Organization and Editing English 106

Revising and editing: what are your strategies?

Reverse outlining

*taken from University of Wisconsin Madison Writing Center

Reverse outlining

● Determine if your paper meets its goal

Reverse outlining

● Determine if your paper meets its goal● Discover places to expand on your evidence or analysis

Reverse outlining

● Determine if your paper meets its goal● Discover places to expand on your evidence or analysis● See where readers might be tripped up by your organization or structure

Reverse outlining

1. Start with a complete draft to have a fuller picture of the plan you carried out. You can use a partial draft to review the organization of the paragraphs you have written so far.

Reverse outlining

2. Construct the outline by listing the main idea of each paragraph in your draft in a blank document. If a paragraph's topic sentence provides a succinct version of the paragraph's argument, you can paste that sentence into the outline as a summary for that paragraph. Otherwise, write a one-sentence summary to express the main point of the paragraph.

Reverse outlining

3. Number your list for ease of reference.

Questions to ask while reverse outlining

● Does every paragraph relate back to your main idea?

Questions to ask while reverse outlining

● Does every paragraph relate back to your main idea?● Where might a reader have trouble following the order of your ideas?

Questions to ask while reverse outlining

● Does every paragraph relate back to your main idea?● Where might a reader have trouble following the order of your ideas?● Do several of your paragraphs repeat one idea?

Questions to ask while reverse outlining

● Does every paragraph relate back to your main idea?● Where might a reader have trouble following the order of your ideas?● Do several of your paragraphs repeat one idea?● Are your paragraphs too long? Too short?

Group activity: create a reverse outline ● Choose one of the two sample summaries in the chapter and create a

reverse outline for it. ● For each number on your list, either summarize the paragraph in a

sentence, or use the topic sentence. ● Identify any issues you see in structure or organization. ● Does the essay use effective topic sentences?

Proofreading

Proofreading: before you start ● Be sure you've revised the larger aspects of your text. Don't make corrections at the

sentence and word level if you still need to work on the focus, organization, and development of the whole paper, of sections, or of paragraphs.

● Make sure that you leave plenty of time after you have finished your paper to walk away for a day or two, a week, or even 20 minutes. This will allow you to approach proofreading with fresh eyes.

● Print out a hard copy. Reading from a computer screen is not the most effective way to proofread. Having a hard copy of your paper and a pen will help you.

● Have a list of what to look for. This will help you manage your time and not feel overwhelmed by proofreading. You can get this list from previous assignments where your instructor(s) noted common errors you make.

Proofreading ● Read out loud. Reading aloud helps you to notice run-on sentences, awkward

transitions, and other grammatical and organization issues that you may not notice when reading silently

Proofreading ● Read out loud. Reading aloud helps you to notice run-on sentences, awkward

transitions, and other grammatical and organization issues that you may not notice when reading silently1. Read aloud to yourself. Reading a paper aloud encourages you to read each

word and can help you notice small mistakes.

Proofreading ● Read out loud. Reading aloud helps you to notice run-on sentences, awkward

transitions, and other grammatical and organization issues that you may not notice when reading silently1. Read aloud to yourself. Reading a paper aloud encourages you to read each

word and can help you notice small mistakes.2. Read aloud to a friend and have the friend give you oral feedback.

Proofreading ● Read out loud. Reading aloud helps you to notice run-on sentences, awkward

transitions, and other grammatical and organization issues that you may not notice when reading silently1. Read aloud to yourself. Reading a paper aloud encourages you to read each

word and can help you notice small mistakes.2. Read aloud to a friend and have the friend give you oral feedback.3. Have a friend read your paper aloud while you don’t read along.

Proofreading ● Read individual sentences one at a time starting from the end of the

paper rather than the beginning. This forces you to pay attention to the sentence itself rather than to the ideas of the paper as a whole.○ Use your word processor to separate individual sentences. ○ Use a blank sheet of paper to cover lines below the one you’re

reading.

Proofreading ● Use the search in document function of the computer to look for common

errors from your list.● If you tend to make many mistakes, check separately for each kind of

error, moving from the most to the least important, and following whatever technique works best for you to identify that kind of mistake.

Don’t rush

Homework ● Finish reading AWR chapter 3 ● Finish and submit summary essay on Blackboard by 11:59 P.M. on Sunday

night.