5. Form a proofreading group of three to four persons in your class. Take turns circulating one paper for each person to mark according to the following checklist. Discuss any questions you may have about whether or not some­thing is a mistake.

6. Proofread your paper at least two times. Each time you read the paper— after letting it rest for a while—you will probably catch other mistakes.

In the process of proofreading your paper, try to answer these questions, which focus on the most common mistakes of ESL students. To the left of the checklist are the proofreader’s marks, which will be used by the teacher to mark your mistakes.

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