Assignment: Reflection Questions on Editing and Finishing the Essay

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to consider what remaining edits must be made to the paper to render it “finished.” This is the last stage in the writing process and it is important that this step is not rushed through in the mad dash to turn in and/or complete the assignment. Since preliminary discussion and/or free writing are valuable parts of the writing process, these activities serve as both general practice and idea generating activities to jump-start a specific writing assignment.

Procedure: Small Group: Form small groups of 3 – 4 students and discuss one or more of the topics and/or questions below. One member of the group should compile the group’s thoughts and input; after a brief period (10 – 15 minutes) each group should share their ideas with the rest of the class. Individual: Choose one or more of the reflective questions below and respond to the topics or questions in a free write.

Reflection Questions

1. Most students think that editing and revising are the same, but now that you have taken a look at both revision and editing, you should see some fundamental differences. Can you define these terms in your own words and explain what you do when you revise and what you do when you edit?

2. Describe the last step of your writing process; how do you know when an essay is complete?

3. What comments for improvement do you most often receive on your essays? Are the comments related to revising or editing? What can you do on future assignments to address these problems now that you have studied additional revising and editing skills?

The Writing Process: Editing