This week, give some advice regarding editing and revision. What are some ways that you revise essays to make them better?
If we run out of steam on that topic, tell a story of a time when you did not revise enough, or when you edited incorrectly and "fixed" a bunch of your own good sentences, or when the dog ate your homework. Think about your own writing experiences. After all, you have been a student for many years now and have been doing quite well at this being a student "game" we learn to play.
And if neither of those strike your fancy, as a last resort, just tell me what you are doing for the Super Bowl next week...
When editing and revising my own writing, I read my writing a day after I typed my rough draft. I don't like to read it as I am typing it because I will get all of my thoughts confused. The first thing I look for when revising my writing is repetition. I know that when I write I tend to repeat myself when trying to explain something, which is why I look for areas where I repeat what I already said. Next, I look at my choice of words and try to see if there is a different way to restate my sentence. After, I look at the order of my paragraphs and verify that they each have a proper transition phrase. Many times my thoughts are so random that I end up having choppy paragraphs. Lastly, I look for punctuation and spelling errors. Personally, I believe punctuation and spelling are the least important, even though it makes a huge difference. I don't like to put too much emphasis on my punctuation or spelling errors because then I lose focus on my actual writing.
ReplyDeleteAs far as this weekend, I work and I also will be taking the Subtest 3 for the CSET. Since I am not a football fan, I wont be watching the game. Instead, I hope to get together with my family and have a bbq.
I also tend to repeat myself a lot so this is one of the first things I try to correct when revising my texts along with my choice of words. I also believe that even though spelling and punctuation are important, they are less important than other aspects of writing. Some of the things we write might confuse the reader, so I try to be as clear and specific as my knowledge of the English language lets me.
DeleteLike you guys, I repeat myself a lot in my writing. It is also the first thing I try to eliminate! I also loose the topic some if I focus on punctuation.I feel like i can never stop fixing and changing. Revising is tough. Good luck on your test this weekend Gabriela!!
DeleteI really like your idea of reading it a day after you write it. I'm with you, if I were to stop and read the paper as I'm going, I would often lose my train of thought and the steam I had while writing. Repetition isn't always a bad thing, especially if you are trying to get a very important point across, but It is something that is good to catch, I mostly end up using two of's or the's when writing and they often slip by me. Maybe the idea of reading it a day latter will help me catch those. Thanks!
DeleteI notice that everyone says they repeat themselves a lot. I think I do too, but in a different way? I'm not too sure on how you guys mean for I repeat myself, catch it, and then rewrite the same thing using different words. I know that in my review I felt I used the word "restaurant" pretty frequently...
DeleteRevising can be both exciting and a drag. Truthfully, I find the task more enjoyable when I revise for others. I often find myself with a red pen in tow, slashing away like a cryptic murder scene. When revising, I try and make the paper seem legible as well as understanding. Without a certain "common sense" factor to the writing, most essays would seem out of place or sporadic in the way of how the writer thinks. I enjoy writing and revising makes the job much more enriching. Now, this is not to say I have not had bad work. I recall a time when I was so new to the writing scene that I very seldom revised; let alone took the time to work on effective writing skills. As I have grown, so has my writing. I once turned in a paper that described the negatives of fashion with the modern teen. Needless to say, the paper came back as red as a tomato. There were so many errors and fragments. I never bothered to check the work. This broke my guard, made me grow up a little and taught me to understand that I should always be open to critique and revision. When completing a task, do we not follow all the steps and safe guards necessary to complete it? Those who wish to complete the task will follow all required steps. Why not with writing? We must follow all those steps to help clarify the masterpiece we just wrote.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy revising for others. I like things to be easy to understand. Some of my friends always used to look for me when they where doing their English and math homework because they said I was easier to understand than most teachers. Even though I always was busy doing my own homework, i always had time to revise their work because it was entertaining. While revising, I was able to test my knowledge in the subject and apply it when explaining things to my friends.
DeleteI also had problems because of the confidence I had on my knowledge but soon I learned that there is always something new to learn so we should always be alert and ready to learn.
I am horrible at revising my own papers. I love when someone can use a different view point and help me revise my paper! I agree with you Joey, there are so many required steps to revising writing. I need to become better at these steps, I'm getting there, luckily this class is helping me with my revising struggle.
DeleteI like revising to some extent. In my high school Spanish for Spanish speaking class we had to write a 5 paragraph essay on some random topic the teacher gave us and we had to have five other students "peer edit" it. I have a somewhat guilty conscious so I did edit each essay I got to the best of my ability. I hated it though. When reading the essays, you could tell a great majority of the class "b.s.'d" the "essays" during silent-sustained reading. In fact, I knew becasue they would laugh about it and tell me. Some sentences were a puzzle on their own. It felt like I was playing Tetris with words. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like reading, editing, and all that revising on works that are actually put time into.
DeleteI do not have many strategies for revising my own work. Even though I am confident of the knowledge I possess, I know I have many things to learn. I lack the vocabulary and experience in the English language that most people in this class have. When I am writing a text, first I try to write down everything that comes to my mind about the subject and then I add the ideas obtained by brainstorming. After I finish putting everything together, I try to look for sentences or words that I think are wrong or that are not necessary for the text.
ReplyDeleteAfter I finish looking for these misplaced words, I proceed to read the whole text to see if it is coherent and explains the idea in the simplest way possible. I repeat the same step one more time and after finish doing so, I start to change and add more words to the text to make it more interesting to read.
