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Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

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Page 1: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay

with references to A Writer’s Resource

Page 2: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

disclaimer

By now, I assume you have already spent ample time thinking about your argument and developing your support. However, if you feel your paper still lacks critical thought, logical support, or persuasive argument, you may not want to move on to editing yet. Specifically, you may not yet be ready for the editing techniques at the end of this slideshow.

Page 3: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Global Revision Checklist

Purpose and AudienceDoes the draft accomplish its purpose – to

present a clearly articulated argument and persuade the audience, not merely compile facts or statistics?

Is the draft appropriate for its audience? Does it account for the audience’s knowledge of the subject, level of interest in the subject, and possible attitudes toward the subject?

Page 4: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Global Revision Checklist

FocusIs the thesis clear? Is it placed prominently? If the thesis is not the last sentence of the first

paragraph, is there a good reason? And is it still clear which sentence is the thesis?

Do the introduction and conclusion focus clearly on the central idea/thesis?

Are any ideas obviously off the point? (could be an entire paragraph or just a sentence or word)

Page 5: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Global Revision Checklist

They Say/I SayIs it clear who/what your own argument is

responding to?Do you clearly distinguish your own ideas and

views from those of others?Do you consider other points of view (i.e.,

alternative points of view, counterarguments, objections) in order to make your own argument stronger?

Page 6: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Global Revision Checklist

Organization and Paragraphing (pp. 76-80 in AWR)Are there enough organizational cues for

readers (such as topic sentences or headings)? (pp. 66-67 in AWR)

Are ideas presented in a logical order?Are any paragraphs too short or too long for

easy reading?

Page 7: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Global Revision Checklist

Content Is the supporting material relevant and

persuasive?Which ideas need further development?Are the parts proportioned sensibly? Do major

ideas receive enough attention?Where might material be deleted?

Page 8: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Global Revision Checklist

Point of View (p. 428, 431 in AWR)Is the draft free of distracting shifts in point of

view (from I to you, for example, or from it to they)?

Is the dominant point of view – first person (I or we), second person (you), or third person (he, she, it, one, or they) – appropriate for your purpose and audience?

Page 9: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Paragraphs: General

Make paragraphs coherent:Have you linked ideas clearly?Are there enough transitions?

Paragraph-level?Sentence-level?

Do you repeat key words to reinforce main points/tie back to your thesis?

Have you used parallel structures?Do you maintain consistency (in main idea, in

verb tense, in point of view)?

Page 10: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Paragraphs: Introduction

Do you:Catch the audience’s attention/interest?Provide a clear context for your issue/argument?Make your argument clear?

Do you provide appropriate qualifiers?Do you discuss the opposition/counterargument? Do

you need to?Do you merely present a problem, a call to action, or

both? Should you change this at all?

pp. 68-69, 141 in AWR

Page 11: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Paragraphs: Body

Does each paragraph focus on just one main point?

Do you introduce information in any paragraph that isn’t developed or seems unrelated to the topic sentence? If so, should it be developed (possibly into a new paragraph) or omitted?

Do any paragraphs repeat information from previous paragraphs? Should these ideas be combined, omitted, moved?

Page 12: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Paragraphs: Body

Does each paragraph have a topic sentence that announces the main point?

Do your topic sentences relate to your thesis statement? (is it clear how each paragraph or topic in your paper relates to your argument)

Do your topic sentences emphasize your argument?

Page 13: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Paragraphs: Body

Does every sentence of the paragraph relate to the topic sentence?

Is there enough detail to develop the main point of the paragraph?

Does each paragraph flow smoothly from the one before? (Use transitions)

Page 14: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Paragraphs: Conclusion

Does the final paragraph provide satisfactory closure?

Do you synthesize the information presented in the rest of the paper without merely restating your thesis?

Do you have any new information (not mentioned yet in intro. or body)? Should it be there, or should it be omitted?

Are readers left with an understanding of why this is an important and/or relevant argument?

Page 15: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Sentences

Is each sentence complete?Do you use primarily active rather than passive

voice? (pp. 422, 428-31 in AWR)Are your lists parallel? (pp. 432-34 in AWR)Do many of your sentences begin with it or

there? (or any other word)Are your sentences varied? (pp. 442-45 in AWR)

Page 16: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Words

Are you sure of the meaning of each word?Is any of your language too general or too

vague?Is any of your language too informal? (avoid

anything that sounds like slang)Do your words convey the tone of your stance?Do all pronouns have clear antecedents?Have you used any clichés?

Page 17: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Words (cont’d.)

Could your words be offensive to others?Are too many of your words forms of “be,” “do,”

and “have”? If so, use more specific verbs.Do you confuse spellings of words? (specifically,

check it’s and its; their, there, and they’re; definitely and defiantly, and names of people and places)

Do you know the difference between plurals and possessives? Have you used them correctly?

Page 18: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Editing Words (cont’d.)

Check for wordiness:Eliminate redundant words

Ex: “King shows us that we are all crazy and need mental help”Revised: “King shows us that we are all mentally ill.”

Eliminate empty words: These are words that fill space and do not add content to the sentence:

Ex: absolutely, awesome, awfully, definitely, fine, great, literally, quite, really, very

(See Tab 9, “Editing for Clarity” in AWR)

Page 19: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Your trends in error

Do you have a tendency to make certain mistakes? Think about comments I’ve given you so far this semester or comments past instuctors have given you.

Page 20: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Citations: in-text

Does the in-text citation give the first word you see on the corresponding citation in the Works Cited page?

Do you give the author (or important word from title) and the page (or paragraph) number?

Have you used signal phrases to introduce others’ ideas?Do you make it clear which ideas are other peoples’ and

which are your own?Do you give the full name of a person the first time you

refer to him/her and then just the last name from then on?Do you offer good explanations of each quote?

Page 21: Editing and Proofreading: Argumentative Essay with references to A Writer’s Resource

Citations: Works Cited Page

Check your book! Do not just rely on an online citation site

unless you are positive it is completely correct for each type of source you’re using and is using the updated MLA guidelines.