SMART EDITING AND PROOF READING

Dr. Chris McMillan -ASK Academic Skills

ask@brunel.ac.uk

Objectives

Discuss the distinction between editing and proofreading

Consider how to approach the writing process

Learn different editing techniques

Develop a plan to identify your typical errors and watch out for them

Writing: A Process

Writing doesn’t just happen when your fingers hit the keyboard, nor finish when you have reached the word count

Instead, writing is a layering process whereby you can constantly improve your structure and expression

Editing… Proofreading… …is about actively improving your writing in terms of both form and content.

Ideas Arguments Logic Style Clarity ‘Flow’

…is mostly about catching the small errors and inconsistencies.

Spelling Grammar Repetition Typos Consistency

(reference style, abbreviations, etc)

Here’s a hint.

Most of what we call ‘the writing process’ is editing. Or it should be…

Conception Reflection

Organisation

Drafting

Editing Proof-reading

Drafting

It is difficult to think about how you are writing whilst you are writing

Ensure that you know what you want to say, how it needs to be said, and where you want to go before you commence

Once in a rhythm, try to keep writing until you begin to lose coherence

The importance of editing

It is more important that you are a good editor than a good writer

Knowing that you have the opportunity to fix your allows you to write more freely

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter. - James Michener, prolific American novelist

Editing Toolkit

Checking for sentence logic

Signposting language Avoiding repetition

Checking for paragraph structure

The SEE paragraph The say/do test

Checking for argument structure

Maintaining a focus

Checking sentence logic

Read your work like someone who has never read it before.

Make the connections from sentence to sentence explicit – too often in student writing such connections are only implicit.

Okay, how?

Use effective signposting language. To show a contradiction: However, although, nonetheless, on the other hand, by contrast, but To show similarity or addition: Similarly, furthermore, likewise, as well, besides, further, moreover, and To indicate a result or conclusion: Therefore, thus, consequently, as a result To reformulate or sum up points or ideas: In short, ultimately, to sum up, in other words

Group dynamics…

Conversely,…

Furthermore,…

Yet,…

Consequently…

www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk

www.visualthesaurus.com iate.europa.eu

Checking sentence logic

Do a repetition check. Look for repeated words or phrases.

Firstly, I will discuss the theory of transactional analysis. Transactional analysis was developed by Eric Berne during the late 1950s. Transactional analysis is an integrative educational approach that involves looking inward at human personality. Transactional analysis was developed by Eric Berne during the late 1950s; it is an integrative educational approach that involves looking inward at human personality.

Checking for paragraph structure

S E E

Statement

Evidence

Explanation

= TOPIC SENTENCE

= References or experiences

One-sentence paragraph

= Significance

The Say/Do Test

What does this paragraph SAY?

What does this paragraph DO?

Can you summarise it in one sentence? If you can’t your reader won’t be able to either.

It outlines x issue It furthers my

argument It provides essential

background/examples It actually just repeats

what the previous paragraph says…

Maintaining focus

Writing is a mode of thinking and thus your ideas may shift whilst you are writing

Ensure that your writing states its purpose and has a clear argument

A lot of the editing process involves restructuring your paragraphs to maintain this focus

Linking Paragraphs

Establishing links between paragraphs ideas ensures continuity

There are two effective ways to do so;

Repetition of key terms

Using ‘signposting terms’

Avoid ‘narrating your progress’

Linking Ideas: Paragraphs

Statement/Topic sentence

Evidence or Examples

Explanations and Reasoning

Evaluation/Transition: So what?

Statement/Topic sentence

Evidence or Examples

Explanations and Reasoning

Evaluation/Transition

Topic Sentence

S

E

E

In the tea industry, which relies heavily on reputation and taste over trend, the benefits of direct and organic marketing far outweigh the more traditional elements of the marketing mix. Direct marketing can provide a more personal service (Fill, 2005), whilst organic marketing can provide a sense of community and allows contact and the transferring of knowledge with customers (Ghambari, 2008). In considering community in marketing strategy, Booms and Bitner (1981) suggest an extended marketing mix including people as a key element. This emphasises the impact of culture on the success of the tea industry, and in turn allows for the inclusion of cultural practices in marketing strategy development.

These cultural practices, however, are often highly

differentiated, especially within the tea industry. Here it is…

Conversely, cultural practices are often highly differentiated, especially within the tea industry. Here it is

Proof-Reading

Proof-reading should be the final stage in the process

It is only at this stage that you should look for perfection

Be aware of the errors YOU make

Read for errors, not to confirm perfection

Top Tips for Proofing

Leave enough time for a ‘cooling off’ period – you will catch a lot more if you take a day off

Print your work out – we tend to see mistakes better when the writing is on paper

Have someone else read it Read it aloud to a friend or yourself Start at the end and work backwards,

sentence by sentence

Develop a plan

Write down 3-5 specific mistakes you tend to make, or issues you’d like to improve upon in your writing.

What steps can you take to remedy these problems?

Consider your writing process specifically – what can be improved?

Further assistance

Contact ASK at ask@brunel.ac.uk or see http://www.brunel.ac.uk/library/ask Watch our writing videos Come by our drop-ins, Mon-Fri 1 – 6 pm (From next week) Friday: ASK Writing Drop-In 11am-3pm in the Workshop Room