I am usually good detecting some of the problems I make when making the first draft, but it becomes more difficult to me to detect run on sentences and fragments. It is also difficult for me to find more words to describe the idea so I try to spend more time on these aspects rather than in little grammatical errors.
I also find it difficult to find descriptive words! It takes time to think or a good way to describe something in such a way that you feel like your there.
DeleteRodrigo, vocabulary is my challenge too... I realize I do not have rich vocabulary. I try to read more (books and articles) prior to writing an essay to get some ideas about the words that I am going to use.
DeleteHi Arina,that is a great way to expanding our vocabulary
DeleteI am a strange person in the fact that I love to write and find it quite easy to do. However, I do not like to edit or revise my own works for the simple fact that I cannot seem to stop writing. Adding or making changes to my own pieces almost always leads to more writing. I have learned that an effective way for me to edit/revise my works is to send out a mass email to as many people as I can, make them read it and make any changes they feel need to be done. This for the most part works when checking my grammar and repetition of words or phrases that I unknowingly use too often. If they don’t understand what I am trying to say, then that is normally a clue that I am using too much technical jargon and may need to reevaluate how I am trying to convey a message to a specific audience/professor.
ReplyDeleteTo some people using a twelve year old and a seventeen year old seems a bit ridiculous but you would be amazed at the insights they can give. My harshest critics are my best assets. Their brutally honest opinions are frequently right on and extremely helpful regardless of their limited knowledge of the subject matter I am normally working on. As a sociology major my writings or papers are nearly all required to be short, sweet and to the point. Keeping this in mind, if I don’t make sense to my girls then there are two possible outcomes: I have to explain in simpler terms what point I am trying to make, or by trying to explain I’ve managed to make sense and they’ve learned something new. Either way I win.
I wish I loved to write and found it as easy to do as you. That is awesome! I don't LOVE it, but I don't mind it. Some writing is more enjoyable then others.
DeleteI feel stupid for never thinking about emailing out my paper to friends and/or family. Thanks for the great idea. Im not a strong writer at all because I have so many thoughts in my head I find it hard to get it all down smoothly so I need all the help I can get.
DeleteI am in the same boat as you Moria! I find writing pretty enjoyable and can seem to do it with little hesitation. As long as I sit down and devote the time, it usually isn't an issue for me. I also find my self over correcting or taking too much out when I do the editing process. I saw it just this last quarter when I had a take home final. The teacher wanted at the most 2 pages per question and for some of the questions I found myself at page 4 or 5 so I often times have to find a way to cut back and focus on the bigger parts of the questions. Great Idea on sending it out to others, it is always fun to see what others think and catch that I didn't find.
DeleteMiranda - Its not necessarily easy but I've managed to find the ability to write with the same amount of passion that I speak with. This is not always a good thing but if you don't speak up for yourself then who will right.
DeleteMishabc - I'm glad you like my little trick! I hope it can be helpful to you.
Jacob - I totally get where you are coming from! Finding quiet time to just sit and write is not always easy. It is especially difficult when you have so much to say and feel limited to the amount you actually get to use. Sociology is BIG on short, sweet and no frills which is kind of a bummer sometimes but it is what I love so I deal with it.
I am a perfectionist when it comes to anything in my life, and writing is no different. I read my writing over and over and I still leave to simple (stupid) mistakes. When I begin writing, I put everything on my mind down. I type and type until nothing else comes to mind. Then I wait a day or too to get my mind away from the topic and come back for revising. When I revise, the two biggest things I look for out pronoun antecedent agreement and repeated descriptive words. I look for these two errors because I do them in almost all my writing. I go through my paper and fix all the pronouns. Reading the sentence out loud helps me fix this problem. When it comes to repeated words, I use a thesaurus for synonyms that match the meaning to a word I am using. Using the same word can make your writing boring and I try to fix it as much as I can. No matter how hard I try, I seem to always have this problem, even after revising and revising again. Does anyone have a way of helping this problem?
ReplyDeleteI like using peer revising, especially someone I don't know. I want your honesty when it comes to my writing. You are helping me. This is always better then revising my paper on my own. When I revise my paper on my own I seem to keep writing and changing. And no matter how much I change, I still find it hard to find run-ons, grammatical errors, and finding descriptive words. It is hard for to me "fancy up" my writing. The assignment was a little difficult for me, but I liked it because it is improving my writing abilities.
As far as this weekend goes, I will be doing homework while watching the football game with my closest friends. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Miranda,
DeleteI do not know what it is about reading our own writing that we can't seem to pick out the bigger issues in it. I mean when I read my writing I do not see any mistakes, but I know there always is. I wish I had a solution for you to help improve your revising skills, but we are in the same boat. The only thing I can say is the more practice we get the more we will improve.(Hopefully)
I agree! We have to keep practicing and sit down and devote time to read carefully with new knowledge and maybe our mistakes will start becoming easy to see!
DeleteI tend to read my paper a lot while writing. I wil probably read the paper I am in the process of writing at least ten times before I finish my "rough" draft. I do this to make sure the flow of my writing is perfect and that Im not jumping from one thing to the next without an easy transition. While reading and re-reading, I find a mistake here and there and fix it. Then I let others at it to give me their insight. It never fails, that even though I have read my paper ten times, someone always catches a mistake that I have missed. Peer reviews are great for things like punctuation and spelling errors and such... but as far as content, I usually go with the intructors advice. Not to put anyone down, but I dont like taking that type of advice from a student, so Im not a huge fan of peer reviews. They arent grading my paper at the end of it all.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Superbowl, my family and I will be going to a party at a friends house that do a superbowl shindig every year. They set up their upstairs with board games and karaoke for the kids to play and downstairs is jam packed with food, drinks and of course a betting table :-) Its more of a social gathering than a football party.
