REVISING, EDITING & PROOFREADING

OBJECTIVE: to convert rough draft to a final paper that is as error free as possible.

Now is the time to become your own a

audience and evaluate your own work

Revising is…

A process of re-vision or looking again at your work with a critical eye…rethinking and reshaping your research paper

(Gardner, 2005)

There are 4 basic steps that will occur

during the revisions :

1. ADD. Insert needed words, sentences, and paragraphs. If your additions require new content, return to the idea-gathering techniques.

There are 4 basic steps that will occur during the revisions :

2. CUT. Get rid of whatever goes off the topic or repeats what has already been said.

There are 4 basic steps that will occur during the revisions :

3. REPLACE. As needed, substitute new words, sentences, and paragraphs for what you have cut.

There are 4 basic steps that will occur during the revisions :

4. MOVE MATERIAL AROUND. Change the sequence of paragraphs if

the material is not presented in logical order. Move sentences.

REVISING:The revision checklist

Purpose Title Content Audience Tone Clarity Unity Coherence Development Organization (APA FORMAT)

ASK YOURSELF . . .

Why would someone want to read this paper?

Do you have a clear purpose for the paper? What is it intended to do or accomplish?

Does the purpose match the assignment?

ASK YOURSELF . . . Does your title give readers a good

idea of what's to come? (Have you even come up with one yet?

Is your thesis statement or research question clearly stated/parallel?

Is there enough lead-in in the introduction to establish the importance of and context for the statement?

ASK YOURSELF . . . By the end of the introduction, is it

clear to the audience what kind of material will follow? If so, are these expectations fulfilled, that is, do you follow through?

Are your paragraphs too short ?Is there some combining or separating of issues that needs to take place? Or do you simply need to generate more content or delete irrelevant material?

ASK YOURSELF . . . Has anything that goes off topic or is not

essential (given your word limit) been cut?

Do the transitions between all sections and paragraphs create flow and unity?

Does the order of paragraphs make sense? (e.g., maybe the transitions seem forced because they aren't in the right order)

ASK YOURSELF . . .

Is your tone appropriate?

Is your Islamic perspective relevant?

Does the conclusion say something different from your introduction?

Does it leave a good lasting impression?

ASK YOURSELF . . .

Are you plagiarizing? Are your sources convincing? Is there

enough balance between your own insights and expert opinions?

Have you used all 4 citation techniques?

YOU CAN ASK SOMEONE. . .

to read the first paragraph or two and tell you what he or she thinks the objective of your research paper is.

to read the paper and comment if something is unclear and needs more description, explanation, or support.

Read the paper aloud and you listen for anything that sounds incorrect.

Editing and Proofreading

Editing involves looking closely at individual sentences for technical correctness - grammar, spelling punctuation, effective structure and word choice.

Proofreading deals largely with typing errors.

(Gardner, 2005)

Editing tips Read carefully. Take note of your teacher’s comments. Read the paper again looking for only one or

two things at a time: Spelling

Grammar Citation technique

Punctuations Watch out for sentence fragments. Watch out for run-on sentences.

Proof reading tips

Check your format Page numbers

Margin Indented paragraphs

Title page Abstract Heading

Work cited Reference list

After revising, After revising, editing editing

& proofreading, you & proofreading, you can certainlycan certainly

The end

FEEL PROUD ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE PRODUCED