Guide to Research Writing

Session 5: Revise, Proofread, Publish

I. Overview of the session

II. Goals for the session

III. Revise

IV. Proofread

V. Publish

VI. Conclusion
 steps in the

expectations for writing assignments, and see some examples of formats for projects.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

explain the importance of revising and proofreading a writing assignment.

list some ways to organize a writing assignment.

proofread a sample paragraph.

Revision, the third step in the writing process, allows you to hone your writing.
piece of writing goes through at least one revision. A short piece of writing, such as a
business letter, may be revised once. Research papers typically go through multiple
drafts.

As you write, you may wonder how the parts of a paper fit together or relate to one
another. One way to organize a
graphic organizers from the first session that they can provide a way to see
categories. A traditional outline is another way to organize your writing. Some writers,
however, rely on other methods. It can be useful to place printed sections of a paper on
a table, read the sections, and rearrange them. A variant on this method is to tack the
sections to a bulletin board, and then rearrange them.

If you feel stuck, keep writing. Go on to a different section of the paper. Write what you
know, and as you write, the relationships of one part to another will become clear.

elements of it. Review the style: is it formal or informal? A reflection on spiritual

disciplines may be informal, with first-person pronouns. This course deliberately uses a
conversational style and second-person pronouns. However, a paper that compares and
contrasts forms of church polity would be use formal language. References to the

The tone of a piece of writing can influence how readers respond to the information in
it, as well as their impression of the writer. All of us have read letters to the editor that
were written in anger, but those letters are unlikely to persuade readers o
viewpoint. Although righteous indignation may be justifiable in some contexts (about a
heinous crime, for instance), sarcasm and anger rarely contribute to reasonable
discussion.

When it is possible to do so, use language that is inclusive and gender-neutral. The
doctor, the dentist, the police officer, the firefighter, or the person who delivers your
mail may be a man or a woman. Descriptions of physical traits or ethnicity are almost
always irrelevant. However, in some contexts it is pertinent to mention gender or
ethnicity. A study about how men and women learn would compare and contrast
research findings by gender. A study of Desmond Tutu by definition would address
discrimination based on ethnicity. Using inclusive and gender-neutral language need not
devolve into political correctness or absurdity.

After you have revised your work, ask yourself if the writing makes sense. Are
unfamiliar terms defined? Are there gaps? Does the argument, and the writing, seem to
flow smoothly? Putting the writing aside for a time can give perspective. Another way to
gain perspective is to ask for feedback. If a writer asks you to comment on his or her
work, some recommendations for discussion groups can give guidance (see figure 5.1).
After you have received comments, review your writing again, and make changes that
you think are relevant. If you have an extended discussion with a colleague and make
significant changes in light of that discussion, you want to give proper attribution. In a
e something similar to this: The argument in this section has been

A next step is to review a list of expectations for writing assignments (see figure 5.2).
Your institution may have similar expectations.

using spell check is only a starting point in proofreading. Spell check finds obvious

a word at a time, or even

a letter at time. You may want to ask a colleague to proof your final draft. For practice
in proofreading, see figure 5.3, which requires you to proof and correct a paragraph.

The final step in the writing process is publishing. In the context of education,
publishing is broadly defined. For young children, publishing their work may mean
reading a paragraph aloud to their classmates. In your courses, one form of publishing
is to submit your paper to your instructor. Your overall argument, use of sources,
language choices, and documentation (your citations) will be evaluated. The comments
you receive are part of the learning process.

At this point, you have a solid understanding of the writing process:

how to choose them and use them, and why they matter. You know how to organize

Writing may at times seem wearisome, and those are times to recall Romans 12:11:
ot slothful in business; fer
Version is intentional). Romans 12 in its entirety gives counsel and encouragement for
writing, as for your life.