That is great that you read your paper all of those times. I think that I am so bad about editing that even when I read my paper out loud I skip over the mistakes. It is really frustrating that I miss so many even when I wait a few days in between and then read it. I honestly dont know how else to do better on editing other than having other read my work.
DeleteThe Superbowl sounds like a great fun packed party! Hope you have a great time!
I am right with you on peer reviewed assignments. While the feedback can be helpful at times, it can also irritate the crap out of me when they don't take it as seriously as I do. I usually find a professor that I am comfortable speaking to for a one-on-one conversation that is far more helpful to me.
DeleteI can relate to your frustration regarding peer review, although I feel it is beneficial having a different pair of eyes look over a paper. Even if they know little about the subject matter, it can be helpful in terms of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
DeleteIt's true how you mentioned that peer reviewing helps a whole lot in catching the mistakes that we make in writing. Revising an essay by yourself can sometimes keep oneself from catching careless mistakes that we make in our writing. It’s always a good idea to get someone to proofread one’s essay.
DeleteI don't revise my own papers as much as I probably should. Most of the time I just write it out and then read over it just to make sure it makes sense and I got my point across. My roommate usually looks over it for me to make sure I don't have any grammar or spelling errors, but she doesn't do that for me as much as she used to. Honestly, writing papers is somewhat difficult for me. I can talk about a subject or topic all day long in person or over the phone, but when it comes to writing or typing out my thoughts I tend to struggle with that a bit more. I prefer doing the blogs like the ones on here because I feel like I can express myself more freely.
ReplyDelete-The dog has never ate my homework but there was a time when I was babysitting and the baby ripped some of my homework that was due the following day. And believe it or not, I have never watched a super bowl game before or have even watched the half time show. Last year I was on a super bowl cruise but I still didn’t watch the game! Crazy right? I don’t even know why I haven’t watched it before. I guess something else always has my attention during that time. My friend Natasha’s birthday is on the same day and she is having a super bowl “watch party” this year, so maybe I will tune into it this year! (I don’t even know who is playing).
I have the same struggles Nandi. For some reason when its time to put my thoughts on paper, my brain either goes blank, or it gets so jumbled with all the ideas all at once that I find it hard to seperate them in order for my paper to make sense. Im not a fan of writing, but I can read all day long.
DeleteI am so glad someone finally understands what I am talking about! I can read all day as well! I actually really love reading, it's my favorite pastime. And I can definitely relate to the part about your many ideas getting jumbled up in your mind. That has happens to me more often than not. Is there anything that you do to help you express what you are trying to say in your papers?
DeleteDepends on the topic. Sometimes I just write what I can and when I go back to read it over, I'll find what makes sense and what doesnt, what flows and what makes it choppy, I add when I need to. Its get easier everytime I go back and re-read it. Other times I make an outline of what topics I know for sure I want to hit on. Public Speaking class what awesome for that. Taught me about outlines. :0)
DeleteFor me, editing my writing seems to be a bit of a chore and I have always struggled with the editing process. It was something I dreaded in high school and even became a bit of anxiety when it came to correcting other's work. But my senior year of high school I had a pretty great English teacher that made things personal for me and was able to help me get past that. He recommended that I do my writings as I feel comfortable and then either read those writings out loud to catch the errors or have someone read it with me to see if we agreed or disagreed on things. This seemed to be a big help for me because I had no problem reading something I just wrote out loud and it made it easier for me to discuss someone's work with them if we were both reading it and discussing it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I will be watching the Super Bowl at a buddy's house who works as a DJ on the side so he is getting a giant 98 inch screen to project the game on and hosting a corn hole tournament. Add in some local beers and great food, and it should be a pretty good super bowl, even though my beloved Patriots lost in the championships. Lets hope the Broncos can pull out a win!
That is a great way to look over a paper by discussing it! Thanks for the tip.
DeleteYour Super Bowl sounds amazing! I'm a little jealous about the 98" that is a nice broadcast of the game. I also love corn hole, it is one of those games that I am strangely good at. I am not normally good at many types of games like it. I hope the Seahawks win!!!!!
98 inches!? That's huge! You should definitely be able to see every bit of the game. What used to happen when you would get anxiety from other people's work? Do you know why that made you struggle with anxiety?
DeleteWhat is corn hole?
DeleteMy biggest problem with writing is grammar and punctuation. I think that the school system has failed me because I could not tell you any of the rules even if I tried. Sometimes when I read through grammar books the rules sound wrong to me. The only reason this could be is because I have been writing incorrect structure my entire life. I cannot tell you how hard it is to break habits like that, it all feels so defeating. Moving on to comas and all of the punctuation, well I just kind of add them here or there without any rhyme or reason. If it seems to fit when you read it stays, if not it goes until I find another spot that might need a comma or semicolon. I know that I am not a dumb person however; writing sure makes me feel like it sometimes. I honestly don’t know how I have made it so far in school without getting a tutor to work on my skills. After writing this I am really considering doing that.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend for the Superbowl I will go to a friend’s party and hopefully the Seahawks will win! I’m sure that we will have lots of food and yelling at the TV. I am very excited to enjoy the day with some of my favorite people, great food, and lots of bantering back in forth. Nothing says friend rivalry like your friends favorite team playing against one another in the Superbowl.
