Ask for Feedback

After spending long hours on a project, you might find it difficult to identify problems that your readers might have with your draft. You might read the same paragraph eight times and still fail to notice that the evidence you are using to support a point actually contradicts it. Or you might not notice that your document’s organization could confuse your readers. You can ask for feedback on your draft from a friend, relative, colleague, or writing center tutor. It’s generally a good idea to ask for help from someone who will be frank as well as supportive. You should also be specific about the kinds of comments you’re looking for. Hearing “it’s just fine” from a reviewer will not help you to revise. You can learn more about engaging in a peer review in Chapter 4.

Checklist for Revision

image Review your writing situation. Does your document help you achieve your purposes? Does it address your readers’ needs, interests, knowledge, and backgrounds? Is it well adapted to the context in which it will be read?

image Consider your writing assignment. Does your document address the writing assignment’s requirements? Does it effectively work around limitations and take advantage of opportunities?

image Evaluate the presentation of your ideas. Does your document provide a clear and appropriate thesis statement? Do your reasons and evidence support your thesis statement, and are they consistent with your primary role as a writer?

image Assess your use, integration, and documentation of sources. Have you offered adequate support for your points, considered reasonable opposing viewpoints, integrated and acknowledged your sources, and distinguished between your work and that of other writers? Have you used variety in your introduction and attribution of sources? Have you documented your sources appropriately?

image Examine the structure and organization of your document. Is the introduction clear and concise, does it convey your main point, and does it help your readers anticipate the structure of your document? Is the organization of the document easy to follow? Are paragraphs easy to read? Are transitions effective? Does the conclusion provide more than just a summary of the document?

image Evaluate genre and design. Does the genre you’ve chosen help you accomplish your purpose? Have you followed the style and design conventions associated with the type of document you’ve created?