Revising an Essay- the do’s, the don’ts, and a Sample
Introduction
We all know that we should revise our essays before submitting them to ensure the best possible grade, but we will discuss how and why in this article. We will cover what you can do to improve your essay during revision and what not to do so that you don’t accidentally make it worse. Finally, I’ll show you an example of a revised essay using these techniques and provide feedback on its strengths and weaknesses.
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The Do’s of Revising an Essay
- Be concise: cut out anything that doesn’t serve a purpose in helping you make your point; this is one of those rare times when writing less can be better! If you have good examples to back up any claims you’re making, use only those; if you don’t, delete any unnecessary examples/claims.
- Proofread: it’s a good idea to read the whole essay aloud after finishing editing. Reading your work aloud will help catch mistakes like spelling errors or grammar issues that might be difficult for eyes alone to spot. Be sure also to have someone else read the essay to see anything you might not have noticed.
- Be realistic: don’t get too caught up in the idea of perfection, or you’ll never be able to finish your revisions. It’s much better to have a draft that is close enough and good enough than one that has potential but will take forever to edit until it’s perfect.
- Focus on improving clarity: don’t be afraid of being repetitive; it might feel like you are adding unnecessary words, but it will help fix any misunderstandings about your point in reality.
- Spend time improving your sentence structure and organization to clear what you are trying to say in each paragraph.
The Don’ts of Revising an Essay
- Don’t be afraid to delete sentences that don’t add new information: it’s better to have a shorter and clearer essay than one with lots of unnecessary words.
- Don’t change your tone: if you are writing formally, don’t try to make it sound more casual.
- Don’t get too caught up in the idea of perfection, or you’ll never be able to finish your revisions. It’s much better to have a draft that is good enough and close enough that one with potential but will take forever to edit until it’s perfect.
- Don’t be afraid of being repetitive: sometimes, the words you use over and over again can help fix any misunderstandings about your point; don’t feel like every sentence has to have variations for your essay to sound more interesting.
- Don’t change your introduction or conclusion: if you are writing an introduction, don’t start with your thesis statement. If you have a concluding paragraph, don’t end the essay without summarizing what you’ve just written (in other words – include your thesis at the beginning and in the ending sentence).
- Don’t forget to proofread! It’s essential to read everything aloud once you’re done editing to catch any mistakes that might be difficult for eyes alone to spot. Be sure to have someone else read your essay as well; proofreading is one of the most critical parts of revising a piece, so don’t forget!
- Don’t write in bullet points: this often happens when a person knows they need to cut out information and adds bullet points to make it seem like they’re keeping all the information in.
- Don’t write numbers: this often happens when a person knows that their point is weak or has little evidence. Hence, they try to add some statistics or scientific arguments to back up what they are saying but end up sounding ridiculous because of how these types of information are typically presented.
- Don’t plagiarize
Steps for Revising Your Paper:
While revising your paper, remember to go through all these steps for an effective revision:
1. Find your main point.
The first step in the revision process is to find your main point. The keyword here, of course, is “your,” as you must identify what your thesis or claim about a topic should be – not someone else’s. If you are unsure about where this should go, try going back into your essay and reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This will give you an idea about where your essay begins and what it talks about throughout the course of its body paragraphs.
Another place to find your main point is in the outline. If you are using an outline system for your essay, there should be a sentence or two that explains each paragraph’s main point. This is also an excellent place to look if you’re not sure about where your thesis statement belongs to other sections within the body of your paper.
Getting back on track with finding and stating your main point is a critical piece of the revision process because it helps you focus on what’s most relevant to your paper.
2. Evaluate your evidence.
The next step after finding your main point(s) is to evaluate the evidence supporting the points. This step is vital because it will help you see the strengths and weaknesses of your paper. You may want to determine how persuasive each paragraph is based on its evidence or decide if a particular point needs more support to strengthen that argument.
Once again, this process begins with reading your essay from top-to-bottom. This way, you can see how the evidence and arguments fit together as a whole. You may also want to go through your paper in sections, focusing on one paragraph or sentence at a time.
This process is challenging because it forces you to scrutinize every word you’ve written. Still, it’s necessary to be as solid and convincing as possible if you want all of the points in your paper to be as factual and compelling as possible.
3. Save only the good pieces.
In this step of revising your essay, you will save only the good pieces. This doesn’t mean that you should delete anything that you’ve written, but it does mean that you should be selective as you are revising your paper and choose what stays based on how well those sentences support your point or arguments.
