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Revise
Definition | Methods | Tips | MS Word Connections | Links

What is revising?
Revising is often the most difficult step in the writing process. When you read over your rough draft, you often feel that it is fairly well written and has covered all your main points. During this step, you must read your work with a new set of eyes. You should look for changes that can be made in structure, organization, word choice, transitions, etc. The goal is to make your writing clearer, more interesting, more informative, and more convincing. The most important point is to remember that revising is not editing for grammar and mechanics. This can be done later, when you are sure that you will keep all of the writing you have done and have added anything else you may feel was missing from your rough draft.

How do I revise my writing?
As stated earlier, when revising your work, you must look at it with a new set of eyes. This can be done through sharing your work with others in a peer conference, asking the teacher or a parent to review it, or reading it yourself. When reading it yourself, the best way to look at your writing with fresh eyes is to put some distance between you and the writing. You can do this by putting the work aside for a period of time (it may be ten minutes or ten days), and then reading it from beginning to end as if you were seeing it for the first time.

The ARMS method will help you spot places where your work can be improved:
Add- What else does the reader need to know about the topic?
Remove- Are there any details or ideas in this writing that don't fit?
Move around- Is the information in a logical order?
Substitute- What words or details could be replaced by clearer or stronger expressions?

You can also use this list of questions to ask yourself when revising your work.

Tips for Revising

Put distance between you and the work. Put it away, then bring it out later and read from the beginning.
Mark everything that might need to be changed. Even if you are unsure how to change it now, you will be reminded to come back to it later.
Read your work aloud. Often you will notice that certains words or paragraphs don't sound right, which probably means they need revising.
Have a peer, a teacher, or a parent read your work. They will pick up on errors you may have missed.

MS Word Connections
After typing your rough draft in Microsoft Word, revising will be quick and easy. There are several functions in this word processing software that allow you to change things you have written with just a few clicks of the mouse. This will allow you more time to really concentrate on what you want to say. Make sure to save a copy of your original work separately in case you realize you made unnecssary changes.

Print Microsoft Word Handbook for Revising

Links
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www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/langarts/techlit/writingcheck.htm
A list of questions for peer conferencing.

cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/transitions.htm
Contains a chart of commonly used transition words and when to use them.

www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/writingprocess/revisetrait.html Tips for revising your writing using the 6 trait writing method.

www.transaction.net/web/tutor/text/trouble.html
Help for troubleshooting common sentence errors .

www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/revise.html
18 tips for making your writing stronger.