Module 3

Writing Process:
Drafting
Revising and Editing

I. INTRODUCTION
In the previous module we learned about prewriting. Prewriting is anything you do before you write a draft of
your document. It includes thinking, taking notes, talking to others, brainstorming, outlining, and gathering
information. Although prewriting is the first activity you engage in, generating ideas is an activity that occurs
throughout the writing process. Writing is a process that involves several distinct steps: prewriting, drafting,
revising, editing, and publishing. It is important for a writer to work through each of the steps in order to ensure
that he has produced a polished, complete piece. The writing process is not always linear. A writer may move back
and forth between steps as needed. For example, while you are revising, you might have to return to the
prewriting step to develop and expand your ideas. Through this module,you will learn the next steps in the process
of writing such as drafting and revising and editing.

II. OBJECTIVES. Specifically, after working on this module, you should be able to do the following:
1. Understand the process of writing.
2. Organize and draft a piece of writing.
3. Revise and edit a piece of writing.
4. Write a coherent and well-planned academic paper.

III. PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES

Task 1. List down in the box the aspects to be considered in doing the drafting and revising of an academic paper.

DRAFTING REVISING
1. Audience
2. Purpose 1. Use of diction
3. Organization 2. Sentence structure
4. Style 3. Proper Grammar
5. Flow
6. Presentation

IV. LESSON PROPER

STEP 3: DRAFTING

The next step of the writing process involves drafting. During drafting, the writer puts his ideas into complete
thoughts, such as sentences and paragraphs. The writer organizes his ideas in a way that allows the reader to
understand his message. He does this by focusing on which ideas or topics to include in the piece of writing.
During drafting, the writer will compose an introduction to the piece and develop a conclusion for the material. At
the end of this step of the writing process, the author will have completed a “rough draft.”
Drafting—The Process

The process of drafting a piece of writing begins with an analysis of the prewriting. The author must use his
prewriting notes to determine a focus for the piece. This may involve narrowing the focus of the topic and perhaps
identifying a purpose for the piece.

For example, an author may decide to write an essay about dogs. He could have developed his prewriting notes
with information about three topics relating to dogs: Show dogs, working dogs, and dog racing. These are all topics
that could stand alone in an essay. During drafting, the author should choose just one of these topics for his piece
of writing.

Once he has chosen a topic, he should identify a purpose for the essay. For instance, if the writing was meant to be
informational, he might choose to write about working dogs, his purpose being to impart information. On the other
hand, if he chose to write a persuasive essay, perhaps he would choose to write about dog racing, arguing for or
against this controversial topic. After determining a purpose for a piece of writing, it is easy to begin drafting. Any
information that is unrelated to the topic and its purpose should be eliminated from the prewriting.

The author begins writing by composing an introduction to the piece. The purpose of the introduction is not only to
state the topic of the piece, but it should also draw the reader in to the piece of writing. For young children, the
introduction may be one sentence stating the topic. More sophisticated writers will create an introductory
paragraph that identifies the topic, sets the purpose for the writing, and suggests how the topic will be developed
throughout the piece. The introduction to a piece of writing should be interesting. The tone of the introduction will
vary according to the topic. If an author is writing a personal narrative, he might decide to begin with a creative
quote about his experience. When writing an informational essay, the tone of the introduction must follow suit. It
should be focused and informative.

A solid, interesting introduction sets the stage for the rest of the rough draft. An author should begin drafting the
piece by organizing his notes in a sequence that will make sense to the reader. The focus should be on logical
connections between topics. A young writer will compose the body of a piece of writing by including detail
sentences related to the topic sentence. An older author should organize his writing in to paragraphs. Each
paragraph should include its own topic sentence. Smooth transitions between paragraphs are important in creating
a cohesive piece of writing, no matter the subject. A writer should refer back to his prewriting to keep him on track
and ensure that the piece of writing maintains its focus.

A writer should complete a rough draft by composing a conclusion. The purpose of a conclusion is to wrap up the
piece of writing by connecting all of the related thoughts and ideas. The best conclusions are creative, engaging,
and leave few questions unanswered in the mind of the reader. Younger students can conclude a piece of writing
with a simple sentence. Advanced writers should include a conclusion paragraph.

