Transcript Editing your Paper

Editing your Paper
…and your friend’s papers!
Thesis
• Is it the last sentence in the Introduction?
• Is it NOT indented?
• Does it use the words from the prompt,
exactly?
• Is it clear. 1 idea and a list of 3?
• Is the list word, word, word or phrase, phrase,
phrase?
Topic Sentences
• Do they start with a transition?
• Are they taken directly from the Thesis? (They
use the same words)
• Do they appear at the beginning of every body
paragraph?
• Is the conclusion topic sentence flip-flippoed
and does it use the transition, In conclusion?”
• Are they all indented?
Color Coding
Put your finger on the first word and the last
punctuation mark of each sentence, one by one.
You will read between your fingers ONLY!
• Ask: Is this a complete sentence?
• Ask: Is this REALLY a _____________? (complete
opener, fact or detail, example, or complete
closer)
• Is it colored the correct color?
• Does it need to move somewhere else in the
sentence?
Sentence Pathways
Put your finger on the first word and the last
punctuation mark of each sentence, one by
one. You will read between your fingers ONLY!
Make a Check sheet on a piece of scratch
paper: Simple, Compound, Complex,
Compound –Complex. You will read paragraph
by paragraph and put a check by what kind of
sentence pathway each sentence uses.
Sentence Pathways
If you are missing one of the sentence pathways in
a sentence you MUST go back and fill it in. Here
are some ways to do that.
• Add a prepositional phrase to the front of any
sentence with a comma. Makes it complex.
• Can you join any of your simple sentences to
make them compound?
• Can you add an appositive phrase anywhere.
• Can you add an example or detail that uses the
missing sentence pathway?
Content
• Do you have ENOUGH information to PROVE
you idea in your Thesis? Or, have you left
holes? Written “just enough to get by?”
• Ask someone else. Do they understand your
entire thought process and all you are trying
to communicate?
Punctuation
Put your finger on the first word and the last
punctuation mark of each sentence, one by
one. You will read between your fingers ONLY!
• Read between your fingers, BACKWARDS
through the paper, sentence by sentence, and
alter any problems with punctuation,
capitalization, and indentions.
• Remember the FANBOY comma rule.
Spelling
• Read your paper BACKWARDS, word by word.
Circle any word that you think MIGHT be
misspelled. You can then come back later and fix
them.
• Read you paper BACKWARDS, word by word, for :
2nd (Yous!) or 1st person references, contractions,
parenthesis, or words like: “Reason” or “Why” or
“Because.” These words often signify a sentence
fragment or week sentence pathway.
Finally
• Give your paper to someone who has NEVER
seen it before. Have them read it SLOWLY
aloud to you. EXACTLY what they see on the
page. If you HEAR an error, stop then and
there and mark it.
• Go back and fix the marks
• Give your paper and the rubric to a parent or
guardian and have them “grade” your paper
using the rubric.
You are now ready to type!
Typed Revision Copy
• Type your rough draft LEAVING ANY ERRORS.
• Print this copy WITH ERRORS. Take it to your desk and
HIGHLIGHT the ERRORS as indicated by Word.
• Fix any ERRORS using the Word program. BUT, BE CAREFUL,
READ THE COMPUTER’S SUGGESTION AND MAKE SURE THE
COMPUTER IS CORRECT!!! Word does not automatically
correct your essay properly.
• Select your whole paper and double space it!
• Make sure your name and Hour are on the top of the page.
• Print. Staple your last, best copy on top, your highlighted
“revision” copy in the middle, and your rough draft is last.
Always.
• Turn it in.