VIII' Revising the Research Paper

1
VIII. Revising the Research Paper

• More than proofreading
• More than correcting grammar

2
Table of Contents

• On Revision
  3-5
• Steps of Revision
  6
• A. Thesis Statement 7-9
  B. Coherence, Order of Ideas,
• Support Material 10-12
  C. Introduction and Conclusion 13-15
• D. Editing - Vocabulary, Clarity,
  16 Spelling, Grammar,
  Mechanics
• E. MLA Review
  17
• 3. Pats Revised Paper and Grade 18-19

3
Put the paper away for a day
ZZZZ. ZZZZ.ZZZZ.
Im tired. I cant look at this paper any more.

• Click for short video on revision from English
  Composition.

4
Pat really liked putting the paper away too
much!!

• But
• Revision wont happen without her.
• Click for brief video on ideas for revision from
  English Composition.

5
Pat comes back to the paper ready to actively
revise.
How will another reader respond?
What doesnt sound quite right ?
Does the paper make sense?
6
Steps of the Revision Process

• Look at the whole paper.
• Revise in parts
• Focus on the thesis statement, coherence,
• order of ideas, and support material.
• Review the introduction and conclusion.
• Edit the paper in detail.
• Check current MLA format.
• For information on how to prioritize revision
  http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_
  hocloc.html

7
Focus on the thesis statement.

• The thesis statement answers the research
• question.
• It is concise and specific.
• It controls the evidence/support used in the
• paper.
• Click for a brief video giving advice on the
  thesis statement from English Composition.

8
Pats Original Thesis

• The symbolic yellow wallpaper in Gilmans story
  offers multiple interpretations.

All of them relate to the relations between men
and women.
Ill include the specific interpretations Im
discussing.
9
Pats Revised Thesis

• Critics have interpreted the yellow wallpaper in
  many ways. Three popular interpretations of its
  symbolism show the tension of sexual politics
  between men and women in nineteenth-century
  America (1) the wallpaper as an expression of
  the narrators deteriorating mental state (2) the
  wallpaper as a pattern of social and economic
  dependence which reduces women to domestic
  slavery, and (3) the wallpaper as a symbol of the
  confining values of the ideal of True Womanhood.

10
Reread the essay for coherence.

• There should be a logical flow of ideas within
  the paragraphs and from one paragraph to the
  next.
• There should be clear transitions between
  paragraphs.
• For more information on coherence, check this
  site http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print
  /general/gl_cohere.html

11
Review the order of ideas.
The ideas dont flow smoothly. I need to move
this paragraph.
And, this information is not relevant to my
thesis. It should be deleted.
12
Review support material.
Yes, my support is effective. I back up every
point I make with relevant material.

• Click for video clip on reviewing source material
  from English Composition.

13
Sharpen the introduction.
The introduction is too long--maybe some of these
details belong in a body paragraph.

• Click for video clip from English Composition.

14
Ive almost finished But
15
Polish the conclusion.

• An effective conclusion gives the reader a
• sense of closure.
• It leaves the reader feeling the paper has come
• to a logical end.

16
Final Editing

• Proofread for the types of errors frequently made
  such as run-on sentences, fragments, subject-verb
  agreement and typographical errors.
• Remember spell-check checks only the spelling.
  It does not check to see that the correct word is
  used.
• Check vocabulary to see if the most appropriate
  word or phrase is selected.
• Review for clarity and conciseness.

17
Review MLA format.

• Check the rules for documentation and for the
  Works Cited page.
• For more information on MLA guidelines, visit
  this site http//depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks
  /
• writing/mlaguide.html
• or the BCC Librarys Citation Guides
• http//www.bergen.edu/library/pages/2306.asp

18
I did my best! I hope I get a good grade.

• Click for video to review ideas for revision from
  English Composition.

19
Pats Grade

Well done, Pat! A thoroughly researched, well
organized and well-written paper!
Here is Pats grade. A