Keeping an editing log

As part of the writing process, you will be reading and rereading your own writing to make sure your ideas are clearly stated and to correct any grammatical errors you may have made. Your editing process can be more effective if you keep an editing log or notebook of common errors you make or areas of grammar that give you particular trouble.

When you get a paper back from an instructor, record in your notebook any errors your instructor marked. You might also record any grammatical points that you looked up as you were writing or editing. Your log might be a single chart or checklist, as in sample log 1. Or it might consist of sentences with errors and the corrections you make to them, as in sample log 2.

Each time you write a new paper, check your editing log during the final stage of your writing process to help you track down and correct your typical mistakes.

Sample editing log 1: Checklist

Sample editing log 2: Corrected sentences

Blank editing log

Related topics:

Intensive and extensive language activities

Reading while listening

Using a dictionary or a thesaurus

Becoming familiar with the Academic Word List

Learning prefixes and suffixes

Keeping a vocabulary notebook

Targeting areas for improvement