Revision Checklist
Cynthia Barnett
Competency
Goal 4: The learner will continue to refine critical thinking skills and
apply criteria to evaluate text and multimedia.
4.01: Analyze the purpose of the author or creator and the impact of that purpose by:
§
evaluating the underlying assumptions of the author/creator.
4.02:
Develop (with limited assistance) and apply appropriate criteria to evaluate
the
quality of
the communication by:
§
using knowledge of language structure and literary or
media techniques.
§
drawing conclusions based on evidence, reasons, or relevant
information.
§
considering the implications, consequences, or impact of
those conclusions.
4.03:
Use the stance of critic to:
§
construct or review.
Materials
Needed:
Writing
draft
Personal
Revision Checklist
Time
required:
10 minutes
Purpose: Students need to be able to distinguish between the decisions they make in their own drafts and what they need to ask others for help in conferencing. These questions are simply a tool to begin the year and have them thinking about the process of revision in their own writing. As the weeks progress, I would continue to add a few questions at a time to the list, asking the students to dig deeper into their writing. It would be overwhelming to ask them to focus on all the questions from the very beginning. This tool is a way for them to slowly progress into revision. I have attached the remaining questions that could be introduced as you see your students developing more as writers or struggling with certain areas in writing.
Script: The process of writing is recursive in nature. As a writer, you may repeat a series of steps before you actually finish a piece. So, I decided to develop a series of questions you could ask yourself to help you revise your papers. This is something you would do before giving your paper to other students to read.
Writers spend time reading over and thinking about what they have written and where they want to go next with their writing. It is also important to step away from your writing and come back to it later. This may give you a better perspective of what you need to change or add to your work.
It is your responsibility, as a writer, to make the decisions about what goes on your page. You need to make thoughtful decisions about your own strengths and weaknesses before you expect your peers to decide for you. Feedback from them is very important, but making your own voice clear and your purpose focused gives you the basics for good writing.
Activity:
The students are to take the personal revision checklist to their desk before conferencing with anyone. Then, they are to go through their writing and ask themselves those questions, making any changes necessary to their work.
In their conference with the teacher, have them explain about their conference with themselves. What did they do?
Writer’s
Craft – Revision Checklist
1. What is the main idea of the paper?
2. What is the focus of my topic? (Do I stay with the same theme throughout my paper?)
3. What are the main ideas of my paper?
4. Will my readers understand what I am writing about?
5. Is the lead strong? (Does it capture the reader’s attention?)
6. Have I told enough? Have I explained each part well enough that a reader will know what I mean, every step of the way? Where can I expand on my ideas better?
7. Is all my information needed? What words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs can I cut out?
8. Does my conclusion give readers a sense of closure but also invite them to want to read the writing again? What was the final summary or point of my conclusion?
9. What part of this piece do I like best? Why?___________________________
_______________________________________________________________
10. What part do I like least? Why?_____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
11. What part do I feel needs improvement? How can I improve it?___________
_______________________________________________________________
QUESTIONS ABOUT PURPOSE
§ Does the writing answer the question, “So what?”
§ Do I have a big idea? Do I have enough specifics to support this theme, argument, or purpose?
§ Is the writing honest?
§ Will it make a reader think and feel?
§ Do I know what I’m talking about?
§ Will readers relate to the writing so strongly that I hold their attention the whole time?
QUESTIONS ABOUT INFORMATION
Is my information sufficient? Is it accurate?
§ Have I told enough? Have I explained each part well enough that a reader will know what I mean, every step of the way?
§ What’s the strongest, most satisfying part, and how can I build on it?
§ Have I described thoughts and feelings at the points where readers will wonder what I am, or what my main character is, thinking and feeling?
§ Have I embedded the context: told where, when, how, what, and with whom?
§ Have I described the scene with enough detail that a reader can see it happening – can envision people in action?
§ Did people talk? Have I directly quoted the words they said?
Does it sound the way these people would speak to each other?
Can a reader hear what they’re like?
§ Have I created questions in a reader’s mind about where the writing will lead?
§ Have I included specifics that reveal my character, myself, my subject, or my argument?
§ Is the pace to fast to hold someone’s interest or convince a reader? Do I need to slow down and expand on any part?
§ Is the writing plausible, or believable? Are the reasons for actions and reactions clear and compelling?
§ Is the writing true in terms of history, science, mathematics, geography, contemporary social issues, etc.? Have I done the research that gives credence to what I am saying?
§ Is my information in the best order?
Do I have too much information?
§ What parts aren’t needed – don’t add to my point, theme, character, or plot? Can I delete them?
§ What is this piece of writing really about? Are there parts are about something else? Can I cut them?
§ Which is the one best example or illustration?
§ Are there redundancies? Can I figure out the best way to say it once?
§ Have I contradicted myself anywhere?
§ Are there any places where the pace bogs down? Can I delete and compress information and speed things up?
§ Is there too much conversation? Too many details? Too much description? Have I explained something to thoroughly?
§ Is this a “bed-to-bed” memoir that describes every single event of one day? Can I focus on the important part of the experience and delete the rest?
§ Have I cut to the chase?
QUESTIONS ABOUT LEADS
§ Does the lead engage readers and bring them right into the theme, purpose, tone, action, or the mind of the main character?
§ Does the lead give direction to the rest of the writing?
§ Does the lead set the tone or create the first impression I want for my readers?
§ Where does the piece really begin? Can I cut the first paragraph? The first two? The first page?
QUESTIONS ABOUT CONCLUSIONS
§ How do I want my reader to feel and think at the end? Will this conclusion do it?
§ Does my conclusion drop off and leave my reader wondering or confused?
§ Does my conclusion feel tacked on?
§ Does my conclusion go on and on?
§ Does my conclusion give readers a sense of closure but also invite them to want to read the writing again?
QUESTIONS ABOUT TITLES
§ Does the title fit the big idea of what the writing is about?
§ Is the title a “grabber?” Would it make a reader want to read my writing? (Or is it merely a description of the topic?)
§ Does the title give a hint or taste of the topic?
§ Is the title memorable?
QUESTIONS ABOUT STYLE
§ Is the imagery concrete? Can a reader see, hear, feel, smell, taste this?
§ Is my choice of words simple, clear, and direct?
§ Have I cluttered my writing with unnecessary adjectives and adverbs?
§ Have I used strong, precise verbs?
§ Have I used any of Macrorie’s Bad Words (really, very, so, all)?
§ Have I used any word(s) too often, especially in nearby sentences?
§ Are my sentences clear, direct, and to the point?
§ Are my sentences active: I did this, not It was done?
§ Are any sentences too long and tangled? Too brief and choppy?
§ Have I used punctuation (: ; - …) that will give voice and meaning to my writing?
§ Have I paragraphed often enough to give a reader’s eye some breaks?
§ Have I broken the flow of my piece by paragraphing too often?
§ Have I grouped together ideas related to each other?
§ Is my information in order? Is this a logical sequence? Have I provided transitions for the reader from one idea to the next?
§ Is there a voice, an actor?
§ Does the voice stay the same – first-person participant (I did it) or third-person observer (he or she did it)?
§ Does the verb tense stay the same – present (it’s happening now or in general) or past (it happened before)?
§ Does the writing sound like literature – does it flow – when I read it aloud to myself?