It’s also important not to feel discouraged as you’re going through this process- no one’s first draft is perfect, and those are the pieces that need to be saved.
4. Eliminate mistakes in grammar and usage.
The last step in the revision process is to find any mistakes that you may have made in grammar or usage and eliminate them. This will help make sure that everything flows smoothly throughout your paper, as well as make it more professional-looking.
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What happens if I no longer agree with my point?
If you find that your original point doesn’t seem as strong or convincing to you, it may be time for a new one. Try thinking about what the opposing viewpoint would say to refute your argument better.
If you no longer agree with your point, find the most relevant one to your paper and make sure that everything about it is as strong as possible:
- Evaluate evidence.
- Eliminate mistakes in grammar and usage.
- Consider what the opposing viewpoint might say on this topic to develop a stronger statement for your essay.
What if I Revise the Work as I Go?
The revision process can be a long one, so it may happen that you’ll need to revise the work as you go. This means that if something doesn’t seem right or is missing somewhere in your paper- fix it!
It’s important not to get discouraged when this happens: there are no perfect first drafts, and mistakes will always creep up. It’s okay to make mistakes and fix them. That is what revision is all about!
How can I Make Sure my Essay is as Solid and Convincing as Possible?
First, read your entire paper top-to to bottom. This will help you see how the evidence and arguments fit together so that all points are equally persuasive or supported by evidence. You may also want to go through your draft in sections, looking at one moment at a time.
Save only the best pieces of your work, be selective when revising it, and choose what stays based on how well they support your argument or point. It’s also important not to feel discouraged as you’re going through this process- no one’s first draft is perfect! Those are the pieces that need to be saved.
Eliminate mistakes in grammar and usage to make sure that your paper flows smoothly and make it more professional-looking. If you find yourself questioning whether or not the point of view is still accurate or convincing for you, consider what an opposing viewpoint would say on this topic to develop a stronger statement.
If you find a mistake or something that needs to be fixed in your paper, fix it! Make sure the work flows smoothly and is as professional-looking as possible. Remember: there are no perfect first drafts- mistakes will always creep up. It’s okay to make mistakes and fix them; this is what revision is all about.
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What are the Benefits of Good Revision Strategies?
The revision process is vital because it evaluates whether or not the point of view is still accurate and convincing.
The revision also evaluates evidence, eliminates grammar and usage mistakes, and considers what the opposing viewpoint might say about the topic.
Also, great revision strategies can improve the flow of your paper, make it more professional-looking and easier to read, as well as keep you from getting discouraged during the process!
It’s important not to give up when things don’t seem right- that is what revision is for!
Best Practices to Revise at Sentence Level
When reading your paper top to bottom, make sure that everything you have said is as accurate and persuasive as possible.
It’s important to read through the piece in sections so that one point can be evaluated at a time for its strength or accuracy. You may also want to go over each sentence of content on its own: if it doesn’t fit in line with the paper, eliminate it!
Look for mistakes in grammar and usage: this will help make your sentences easier to read.
Best Practices for Sentence Level Revision:
- Read through the piece top to bottom in sections, evaluating one point at a time for strength and accuracy.
- Look out for mistakes in grammar usage.
- Eliminate sentences that don’t fit well into the flow or context of your paper and save only those that make a lot of sense and are persuasive in their argument.
- Also, you can look for sentences that don’t work and get rid of them.
- Rewrite certain sections with more detail or focus on improving the paper.
- Don’t give up if things seem hard: revision is what you need to make your work stronger or evaluate a point of view!
What if You Don’t Want to Rewrite the Entire paper?
This is a perfect option! Instead, you can look for sentences that don’t fit and eliminate them. You may also want to rewrite or rework certain sections of the paper to make it stronger- this process is called “refining.”
You might be tempted not to revise your essay if it seems like an impossible task: but remember that this is what revision is for! It’s okay to have a hard time with it- you’re not alone. The revision points are to make your paper stronger, evaluate the point you’re trying to make, and not give up when things get complicated.
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Sample Essay
Contribution of Technology in Education-Raw Essay
Technology is an integral part of our everyday lives. It has become a central component in the development and education of many people- from toddlers to college student, children to adult, and even among those who are illiterate or do not speak English as their first language. The use of technology for instruction allows educators to reach across cultural divides while providing tailored education to individual students based on their needs. Technology can be used in a classroom as an instructional tool- and it’s also incorporated into the design of teaching methods.
