Revising First Drafts

1
Revising First Drafts

• What Does It Mean to Revise?

2
Revision Process

• Concentrate on the Ideas
• Make sure you have made all important points
  about your subject.
• Make sure your audience can understand your ideas.

3
Getting Started with Revision

• Read and Review
• Read your first draft two or three times.
• Read it out loud.
• Think about your writing as you read.
• Does it follow your plan?
• Does it say what you want it to say?
• Look for the strong points.
• Put a next to parts that you like.
• Look for weak parts put a check mark next to
  parts that need work

4
Revision

• Does my writing focus on an interesting part of
  my subject or on a certain feeling I have about
  it?
• Does the information in my writing follow a
  method of organization?
• Do I need to add any information?
• Do I need to add details to make my beginning
  clearer or more interesting?
• Did I vary my sentence beginnings?
• Did I use grade appropriate sentences
  (compound/complex)?
• Did I use grade level vocabulary?
• Do I need to add ideas to support my thesis?
• Do I need to make my closing more effective?

5
Revision

• Do I need to cut any information?
• Do any of the details not belong?
• Do I repeat myself in any parts?
• Do I say too much about a certain idea?
• Get rid of filler
• Filler is any information you do not need. It
  bogs down your writing. Cut all information that
  does not
• Develop your focus
• Make your main points clearer
• Support your thesis or argument
• Advance the action of your story.

6
Revision

• Do I need to rewrite any parts?
• Do some sentences sound unclear?
• Did I keep my verbs in the same verb tense?
• Did I correct passive voice verbs?
• Incorrect The poem was written by Anne
  Bradstreet.
• (passive voice)
• Correct Anne Bradstreet wrote the poem.
  (active voice)
• Do I need to reword any explanations?

7
Revision

• Do I need to reorder any parts?
• Do any ideas or details seem out of place?
• Does the most important point come near the
  beginning or near the end?
• Do I use a chronological order?
• Do I use the correct form for compare/contrast?
• Did I include transition words between paragraphs?

8
Revision

• Check your opening and ending.
• A good opening hooks readers and makes them want
  to read.
• A good ending leaves the reader with something
  to think about a scene, a comment, a question,
  etc.

9
Revision

• Revise for Voice
• Match voice to your purpose.

10
Editing an Proofreading

• When editing and proofreading, pay attention to
  the following three traits of effective writing
  smoothness, word choice, and correct, accurate
  copy.
• Sentence smoothness Make sure that your
  sentences lead readers smoothly from one point to
  the next.
• Word Choice Change any troublesome or overused
  words to improve the overall quality of your
  writing.
• Correct, Accurate Copy Carefully check your
  writing for grammar, spelling, and punctuation
  errors.

11
Editing Checklist

• Sentence Structure
• Did I write clear and complete sentences?
• Check for fragments and run-on sentences.
• Did I add style to my sentences?
• Out of style
• A surplus of calories is necessary for growth in
  children.
• In Style
• Children need plenty of calories for growth.
• Place subjects and verbs close to each other

12
Editing Checklist

• Word Choice and Usage
• Did I use specific nouns and verbs and colorful
  adjectives?
• Did I use the correct word (to, too, two there,
  their, theyre then, than?)

13
Editing Checklist

• Punctuation
• Does each sentence have end punctuation?
• Did I use commas and apostrophes correctly?
• Did I use semicolons correctly?
• Did I punctuate dialogue correctly?

14
Editing Checklist

• Capitalization
• Did I start all of my sentences with capital
  letters?
• Did I capitalize the names of important people
  and places?
• Did I capitalize all proper adjectives, for
  example,
• English, Spanish, etc.?

15
Editing Checklist

• Grammar
• Did I use the correct form of verbs?
• Do all the subjects and verbs agree?
• Did I write plural nouns correctly?

16
Editing Checklist

• Spelling
• Did I check for spelling errors?
• Did I check for typos?
• Did I check for errors that spell check may have
  missed?