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Learn to Write

A guide to help you understand the process of writing and types of writing for assignments at NorQuest College.
 

Review

Revise

Edit

What is it?

 Looking at your work as a whole and looking for ways to clarify and improve your body text and organization Making the changes necessary to clarify and strengthen your writing Looking at individual pieces of your work (sentence by sentence) and searching for specific errors

What is the purpose?

 The stage where you look at the way in which your writing is organized and laid out to see whether it flows in a clear and logical manner The stage where you make a second (or third, or fourth) draft of what you want to hand in with the goal of creating the best product possible The stage where you look for spelling and grammar errors, missing in-text citations, and sentence clarity

How do I do this?

Questions to ask at this stage include:

  • Did I provide enough information to prove my thesis true or false?
  • Did I complete the task that my instructor was asking for?
  • Do I have a clear side/perspective/opinion?
  • Do all of the ideas I have mentioned in my body text have a piece of evidence to back it up (from one of my information sources)?
  • Does each paragraph talk about a single idea or are there multiple ideas contained within each paragraph?

Questions to ask at this stage include:

  • How many times have I read through my work so far? Is it enough? Do I need to read it again?
  • Is there a friend or classmate who could give me feedback to improve the next draft?
  • How much time do I have and how much time do I need to create the best work possible?
  • Is my language appropriate? Am I using terms and definitions correctly?
  • Am I making things more complicated or wordier than they need to be?
  • Does this writing sound like me?

Questions to ask at this stage include:

  • Which sentences need in-text citations?
  • Did I spell that right?
  • Am I missing a punctuation mark?
  • Am I missing words in my sentences?
  • Could I use a different verb to elevate my writing?
  • Could this sentence be shorter and/or more concisely written?

 

Revision and Proofreading Step-by-Step

Check the content of your writing

Did I follow the assignment instructions?

Are all of my claims accurate?

Do I have a clear argument?

Check the structure of your writing

Are my introduction and conclusion clear and appropriate for my assignment?

Do I have a clear, defendable, and relevant thesis statement?

Are my sections in a logical order?

Check your paragraph structure

Are my paragraphs in a logical order?

Does each paragraph relate to my thesis statement?

Does each paragraph have a topic sentence?

Do I use transitions effectively to create a sense of flow?

Check the clarity and style of your writing

Have I used an appropriate tone?

Have I used gender-neutral language?

Have I avoided passive voice?

Do I have any unnecessary or repetitive phrases?

Have I used any technical or unusual terms I should define for my reader?

Do my word choices make sense?

Check your citations

Have I cited all of the sources I used?

Are my paraphrases and summaries in my own words and not copied from the author?

Have I provided correct in-text citations in APA or MLA style every time I use another person's ideas or words?

Is my Reference or Works Cited page formatted properly?

Proofread your writing for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors

Do I have the proper prepositions for my verbs?

Have I used "a," "an," and "the" correctly?

Do my subjects and verbs agree?

Is it clear what each pronoun refers to?

Do I have parallel structure in my sentences?

Are all of my verbs in the appropriate tense?

Do all of my sentences have a subject and a verb?

Do any of my sentences contain more than one independent clause?

Have I used punctuation correctly?

General Tips

 If you want to check your writing for errors, keep these tips in mind:

Plan ahead

  • Plan to spend about 20% of your time revising and 20% of your time proofreading.

Print it out

  • Having a written copy of your writing is easier to read through, and you can keep track of your revisions.

Rest your eyes

  • Take a break from your writing for at least 30 minutes. Looking at your writing with "fresh eyes" can help you relax and catch more of your own errors.

Read more than once

  • Read through your paper several times, focusing on only a few issues at a time. You will be more thorough and will catch more errors than if you tried to check everything at once.

  • If you know that you struggle with something—paragraph transitions, for example—read through your paper once paying attention to only that issue.

Relax

  • Remember that making changes in your paper is a totally normal part of the writing process.

  • No one writes a perfect first draft!

 

Helpful resources

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