Revision matters! It means to “re-see” the piece of writing.

Revision isn’t just correcting grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Revision is stepping back and looking at
your paper as a whole and seeing if you are effectively saying what you intend to say. It is giving your paper a
thorough look to see how you can make it stronger. Your goal should always be to write clearly and in an easy
to understand way, concisely, and in an engaging way, trying to keep the reader interested from
beginning to end.

One way to go about re-seeing your writing is to do it in three stages. Many people skip the first stage, but
looking at the big picture is crucial in making sure you have a well-developed essay that expresses your ideas.

Revising Stage 1: Seeing the Big Picture

When you first begin your revision process, you should focus on the big picture, in other words, the whole text.
The following questions will guide you:

 Do you have a clear thesis? Do you know what idea or perspective you want your reader to
understand upon reading your essay?
 Is your essay visually well organized?
 Is each paragraph a building block in your essay: does each explain or support your thesis?
 Does it need a different shape? Do parts need to be moved?
 Do you fully explain and illustrate (with clear examples) the main ideas of your paper?
 Does your introduction grab the reader’s interest?
 Does your conclusion leave the reader understanding your point of view?
 Are you saying in your essay what you want to say?
 What is the strength of your paper? What is its weakness?

Revising Stage 2: Mid-View

The second stage of the revision process requires that you look at your content closely and at the paragraph
level. It’s now time to examine each paragraph, on its own, to see where you might need to revise. The
following questions will guide you through the mid-view revision stage:

 Does each paragraph contain solid, specific information, vivid description, or examples that
illustrate the point you are making in the paragraph?
 Are there are other facts, quotations, examples, or descriptions to add that can more clearly
illustrate or provide evidence for the points you are making?
 Are there sentences, words, descriptions or information that you can delete because they don’t add
to the points you are making or may confuse the reader?
 Are the paragraphs in the right order?
 Are your paragraphs overly long? Does each paragraph explore one main idea?
 Do you use clear transition words so the reader can follow your thinking?
  Are any paragraphs or parts of paragraphs redundant/repetitive and need to be deleted?

Revising Stage 3: Editing Up Close

Once you have completed your revision and feel confident in your content, it’s time to begin the editing stage of
your revision and editing process, which is making the changes your text needs. The following questions will
guide you through your editing:

 Are there any grammar errors, i.e. have you been consistent in your use of tense, do your pronouns
agree?
 Have you accurately and effectively used punctuation?
 Do you rely on strong verbs and nouns and maintain a good balance with adjectives and adverbs,
using them to enhance descriptions but ensuring clear sentences?
 Are your words as accurate as possible?
 Do you define any technical or unusual terms you use?
 Are there extra words or clichés in your sentences that you can delete?
 Do you vary your sentence structure?
 Have you accurately presented facts; have you copied quotations precisely?
 If you’re writing an academic essay, have you tried to be objective in your evidence and tone?
 If writing a personal essay, is the narrative voice lively and interesting?
 Have you spell checked your paper?
 If you used sources, have you consistently documented all of the sources’ ideas and information
using a standard documentation style?

TIP: Read your paper aloud. Reading aloud gives you the opportunity to both see and hear what
you have written—and it slows your eyes down so you’re more likely to catch errors and see what
you have actually written, not what you think you wrote. It’s also helpful to have someone else read
your paper aloud so you can listen to how well it flows. You might also record your ‘reading aloud’
and listen to your piece of work.

Now let’s practice revising piece of writing that was written by another student, in other words, let’s
practice Peer Review.

Peer Review Feedback Form

Perhaps the most helpful tool in developing logical, readable drafts is a peer review session. Peer Review is
effective for both the writer and the reviewer. Writers will recognize that good writing communicates effectively
with diverse readers. To remember while viewing: The least helpful comment to receive from a peer reviewer is
"It looks good to me."

First attend to Higher Order Concerns: thesis, audience, purpose, organization, development (support)

Then attend to Lower Order Concerns: sentence structure, punctuation, word choice, spelling
Writer: _________________________ Reviewer: _____________________________

Ask clarifying questions

What part(s) of the essay were a bit confusing? Why?

What specific suggestions (3 or fewer) do you have for revising the unclear parts of this writing? (Refer to
paragraphs by numbering them)

Request more

What would you like to know more about the topic that can enhance the essay and that supports the thesis?

Evaluate its value

What specific detail(s) do not work with the essay (e.g. doesn’t support the thesis) or can be moved within the
essay?

Summarize

Overall, what new information have you learned or how are you thinking differently after this reading

You may use the list of comments below for ideas:

Thesis needs to better identify the main point of the essay

Topic sentence(s) needs to identify the main point of this paragraph

Paragraph(s) needs one overall idea (needs more specific evidence, needs more writer's commentary)

Words: repeating words, repeating ideas, repeating sentence structure

Using vague language, using slang, transition words needed

Proofreading: punctuation, spelling, grammar

Sources (if used) need to be clearly identified

Reference: https://owl.excelsior.edu
https://owl.english.purdue.edu