Kelly,
DeleteI have the same problem with punctuation, so do not worry because you are not alone. Sometimes I do not add enough commas and other times I add more than I should. I do not know what is worse, leaving out a comma or having an extra comma?
Kelly one of my biggest issues with writing is also grammar and punctuation. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense to me either. One thing that has helped me is asking others to edit my papers and having them explain to me why a comma belongs where it does.
DeleteSounds like you will have have fun watching the Superbowl with friends and food!
Kelly... first of all... Go Hawks!!.... second... look up the comma, semi colon, and other normal punctuation... type them up in a list form and post them by your desk so you have them to see everytime you sit down to write. After a few papers... you'll have the rules etched in and you'll be set. :-)
Deletegreat idea, to keep a list of rules by your work area!
DeleteKelly I completely understand what you are saying regarding having issues with grammar and punctuation. I know there both tough concepts to grasp around quickly. I too, think that having a grammar/punctuation reference page nearby is a good idea.
DeleteKelly, I can relate to your situation. Punctuation can be very tricky, and it has the same negative effect on my self esteem as a student. I think one of the best things about writing is that there are different writing styles, which is what gives us all the opportunity to be great writers. Since punctuation really bothers me and frustrates me, my primary focus is getting my main point across. Once I complete a paper, I review it to double check punctuation, but I always feel that if my point is clearly stated my punctuation errors will make a small impact.
DeleteThanks for all of your help everyone! It is great to get so much feedback and support! I will be sure to look up those rules and hopefully correct those errors once and for all.
DeletePersonally I do not like revising any of my essays. I am very critical when it comes to my own writing. I always think I can improve so many things. When I write I try to express my ideas as much as I can. Once I cannot think of anything else to say, I just leave it alone for a day or two. After I'll go back and read it out loud just to make sure everything makes. I read it out loud because for me listening to my own words helps me identify what really makes sense. When it sounds funny as I read out loud, I will go back re-read it and find a way to fix it. A lot of times I repeat myself, so I usually have to watch out for that when I read. I find this method helpful. A couple of times I have tried revising by printing out a hard copy of my essays to write in my corrections. This helps because I can see if anything is missing or needs to be added.
ReplyDeleteI believe the best method for revising is getting someone else's opinion on it. I usually try to ask a friend to revise or at least look over my papers. Sometimes I will have read the paper multiple times and nothing sounds wrong to me anymore. When someone else reads it they can pick up things I did not see. It is best to get a friend who will be honest when it comes to revising your paper.
HI Abigail! I think it is a great idea that you write until you cannot think of anything else to say and then you stop and go back to it later. I've actually never done that before but I can see how it can be very helpful. How long does it normally take you to finish writing your papers?
DeleteNandi,
DeleteI do not know my way of writing is the best thing to follow, but it works for me. When I am writing I usually just write until I have nothing else to say or until I start to repeat myself. I don't more than a couple of ours because I will get frustrated and that will affect my writing. I try to stay in good mood when I am writing. I think it is important to stay positive when writing because it helps make the writing process easier.
Abigail, I wish that I had the same problem! Maybe if I was such a protectionist I would better understand the problems that I make and put them behind me! It sounds like you really know your writing errors and are doing something about it! Congratulations
DeleteSome ways that I revise my essays to make them better is by reading the entire essay once it is completed. I do this to make sure it flows and to correct any punctuation or grammar errors that I missed while writing my essay. I also like to read my essays out loud to myself. This allows me to really get an understanding of how my writing sounds out loud. I usually find errors in my transitions from one sentence to the other. That is something that I believe I have trouble with and look forward to improving. Lastly, I have someone else with good writing skills review my paper. I have them give me feedback and help me make any corrections necessary. I remember one time, when I didn’t revise my paper enough because I ran out of time. This was due to a busy week and being called into work the day before my paper was due. I knew it wasn’t a good choice going into work that night but I was running low on money and needed the extra hours.
ReplyDeleteFor the super bowl next week I will be watching the game and cheering on the broncos. The Forty Niners are my favorite team and unfortunately they didn’t make it this year. So, I’m sure you guys now realize why I am cheering on the broncos. I also plan on eating some Rusty’s pizza while watching the game and having some friends and family over for football Sunday!
I agree with you Diana. Go Broncos!
DeleteI love friend feedback but have just like you run out of time! Hopefully, we can kick that procrastination problem to the curb!
DeleteI totally agree with you Diana! The 49er lost still hurts but I'm hoping the broncos destroy the sea hawks!
DeleteThe only thing I know for sure about this Super Bowl is this...the Lakers are awful! Wait, wrong sport. This Super Bowl could be a great one. The prognosticators are all over the place with their predictions, so I don't think anyone has a clue who will win!
DeleteLets hope the Denver Broncos win. Thats where my money will be.
DeleteGo Broncos!!!
When revising my writing I feel that its important to read it out loud and then have someone else read it. Its important that what you write makes sense, that it flows and that it uses the right language, by reading my work out loud I am able to listen for clarity and mistakes. Punctuation and grammar are not my strongest points so I really try to focus on that. I try to read each sentence and determine if a comma is needed or if I need to remove a few unnecessary punctuation marks. Having someone else read my writing lets me know if my point is clear and if I have any run on sentences or grammar mistakes. Overall I think its just crucial to read your work many times and to get a second opinion.
ReplyDeleteHey Eli, punctuation used to be my weak point as well. Have you ever heard of FANBOYS? (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
DeleteThat's a rule I use.
