To revise is to “re-see,” and the comments you receive from your instructors, peers, and writing center tutors will help you re-see your draft from your readers’ point of view. Sometimes these comments are written as shorthand commands—“Be specific!”—and sometimes as questions—“What is your main point?” Such comments don’t immediately show you how to revise, but they do identify places where global and sentence-level revisions can improve your draft.
When instructors, peers, and writing tutors comment on your work, you won’t be able to incorporate everyone’s advice. Sort through the comments you receive with your purpose and audience in mind. You may also want to keep a revision and editing log, a list of the global and sentence-level concerns that come up repeatedly in your reviewers’ comments. When you apply lessons from one assignment to another, comments can help you become a more effective writer.
Remember not to take criticism personally. Your readers are responding to your essay, not to you. It may be frustrating to hear that you still have more work to do, but taking feedback seriously—and revising accordingly—will make your essay stronger.
The next pages address common types of comments an instructor or peer might make in response to your writing.
The comment: Unclear thesis
The comment: Narrow your introduction
The comment: Develop more
The comment: Be specific
The comment: Consider opposing viewpoints
The comment: Summarize less, analyze more
The comment: More than one point in this paragraph
The comment: Your words?