You've probably heard someone say they were going to revise or edit an
essay. Did you know these are different things? When we revise, we think
about the big picture in an essay: the thesis, the main ideas, the
supporting details, the organization, etc. When we edit, we focus on the
sentence-level points: spelling, grammar, word choices, etc. Both are
important and must be done when we complete your essay on the exam. This
resource provides strategies for revising and editing that you can
practice before your exam to help you strengthen the final essay you
submit.
Revising & Editing Process
Revision
The revision process is an essential aspect of writing and one that you should build in time for before submitting your written work.
Revision means to "re-see" the piece of writing.
It isn't just proofreading your paper or correcting grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Revision is stepping back and looking at your paper as a whole and seeing if you are effectively saying what you intend to say. It is giving your paper a thorough look to see how you can make it stronger. Your goal should always be to write clearly, concisely, and in an engaging way.
One way to go about re-seeing your writing is to do it in three stages. Many people skip the first stage, but looking at the big picture is crucial in making sure you have a well-developed essay that expresses your ideas.
Source: Excelsior Online Writing Lab, https://owl.excelsior.edu/writing-process/revising-and-editing/
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