I can send you a handout that helped me out a lot during my sophmore year
Subject (S) Verb (V)
S + V , fanboy S + V
S + V fanboy V (no comma needed if a verb follows a fanboy)
S + V ; S + V
Sarah.... from many other peoples post.... it sounds like you should send us all that handout. I remember learning about FANBOYS, but I forgot the rules regarding it. Im sure we can all google it though. Thanks for the reminder.
DeleteGreat one...Sarah, if you send it to me, I can send it to all.
DeleteIt is the most difficult comma rule, because you have to be able to recognize all of those parts and recognize that on either side of the fanboys there is a complete sentence(S + V).
It is a great idea for students to have someone else read their writing. Personally, I don't like having others read my paper because I get embarrassed about what they may think of my writing. Regardless, it is a good idea because it allows the writer to know if their point was made in their paper.
DeleteSarah: I really like that rule for commas. I am huge on rules, it makes my writing process simpler.
Thanks Sarah I would really appreciate it if you sent it to me.
DeleteGabriela...I think a lot of us feel nervous sending writing to others. It actually takes some sort of moral courage to put yourself out there. But as you say, it is worth it to have another set of critical eyes read your writing!
DeleteEli,
DeleteI agree with you, sometimes knowing when to use commas can be confusing. I do like that handout Sarah is referring to. I completely forgot about that since in college they hardly discuss certain acronyms teachers in high school would teach us. I do also like to have someone else read my writing when I can find someone to help.
There are three things that help me edit a paper. Reread and simplify, and then reread a week later. After writing a paper, I eliminate any redundancy in my essays. Can I get my message across clearly without using these words or this phrase? Is this word restating what I just said in the previous sentence? Questions such as these help me edit my paper. I’ve noticed every English professor I’ve encountered has different writing styles. Some stress margin layouts while others couldn’t care less about the margins but like the cushion words that make a sentence. Some have an annoyance of redundant wording while the next professor prefers a monotonous tone in any papers submitted. What I’ve noticed is every professor and writer has an annoyance when it comes to editing a paper. I believe that no one likes to hear the same thing twice, so a redundant sentence always sucks to read.
ReplyDeleteI learned to make it a habit to write papers early, so I have the time to read it a week after I write. This gives me a writer’s distance from a paper. I gain some distance from what I wrote, and by doing so, it enables me to see errors I wouldn’t have been able to see had I proof read it the same day because in my mind at that moment of completing my paper, everything I just wrote is right. Waiting a while provides me with a different perspective. Proofing a paper right after it is written is helpful, but it’s not good enough to make it a stopping point for writing. It’s not efficient because when a person proofreads a fresh paper, they selectively edit (selective seeing) instead of critically editing.
I also think it's crucial to make your point clear. Especially since it might make sense to you as a writer but might not make sense to the reader.
DeleteSarah I think it is great that you complete your paper ahead of time and then proof read it a week later. I actually myself starting doing that with my writing assignments. I used to always complete my paper and proofread it that same day. I took notice that whenever I would get my papers back, I would see mistakes that could have easily been fixed by myself.
ReplyDeleteI also read the FANBOYS comment you posted above and I remembered how helpful that is.
Diana, you should! It prevents you from stressing about whether you'll be able to write the paper in time. Did you learn the Fanboys trick at BC?
DeleteI tend to do a great deal of revision while I’m writing a paper. I feel that it is helpful to make revisions in real time while thoughts and ideas are fresh in my mind. With that being said, I rarely write a paper, (even a little 2-3 page paper), in one sitting. I feel it is important to take breaks to avoid stagnant or repetitious thought. I do not typically have a lot of issues with spelling or grammar, but I still like to have someone else read what I have written, just to see if anything glaring jumps out at them.
ReplyDeleteI am taking this class because I did not pass the GWAR test when I took it the first time. I have always felt that writing is one of my strengths, and I was shocked to learn that I did not pass the test. Part of the reason, I think, is because I work until 3 A.M. and the test was early on a Saturday morning, so I was exhausted. The main reason I suspect I did not pass was due to the subject matter of the test. I don’t know if any of you have taken the GWAR, or if they switch up the writing topics on the test, but when I took it last year, one of the topics was regarding smoking. As a smoker, I chose to argue a perspective that was clearly not the correct one. My advice for standardized writing evaluations would be to always be aware of what the evaluators want/expect to hear, and conform if you intend to pass.
Hi Nile! I have never taken GWAR test, but I took GMAT test for my MBA. I passed the minimum required GMAT score but not the writing section, I think I was asked to write two essays during the GMAT test. How is GWAR test? How many essays do we need to write during the test?
DeleteHello Nile,
DeleteLike Arina, I have never take the GWAR. Hearing all stories of not passing and some of the unusual topics deterred me from taking it. I choose the class because I knew it was something I could pass and it wouldn't hurt to always improve in writing skills. I hope this class helps you and reminds you that you are a great writer and that test doesn't prove that. I also didn't take it because I hate the pressure of timed writing assignments with topics you get write before you have to write.
Just like the two young ladies before me, I heard horrific stories about how the GWAR test causes blindness and hallucinations. So that is why I decided to take the online course instead.
DeleteTaking breaks is a great idea. You don't want to overwork your mind because the paper may not turn out the way you had hoped. I usually try to write out as much as I can in one sitting before I forget my ideas. I like to take breaks after a few paragraphs or pages in order to re-group my ideas and thinking process. I hope this class will be much more rewarding that the GWAR. I was going to try and take the GWAR test but I needed to fill in a few more units for the quarter, so I thought this would be like killing two birds with one stone.