The use of technology in education can be traced back to the 1960s, when educators first began using television for instruction. During this period, the invention and popularization of VCRs allowed teachers to show videos on-demand while also making it possible for students to watch films in home that were previously unavailable or censored by social norms. This trend has continued with new innovations in technology. For example, electronic whiteboards have been used to teach kindergarten students basic arithmetic and algebra concepts while also enabling them to solve a screen problem.
Momentum has increased since the 1970’s- when computers were first introduced into classrooms- and it continues today as advancements continue to be made, which bring new opportunities to use technology for instruction. For example, online courses allow educators and students across the world to interact with one another without geographic constraints- making it possible for those who are otherwise unable to attend school because of their social or economic situation to access quality education.
Technology is often used as an instructional tool in classrooms today: many schools have laptops available for students to use during their lessons. This allows teachers to present information and demonstrate skills in new ways- such as interactive videos, simulations, or virtual labs. It also increases the amount of content they can teach due to availability on various online sources, which then provides more opportunities for personalized learning: some students might need assistance with math while others need help with reading comprehension.
The use of technology to teach a language also helps students gain skills and confidence in speaking it- which, in turn, leads them to continue studying on their own time as they are exposed to new vocabulary words through the course materials. In addition, technology can be used for assessment purposes: educators can create quizzes or tests that are proctored on the computer and then evaluate how their students have understood a lesson.
The use of technology in education has many benefits- from giving teachers more ways to reach each student with tailored instruction while also providing new opportunities for those who otherwise might not be able to take traditional courses because they can’t travel far enough to get to school.
It also allows for more assessment opportunities to be created, giving educators a better idea of how their students understand the material.
Role of Technology in Future Learning-Revised Essay
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the way we learn and share information. Its use has helped educators personalize learning to meet individual student needs and give them new opportunities for assessment that didn’t exist before. The increased utilization of technology in education will continue helping more students receive quality instruction at all levels from pre-school to post-graduate.
Education will continue to rely on technology in the future: it is used in classrooms as an instructional tool and incorporated into teaching methods. Technology can be found in most schools today, with laptops being available for students’ use during their lessons so that teachers can present information and demonstrate skills in new ways. The use of technology to teach a language has also helped students gain skills and confidence in speaking it, motivating them to continue studying independently as they are exposed to new vocabulary words through the course materials.
In future learning, technology will assess educators to understand better how their students understand the material. These assessments will create a data-based approach to teaching, which is better than the current intuition-based system. Thus, the future is bright, courtesy of technological advancement.
In conclusion, technology plays an important role in education. It is used as an instructional tool and incorporated into the design of teaching methods in today’s classrooms, which helps students learn more efficiently. In most schools, laptops are available for student use during their lessons so teachers can present information and demonstrate skills in new ways. The increased utilization of technology will continue helping more students to receive quality instruction.
Weaknesses of the first essay- Contribution of technology in education
The first essay, at first glance, might seem ready for submission, but on a closer inspection, you will notice that it has:
- Instances of grammatical errors.
- It does not have a specific point that can be themed throughout the essay.
- Long sentences that might be hard to follow and understand despite having a full thought or idea.
- Unnecessary information that makes the essay long and tiresome to read.
- There are very short paragraphs, some with one sentence; a basic paragraph should have at least 3 sentences and 5-6 sentences on average.
- No clear topic sentences, concluding statements, and conclusion.
Strengths of the revised essay – Role of technology in future learning.
The second essay, titled “Role of technology in future learning,” is a revised version of the first essay titled “Contribution of technology in education.”
The writer improved on the following parts of the essay to make it look, read and feel better.
- The writer focused on the main point, which is- the role of technology in future learning. The title also had to be revised to help shape the main point. It is not necessary to change the title in your essay since it’s easy to miss your intended point entirely.
- The second essay is concise and straight to the point.
- The second essay has been corrected and is free from grammatical errors, punctuation, and spelling errors.
Summary:
Revising an essay is an essential part of quality writing. You should ensure to edit your essay to achieve quality papers.
Before revising an essay, make sure you understand the dos and don’ts. This will ensure you don’t make the same mistake you made while writing the essay. In this way, you will be able to save on your time.
Finally, revising an essay is always a challenging task. However, you should know that you should be prepared for the task because you want quality paper.
