Revision (Video)

The following video walks through revision as a process with a sample essay:

The following questions are great examples of considerations you may have during the revision process:

Overall Organization

• Does my introduction proceed clearly from the opening to the thesis?
• Does each body paragraph have a clear main idea that relates to the thesis?
• Does the opening of the paper clearly connect to the broader topic and thesis?
• Do I need to add to or revise parts of the paper to help the reader understand how certain information from a source is relevant?
• Do the main ideas in the body paragraphs flow in a logical order? Is each paragraph connected to the one before it?
• Do I need to add or revise topic sentences or transitions to make the overall flow of ideas clearer?
• Does my conclusion summarize my main ideas and revisit my thesis?
• Does my conclusion make sense based on the rest of the paper?
• Are any new questions or suggestions in the conclusion clearly linked to earlier material?

At the paragraph level

• Does the topic sentence clearly state the main idea?
• Do the details in the paragraph relate to the main idea?
• Do I need to recast any sentences or add transitions to improve the flow of sentences?
• Does the paragraph have cohesiveness?
• Do entertaining quotations or anecdotes serve a purpose?
• Do I explicate ALL quotes and paraphrases thoroughly?
• Have I included introductory material before any quotations so quotations do not stand alone in paragraphs?
• Does paraphrased and quoted material clearly serve to develop my own points?
• Are there any places where I have overused material from sources?

Style and Tone

• Does my paper avoid excessive wordiness?
• Are my sentences varied in length and structure?
• Have I used points of view (pronouns) effectively and appropriately for the assignment?
• Have I used active voice whenever possible?
• Have I defined specialized terms that might be unfamiliar to readers?
• Have I used clear, straightforward language whenever possible and avoided unnecessary jargon?
• Does my paper support my argument using a balanced tone, neither too indecisive nor too forceful?
• Does my paper avoid vague or imprecise terms? Slang? Repetition of the same phrases (“Smith states, Jones states”?) to introduce quoted and paraphrased material? Exclusive use of masculine pronouns or awkward use of he or she? Use of language with negative connotations? Use of outdated or offensive terms?

Sources:

“Checklist for Revision.” by GSU Perimeter College English Department. Retrieved from: http://gsuideas.org/SCC/RevisingDraft/Checklist%20for%20Revision.html Licensed under: CC-BY 4.0.