DeleteWriting is always the most challenging part among all other assignments in my graduate program. I always need more time to do a writing than to do other type of assignments. I realize I do not have rich vocabulary, so I need to read a lot of books and articles prior writing an essay/paper. After I finish writing an essay or a paper, I will put the essay/paper away for at least a night and refresh my mind. The next day, I will open my essay again and do editing and revision. I usually start from checking the flow of my paper. I tend to “talk” too much and bring the topic too broad (sometimes out of topic). That’s why starting with checking the flow is essential to me so I can cut the part - which is out of topic. After that, I will look for repeating words or sentences and revise them. The next will be checking the vocabularies, replacing some vocabularies with MBA-level vocabularies (if it is a graduate paper). I will use a dictionary a lot for this purpose. After the flow of the paper is fixed, I will check the grammar, this is the last one before I ask my husband or a friend to read and review it. Yes, I will always need other party to review mine.
ReplyDeleteAbout Super Bowl, I know my husband and my son have a plan – inviting some friends… I will just join them. We talked about that plan a couple days ago but then our family discussion has changed to flood disaster that is now happening in my country, Indonesia, - my dad and my sister in-law are among the victims for this flood. My dad has to stay in the 2nd level of the house (it’s a two-storey house) for more than a week now, the 1st level is full of water – cars, piano, all are gone. It is getting worse last night. Thanks to cellular phone that enable us to keep in touch even though my dad is now being isolated and surrounded by water. We will still have a crowd on the super bowl day, but we will be in silent since some family members are having a tough situation due to the flood.
Goodness, Arina, I hope this whole situation gets better. Are they in Jakarta? It really does make the super bowl seem pointless when placed next to this sort of disaster. May the waters recede soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Professor! Yes, they are in Jakarta. It was still raining yesterday, but not as bad as a couple days ago. I hope everything gets better soon. The recovery is another challenge, diseases after the floods are huge concerns.
DeleteI wish that they could give us some rain! We really need some, this air is going to kill us. I hope that everything turns out okay.
DeleteI too feel like my vocabulary is lacking. Most of the time I almost feel as thought I use my same thoughts and words over and over again.
Isn't it amazing, Kelly. After spending time in the South last year, I thought, we need a massive pipeline sending California some of their water.
DeleteFirst the flood and now a volcano! Goodness, Indonesia is having a rough time. It sure is a beautiful country, too! I traveled from Jakarta to Yogyakarta and then to Bali and Lombok(and then a small island called Gili Air). The people were so friendly!
DeleteKelly... yes! We do have rain today!! Isn't it nice?
DeleteYes... the last couple years have been a tough and rough year for my country. It's not just because of some natural disasters, but also because of corruptions and bribery in the government that are getting worse and worse.
It was raining again two days ago, and again, my dad had to stay in the second floor for a couple days. They should move the capital city to other area, Jakarta is not "healthy" anymore.
How do you like Yogya, Bali, and Lombok, Professor? My mom was Javanese, she was born and grew up in Yogyakarta; my dad is Balinese. So those two places are very special to me. You are right, their people are so friendly, even for us - Indonesians. Yogyakarta and Bali people are so humble.
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ReplyDeleteWhenever I am given the task of writing, I usually start out by brainstorming the topic. I keep ideas in my head or at times I jot them down in my notebook. When I go to write the essay I either use the brainstorming ideas or new ideas that just come into my mind, right at the spot. When I am done writing the essay, then I reread the essay one paragraph at a time. I try my best to correct any mistakes in my punctuation, grammar, and the overall descriptive details used in each paragraph to support the topic. What I mean by overall descriptive details, is that, I try to format each and every paragraph in such a way that they match with my thesis statement, and the overall topic of the essay. I too have the habit of writing a lot, which can be a pro and a con depending on the assignment. When proofreading an essay I simply cut out some of the sentences that I feel are making the idea stretch out too much. At times, I reconstruct the sentence(s) in a way that little says a lot. Another strategy that helps me in writing my essays, is that I try to write things that will keep my reader(s) interested in the topic. Adding the correct words that catch the reader’s attention, makes a person a creative yet informative writer, I think.
ReplyDeleteFor the Super Bowl coming up, I will not be doing anything other than completing class work, and paying bills (doesn’t that sound awesome).
Good post, Ravita. Your readers appreciate that you try to eep them interested and engaged. That is not as common as you would think. Sometimes, a compelling argument that is wrong is more enjoyable to read than a dull or bland argument that is correct.
DeleteTo edit and revise my papers I usually take a couple of steps. First, I brainstorm notes about the topic I will be writing on. I like to put everything down on paper that I want to say that comes to mind. After I write my paper I then read through it a few times. I change sentences that sound out of place. I read it out loud, because it helps me catch my mistakes. Then, I’ll have some of my friends or family read through it. I’m really bad with grammar, so they usually help catch my mistakes. It really helped last year when I went to the writing center for help revising my papers. This year I haven’t went in for any of my papers, so these are probably times I didn’t revise enough. I should use all my resources to help edit my work. I often overlook mistakes because they seem to make sense to me. So I appreciate honesty from others to help better my writing. For the super bowl this weekend we plan on going to my father in laws house. They are having a party and we will be having a bbq. My fiancé will be off all weekend so I am super excited to have him to hang out with the whole family. I don’t know which team I will be rooting for yet, but I’m sure it will be a great game. I will be enjoying yummy food and good company. Hope you all have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteDid everyone hear that...GO TO THE WRITING CENTER. Thanks, Jordan. You can get good advice from Jeff Eagen over there or you can go to the MYwritinglabs plus Center in the Classroom Building. YOU PAY FEES that go directly the MyWritingLab. They even have a service where you can send something like 7 papers per year to have them revised by "experts" in that field---for free.
