|
Revision: A Process Guide
|
|
|
Revision is not something to be done thirty minutes before class or even the night before. Instead, it should be an ongoing process, a continuing dialogue with a paper that may never be finished. Give yourself several days to work through the comments you receive; give yourself time to "know" your paper in the way you want to.
|
|
|
Below is a process I'd like you to try for this paper. On Tuesday you'll bring along four copies of your revision for the peer review. I'll collect one just to see how you're coming along. Here goes:
|
|
|
1. Print out a clean draft of the paper.
|
|
|
2. Begin tackling organizational problems or things I've recommended you add to your paper.
|
|
|
3. Re-read the story you're writing on with an eye toward new evidence or support for your arguments. Be open to new-found evidence that might challenge your claim: a challenge is a challenge, and it might lead to a broader interpretation for your overall paper. Incorporate any new evidence into your revision.
|
|
|
4. Correct any stylistic or grammatical problem I've noted on your first draft. Consult the "Revision Checklist" handout attached to your draft. Get this stuff out of the way and make notes about things that seem to be recurring problems.
|
|
|
5. Print out another clean draft of the paper.
|
|
|
6. Stand back from your paper and see if it makes sense. Can you recast or deepen your claim? Are there any relevant issues you're missing? Do the intro and conclusion jive? Are you being risky enough? Are you moving beyond the ordinary? Do what it takes.
|
|
|
7. Print out a clean draft of the recast paper and attack it with a red pen. Set some absurd goal for yourself like, "I'm going to wipe out 20% of the words in this draft," and then do it.
|
|
|
8. Check out the "Revision Checklist" handout once more and see if you've committed any oversights.
|
|
|
9. Print out a clean draft.
|
|
|
10. PROOF IT! Take advantage of your friends! Use the class phone list!
|
|
|
|
|
12. Begin doing penance for the many trees you've destroyed for this one work of art. Perhaps a walk at the lake is in order.
|
|
|
|