Resources for Writers: Introduction Strategies

1. Begin with a quotation

Although this approach can be overused, it can be very effective when you have an appropriate quotation. That
quotation may relate directly to the subject or it may be only indirectly related (and thus require further
explanation). Do not force a quotation into this spot; if an appropriate quotation is not available, select another
method.

2. Begin with a concession

Start with a statement recognizing an opinion or approach different from the one you plan to take in your essay.
3. Begin with a paradox
A paradox is a seeming self contradiction.

4. Begin with a short anecdote or narrative

5. Begin with an interesting fact or statistic

6. Begin with a question or several questions that will be answered in the paper

7. Begin with relevant background material

Background material should be presented concisely and should be clearly related to your thesis. A rambling
discussion of material only remotely related to your main point will confuse and bore your readers. 8. Begin by
stating a long-term effect or effects without immediately stating the cause

9. Begin with an analogy

10. Begin with a definition of a term that is important to your essay

Avoid simple dictionary definitions. Create an expanded definition that explains how the term applies to your
topic and essay.

How to Make a Good Conclusion Paragraph

Remember that it’s important to wrap up your writing by summarizing the main idea for your readers. This brings
your writing to a smooth close and creates a well-written piece of work.

What is a conclusion paragraph?

• A conclusion is what you will leave with your reader
• It “wraps up” your essay
• It demonstrates to the reader that you accomplished what you set out to do
• It shows how you have proved your thesis
• It provides the reader with a sense of closure on the topic

Structure
• A conclusion is the opposite of the introduction
• Remember that the introduction begins general and ends specific
• The conclusion begins specific and moves to the general

Essay Structure
Introduction

Thesis statement
Body of Essay

Rephrased thesis statement

 Conclusion
What to include
• Your conclusion wraps up your essay in a tidy package and brings it home for your reader
• Your topic sentence should summarize what you said in your thesis statement o This suggests to your
reader that you have accomplished what you set out to accomplish
• Do not simply restate your thesis statement, as that would be redundant o Rephrase the thesis statement
with fresh and deeper understanding
• Your conclusion is no place to bring up new ideas
• Your supporting sentences should summarize what you have already said in the body of your essay o If a
brilliant idea tries to sneak into the final paragraph, you must pluck it out and let it have its own paragraph in
the body, or leave it out completely
• Your topic for each body paragraph should be summarized in the conclusion o Wrap up the main
points
• Your closing sentence should help the reader feel a sense of closure
• Your closing sentence is your last word on the subject; it is your “clincher” o Demonstrate the importance of
your ideas o Propel your reader to a new view of the subject o End on a positive note
• Your closing sentence should make your readers glad they read your paper

Strategies for an effective conclusion

• Play the “So What” Game.
o When you read a statement from the conclusion, ask yourself, “So what?” or “Why should anybody
care?”
o Ponder that question and answer it
 Basically, I’m just saying that education was important to Douglass  So what?
 Well, it was important because it was a key to him feeling like a free and equal citizen 
Why should anybody care?
 That’s important because plantation owners tried to keep slaves from being educated
so that they could maintain control. When Douglass obtained an education, he
undermined that control personally.
• Return to the theme or themes in the introduction o This brings the reader full circle
o If you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay is
helpful in creating a new understanding
o Refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words, or parallel concepts and images that you
also used in the introduction
• Summarize o Include a brief summary of the paper’s main points, but don’t simply repeat things
that were in the paper
• Pull it all together o Show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used
fit together
• Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for the paper  Propose a
course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study
• Point to broader implications o A paper about the style of writer, Virginia Woolf, could point to her
influence on other writers or later feminists

Concluding strategies that do not work

• Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase
 • These may work in speeches, but they come across as wooden and trite in writing o “in conclusion” o
“in summary”
o “in closing”
o “as shown in the essay”
• Stating the thesis for the very first time
• Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion
• Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper
• Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper

Conclusion outline
• Topic sentence o Fresh rephrasing of thesis
statement
• Supporting sentences o Summarize or wrap
up the main points in the body of the essay
o Explain how ideas fit together
• Closing sentence o Final words o Connects
back to the introduction o Provides a sense
of closure

STEP 4: REVISING AND EDITING

REVISING

Once you have your first draft, it will require revision. To determine what needs reworking, read the entire paper—
preferably aloud! As you’re reading, consider: What works? What doesn't? Is this content necessary for
understanding the larger topic? Now, get more specific. Working through paragraph by paragraph, ask yourself the
purpose of each in terms of the thesis.