DeleteHow I revise my papers are by re-reading the paper after I have finished writing it. I make any obvious corrections that need to be made, because like most people when you are in writing mode you make some grammatical errors or just phrasing errors. Then I leave it as is and rest on it. I will look at it again the next day and see if there is any additional improvements that need to be made giving it a fresh pair of eyes. Other ways I have made corrections in the past is having a friend or teacher take a look and give me suggestions on improvements. I just saw the note on mywritinglabs plus center, I will probably use this for future papers. The writing center is a place I have visited before and they are helpful. Sometimes I just get stubborn and want to write the paper myself, make my own corrections and see what the professor or teacher marks. It may seem like a terrible idea but stubbornness gets to the best of me sometimes. Getting my ideas across used to be a struggle, but now it usually isn't. I have seen my papers improve over the years and it excites me and provides me more confidence to write my papers. I've have noticed that when I feel passionate about the topic at hand, my papers are usually their best. But of course, I don't always get to pick the topic. That challenge of creating a great paper on a topic I'm not interested in is indeed constructive.
ReplyDeleteHi Cheyenne, how did you notice your writing improving?
DeleteEvery time I finish an essay and the last step is to revise, I always tend to think it doesn't need any work to it. Not to say I am the best writer, because I am far from it, but it's just the thought that I just want to be done with the essay/ paper. Writing is my biggest weakeness, and a huge part of college, so I know that there is no escaping from writing. When I do revise my essay I notice that I tend to write on the past and present tense. As I was reading my last essay on the restaurant review, I was thinking this does not make sense what so ever. Like the flow of the essay was corrupted. I remember one time in one of my English classes we needed to write an autobiography and the comments from my professor was that I needed to put more meat to it. She made a reference to the human body that my essay as of right now was just bones, and that putting meat to it would make it comple; by meat she refered it to more details. Some useful advised would be to read it out loud, every time I do this I catch mistakes that need to be corrected. Another advised would be to read it to some one else and question them what the essay is about and have them summarize it. If the person is unable to do so, then essay needs more work. My superbowl weekend will consist of working night shift and studying for my two exams next week.
ReplyDeleteI have also noticed that I find more errors when I read my papers out loud. I think when I read it in my head I read it the way I think it should be, instead of how it actually is. Reading it out loud helps me eliminate some of those errors.
DeleteAdriana i do that too. The part of thinking my paper doesn't need any more revise, but not because I'm a great writer like you said, is mainly because I'm lazy. But i have found cool ways to get around that laziness.
DeleteThere are a couple ways I usually use to revise my papers. The first one is I have someone else read over my paper and fix any grammatical errors. This way work but the corrector is not perfect and they make mistakes too. The best way I found out to revise papers would have to be by reading the papers out loud. when you read the paper out loud you can hear the mistakes being said. One of the best tools to use while typing papers is a thesaurus. Those bad boys work miracles. There was a time during high school when I was using a thesaurus so that my paper would not sound repetitive. I ended up using the biggest synonym I could use for the small word. I ended up turning the paper in like that, the teacher called me in and had me read it to her. In the end, I had to write it over and fix those words. As for the superbowl weekend, Im on the road right now typing this paragraph as we drive to LAS VEGAS!!!!! My buddys and I are just going for these 2 days. I plan to go and bet some money on the Denver Broncos. Hopefully Peyton Manning can come through and play at the extraordinary level he's been playing at to win us the Lambardi Trophy. While I am here hopefully I hit a jackpot and win 999 million that way I can give all my fellow English 305 bloggers a hundred thousand ;) well hope you all have a good weekend and you guys be safe out there. Watch out for weirdos.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great idea to have someone read and correct your paper. Luckily my friend is a teacher so I am able to use her professional grading skills to help correct my papers at times. I hope you have a safe trip and wonderful time in Vegas and hope you win some bets! I don't like either team in the Superbowl this year but if I had to bet on a team, it would be the Broncos as well.
DeleteVegas sounds like a lot of fun, but I am sure that it will be crazy busy there. I hope you have a good time though.
DeleteWhen revising my own work, I like to type everything out and then read aloud what I had just wrote in order to determine if it flows well together. While I read it, I also notice whether or not I have made spelling or grammar errors. It is nice to be able to turn a rough draft into teachers so that they may give their recommendations. It is easier to make corrections when you know what the teacher wants or is looking for. There have been times where I have not been able to make corrections on an assignment because I get so busy with other course work and I am a full-time nanny. Fortunately, I have not written any terrible papers and I usually do well on spelling and grammar. It is always a good idea to re-read (sometimes aloud) in order to catch the little mistakes and to be sure the paper or assignment flows well and makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to share what I would be doing for the Superbowl this year. I am a Patriots fan and my father and boyfriend 49er fans. Since neither of our teams made it past the playoff games and we do not like either of the teams that went on; we are boycotting the Superbowl this year. Instead, my father, boyfriend, boyfriend's father, and I will be going to see a movie and go to lunch. It will be like a double father and daughter/son date. It is definitely better than watching the game!
ha, great idea, to boycott the game! I imagine the theatre will be empty.
