Structural Revision:Re-reading and analyzing organization and evidence

It is important to begin the revision process by first re-thinking purpose, audience and thesis--global revision. You may have several working drafts by now. It is premature to revise the structure of a paper before you have worked out all the problems with the content. Once you know what you want to say, you are ready to go on to improve how you say it.

• Choose the working draft that you like the best.
• There are two different strategies you can try at this point:
  1. Make a Descriptive Outline of your draft.
  2. Make a Collage of your draft.

Use your word processor to re-format your paper with single-spacing and an extra-wide margin (2 to 3 inches) on one side. Print this draft. Now you are going to annotate your draft--make notes in the margin beside each paragraph.

First, you want to state the function of the paragraph: to introduce, to explain, to define, to compare, to contrast, to classify, to analyze, to argue, to transition, to conclude, etc.

Second, note the main idea of the paragraph or use a highlighter to mark the topic sentence of the paragraph.

Complete these notes for the whole paper.

Is there a clear pattern for the organization of the paragraphs in your paper?
Are there gaps that need to be filled in?
Is there unnecessary repetition?
Do any paragraphs make unnecessary digressions?
Is there a clear introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion? Are transitions used effectively?
Does the paper clearly address the target audience?
Is the title effective?

Discuss these qustions with your writing group. Sometimes other readers can point out problems that we don't see because, as writers, we know what we want to say and don't realize how much of our thinking is not on the page.

Make careful notes of all the changes you want to make in the paper.

Return to Drafting to compose a new draft of your essay. Move freely from Drafting to Collaborating to Revising and back to Drafting until you feel you are effectively accomplishing the purpose of your piece with your target audience. Then you are ready to go on to Editing and Proofreading.

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Collage Draft

Sometimes it's easier to re-think the structure of a paper by literally cutting it apart and putting it together again in a totally different pattern of organization.

• To try the collage method of revision, print an extra copy of your draft.
• Number the paragraphs starting with the introduction as #1.
• In the margin beside each paragraph note the main idea and the function of the paragraph.
• After the paragraphs are numbered, so you can put them back in their original order if you want to, then take scissors and cut the paragraphs apart.
• Spread the pieces out on a table. Look at the notes you have made about the main idea of each paragraph. Have you grouped these ideas together? Are some paragraphs out of place? Move them around until the groupings are right.
• Now, do you order these groups by some clear pattern? Move the pieces around until you can see a pattern of organization that is appropriate for your paper.
• Collaborate with your writing group. Ask them to help you arrange the pieces of your paper.
• Now answer these questions:

Is there a clear pattern for the organization of the paragraphs in your paper?
Are there gaps that need to be filled in?
Is there unnecessary repetition?
Do any paragraphs make unnecessary digressions?
Is there a clear introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion? Are transitions used effectively?
Does the paper clearly address the target audience?
Is the title effective?

• Discuss these questions with your writing group. Sometimes other readers can point out problems that we don't see because, as writers, we know what we want to say and don't realize how much of our thinking is not on the page.
• Make careful notes of all the changes you want to make in the paper.
• Return to Drafting to compose a new draft of your essay. Move freely from Drafting to Collaborating to Revising and back to Drafting until you feel you are effectively accomplishing the purpose of your piece with your target audience. Then you are ready to go on to Editing and Proofreading.