During the revision stage of the writing process, you have the opportunity to step back from your text and make
changes so readers can more clearly understand. Revision typically means you are making sure your information is
well organized, appropriate and complete. This is your opportunity to remove unnecessary text, rearrange
paragraphs, or add sections/paragraphs. You may even find it necessary to do more research for a particular part
of your paper. That is all part of the process.
REVISION CHECKLIST

ITEM YES NO
1. Have I conveyed the significance of my ideas to my readers? Is my
purpose clear?
2. Does my essay meet the requirements of my assignment?
3. Is my focus too broad? Have I narrowed my topic well?
4. Is my organization plan effective?
5. Is there a way to make the concept I am discussing clearer and more
focused?
6. Is the voice or style I am using appropriate for my audience?
7. Have I clearly defined any terms used?
8. Have I considered any possible objections to my position, if I take a
position in this research essay?
9. Do I provide clear transitions between my ideas? Are there any gaps
between my points?
10. Are there any points that need further explanation or detail?
11. Are there any points that need to be cut because they are not
related to my focus?
12. Are my sources credible? Have I addressed this credibility in my
writing?
13. Have I integrated my source material smoothly and effectively by
providing signal phrases and/or context for this information?
14. Have I put some source material in my own words as much as
possible and used quotes only when necessary?
15. Have I properly acknowledged all of my source material, including
paraphrases and summaries?
Source: [Link]

EDITING

Upon completion of a rough draft, the writer should take on the first edit of his work. Editing is an on-going
process, not a one time event. When an author edits his work, he is checking the piece for errors. These are
typically errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and formatting (indenting of paragraphs, etc.). A writer
should be encouraged to edit as much of his own paper as possible. Early writers should, with some prompting,
be able to check a paper for correct capitalization and punctuation. As a child ages, he will be able to correct
other errors on his own. Some students find it beneficial to read their work out loud while editing. This makes it
easier to find mistakes. Editing should not be a negative process. This is a time to work on creating a polished
piece of writing that will make the author proud. The author should be reminded that he will need to edit his
work at least two more times. He will edit before composing a final copy and then use the same process to check
over his final product.
 EDITING CHECKLIST

ITEM YES NO
1. Have I checked to make sure the spell checker did not change any
words to words I did not intend to write?
2. Have I looked closely at my sentences to see if any words are
missing?
3. Did I review the rules for commas before editing for commas?
4. Did I review other rules for punctuation before editing for
punctuation?
5. Is there something missing anywhere? Are all of my sentences
complete?
6. Did I include citations for all of my borrowed information?
7. Have I tried reading my essay in reverse, from the last sentence, to
help see each sentence on its own?
8. Have I tried reading my essay out loud to see how it sounds?

Source: [Link]

V. PRACTICE EXERCISES
A. Discuss briefly the following:
1. Explain at least two characteristics of a good introduction.
A good introduction should identify the topic of your paper, it should only have the main focus
on your topic. Avoid stating some statements which are not necessary, because introduction needs to be
precise. An introduction should also be welcoming, so that the writer can catch the reader’s attention to
encourage them to continue on to the main parts of your paper.
2. Explain at least two characteristics of a good conclusion.
A good conclusion should not reiterate the statements mentioned in the body of your paper
therefore highlight only the key points that you want the readers to keep in mind. I can also say that a
conclusion should be persuasive, it should offer your final impression unto your work which will serve as
the moral of your paper.
3. What is the purpose of revising and editing in the writing process?
Revision and editing is a crucial part of writing properly. It gives you a chance to pull back and
look critically at your work, searching for ways to strengthen its general effectiveness, clarity, and
grammatical structures.