Deletei agree with you. I do like to type everything out and read it out loud. I really do believe it helps me make sense of what i have written.
DeleteWhen it comes to writing, I’m not an expert, but rests assure I do try my best. Some advice I can give on writing is distance. Give yourself some distance after your done writing the paper, a few hours, or days even. The ideas are still very familiar, and you tend to skip a lot of errors. Clear your head of what you have written, so you can take a fresh look and see what is really going on the page. Another idea that always works for me is changing the look of the document. Altering the size, front, color or style of the text may trick your brain into seeing unfamiliar document, and you can get a different perspective on what’ve written. Finding a quiet place to work is also another way. Don’t try to do proofreading in front of a TV or while your chugging away on a treadmill. Find a quiet place where you can concentrate and avoid distraction. I prefer to do my editing and proofreading in several short blocks of time, rather than all at once; otherwise, my concentration is likely to wane. If you’re short on time, you may wish to prioritize your editing and proofreading tasks to be sure that the most important ones are completed. Decide what medium lets you proofread most carefully. Some people like to work right at the computer, while others like to sit back with a printed copy that they can mark up as they read.
ReplyDeleteWriting and I have never been friends. In fact, we used to be arch enemies. Time has passed and after a few classes, Writing and I have managed to have a somewhat "okay" relationship. It's the "I like you, but I don't 'like' you, 'like' you" type of thing. I believe I'm an okay writer. I'm no Shakespeare, but I can be an entertaining writer at times. Probably the biggest challenge for me, when it comes to writing, is informality and formality. At times, I think an essay may sound too informal and maybe even not not as "proper" as my peers.' I also tend to repeat myself quite often, catch it, then rewrite it using different words. Since I tend to be a direct person when engaged in an actual conversation, this can be troublesome at times. If I write something along the lines of, "The food was good," I may write, "The plate served as an entree was grandiose," I can't help but to think, "If I would have said, what I said in the first place, it would be more simple, direct, and easily be understood by most." I guess I'm a "lazy writer." I do like using detail and description though, although, that may be taken as "padding" for word count purposes.I know I need help with that issue. I also get confuse on writing as a whole due to how I was taught. I began thinking that a "full" paragraph should be 5 sentences and that formal writing was the way to go all the time, or so I thought! Lately, I've been writing using words I would use trying to hold a conversation. Maybe that isn't the best idea, but it makes writing somewhat "fun." I do try and reread what I write and do some minor tweaks, but I really do try and write how I would speak. I also like it because I like the feeling of a possible conversation with whoever reads what I write. I also need to learn to reread constantly, maybe even as I am typing. Sometimes I probably get worked up about an assignment that once I believe I'm done, I just submit it and don't look back.This is bad though. I guess what I'm trying to say is that when it comes to editing, I wish more people would actually try to be more direct, have them use their words to know what they are talking about and get insight on their perspective. Also, commas are sometimes needed! Rereading an essay as if you were speaking to someone has helped me out a great deal when it comes to commas so I recommend that! Also, do not use "fancy words" in a "nonfancy" essay where it just sounds funky, it makes it look like you're trying too hard. As for the Super Bowl, I just want food.
ReplyDeleteYes! foooooood.
DeleteC'mon, who could write something so brilliant as "Writing and I have never been friends" but a great writer? I think writing is your secret bff!
DeleteWhen it comes to writing papers I tend to write my papers very quickly and without much care to what I am writing. I find that it works best for me if I just get everything down on paper first without worrying about grammar or how well it flows. When I start writing the ideas tend to flow quickly, and I am often afraid that I am going to forget something great while worrying about flow. Once I have everything down I will read what I have and see how it sounds, and if some of the sentences need to be changed or moved around. Sometimes I will find that a sentence I have written works better in a previous paragraph than where I had it written. After this I will usually read it again to make sure that I have the flow of the paper down and that it all makes sense. At this time I will usually write my conclusion, as I now know what the paper is really about. Finally, I will go through and read it for grammatical errors and typos. I will check comma placement, and make sure that everything is in its proper place.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Super Bowl plans go, I will not be doing anything sports related. I am not much of a sports fan, and thankfully neither is my fiancé. We will spend Sunday as we normally do, by having breakfast with some friends, then coming home to catch up on homework and just relax.
If anything, when it comes to writing, I have a tendency of not revising my work as much as I should be. Why? Well, because, one, I make myself sound and feel retarded, two, it's a long process, three, I'm not a good writer so I feel as if I won't be a good revisor and four, I keep rereading and rewording the same sentence, thinking I have fixed it. But, over the years, I started to pick up some handy tips, so that I wouldn't take hours just to write a paragraph. Instead of revising my essay after I am done, I usually begin after every two or three sentences or paragraphs. I won't do a full edit or review, but just a quick glance to see if my sentences are still on point with the topic. Afterwards, when I have done the reconnaissance of each paragraph one by one, I'll then send in the cavalry and revise the whole established essay at hand. I use this procedure whenever I have a extensively, cruel paper due. Whereas, if the topic of the paper is something that has interest me fully, then I, often, finish the paper first then revise it after. This is because, I usually finish the paper faster, therefore, I can spend more time revising. So, in the end, I'll be using this opportunity to see what my other fellow classmates have to offer and plan to execute those well accomplished tips in revising my future essays.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the Super Bowl, I plan on having a feast and relaxing with my loving girlfriend and friends.