Personal Reaction: I found chapter twenty-three to be pretty
straightforward. I think that this is always a good topic to get a deep
refresher about, so I really enjoyed reading this chapter. I think that I will
use some of these strategies when revising my research essay. The thing that I
will probably use most is the peer help and the instructor feedback. I will use
my mom and another peer, my professor’s feedback and I will probably go to the
writing center.
Professional Reaction: Chapter twenty-three is all about strategies
for revising and editing. There are two different types of revising, macro and
micro. Macro-revising is making large, global or fundamental changes that
impact the overall direction of the writing. Micro-revising focuses on making
changes to sentences, words, punctuation and grammar. There are three main
macro reasons to revise. You can either revise for purpose and thesis, revise
for audience or revise for structure and support. Once you have made all of the
revisions that you see fit, working with a peer editor is an effective next
step. There is a chart on page 463 that guides writers on how what to ask their
peer editor to get the most beneficial advice. Once you have met with a peer,
it is time to meet with your instructor. After your instructor has revised your
paper, you must decode what their comments mean. The comments may not make
sense, that is why the book provides you with a set of key words and phrases to
look for and then explains their meanings. After you have gotten the green
light from your instructor, the next step is to revise once again, but this
time focusing on the micro aspects of emphasis, conciseness and clarity. It is important to emphasis what counts in the
paper. You can do this by either stating what matters most at the beginning of
the essay or the end. Next, look at each sentence and make sure that it is in
its simplest form. This means cutting out fluff, using more effective verbs and
using pronouns with caution. To keep the essay clear, use words that are
straight to the point, do not dance around what you are trying to communicate. Now
that the revising is done, it is time to edit and proofread. Editing consists
of looking at grammar, sentences, word choice, punctuation, mechanics and format.
Proofreading focuses on spelling, incorrect words, missing words, minor errors
and minor details.
-Clayton Peppler
Photo from: http://paigehg4.tumblr.com/page/3
