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Summary
After you have finished your drafting stage, the next step is revising and editing. This stage is equally as important as drafting because it is where you perfect your writing. As a writer, you will be more effective if you understand the difference between these two steps and how they work.
Your work should be revised once you've written a substantial draft. In order to make your writing as effective as possible, it takes time to evaluate, change and polish. If possible, take a small break after drafting to be able to see revisions from a fresh perspective. If you don't have time, try to look away from the page for a few minutes, so you can approach the text with fresher eyes.
The type of writing you are doing will affect the way in which you revise your draft.
Type of revising | Explanation |
For content | Try to write as best as you can when drafting and include as many details as possible. The decisions you make during revision will depend on whether something should be kept or removed. Ask yourself:
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For organisation | Make sure your draft is organised. Do you have a logical flow from one paragraph to another in your draft? Ask yourself:
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For coherence | Sentences and paragraphs are bonded to create coherence. This is commonly achieved through discourse markers such as "however" and "in addition." The reader must also understand your message for it to be coherent. Take a look at your draft from the reader's perspective to ensure that it is cohesive. Ask yourself:
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Editing and revising are similar and work well together. A mistake or misconnection will be heard faster than it will be seen by your eye. Therefore, read your work aloud and look for key details.
Paragraph and sentence structure | Review your paragraphs and pay attention to the sentences. Ask yourself:
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Grammar | Be sure that your writing is written in an appropriate style for the purpose of your work and adheres to the appropriate grammar rules. Ask yourself:
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Punctuation | Check that punctuation is used correctly. Ask yourself:
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Note: Make sure you check your work for words that are often used incorrectly, such as:
Editing your writing
How to proofread an essay
Planning your writing
FAQs
Question: What should I look at when editing my work?
Answer: Key details to look at while editing include paragraph and sentence structure, grammar and punctuation.
Question: Should you revise and edit your work?
Answer: This stage is equally as important as drafting, because it is where you perfect your writing.
Question: When should you revise and edit your work?
Answer: After you have finished your drafting stage, the next step is revising and editing.
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