How to Revise an Essay
Finished your essay? Congratulations. But your work isn't done yet. Writing is as much about revising as it is about creating that first draft. Carefully editing your essay will ensure that your prose -- and your subject -- are given the time and attention they deserve. Knowing what to look for when doing revision work will help you make better changes and focus on what really counts.
Instructions
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Put your essay aside for at least a few hours, but preferably a whole day. When you've been closely involved with writing an essay for a long time, your ability to read it objectively disappears. You need to put your work aside for a little while so you can see it with fresh eyes when you revise.
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Study your introduction. Often the introduction is the first thing you write, and, as most writers know, an essay doesn't always turn out the way you first imagined it would. New ideas, new evidence and even a new argument can surface as you put an essay together, which means your introduction might not "fit" the essay once you've drafted it. When you revise, take a hard look at specific parts of the introduction, such as the opening sentence and your thesis statement, and ask yourself: Does my opening sentence catch the reader's attention? Does the introduction accurately present what follows in the essay? Is my thesis statement clear, direct and accurate?
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Consider your conclusion. Your conclusion provides the final thought that readers will take away from your essay, so you want it to be effective. Sometimes essay-writing fatigue can set in by the time you get around to the conclusion, so you create a slap-dash, tacked-on paragraph that undermines the quality of your essay. When you revise your conclusion, ask yourself: Is the transition into my conclusion smooth and logical? Does my conclusion just repeat the main points of my essay -- a boring prospect -- or does it tie those points together to convey a larger idea?
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Look at your paragraph topic sentences. Every paragraph in your essay should begin with a clear topic sentence that communicates to your readers what that paragraph will be about. A topic sentence may continue or refute an argument from a previous paragraph by saying, "Furthermore, history suggests that..." or "On the other hand, critics argue that..." Or a topic sentence may launch a new angle of your argument or present a brand-new idea: "Women travelers in the eighteenth century were known for..." When you revise, look at every topic sentence and ask yourself: Does the topic sentence accurately introduce the paragraph that follows? Have I overused transition words like "however" or "furthermore," creating a repetitious effect? Have I overused words like "obviously" or "clearly" to start the sentences? This may signal that you're forcing a point that is not, in fact, obvious or clear yet to your readers.
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Take a hard look at your argument. Once you have written your whole essay, you may spot areas where you need more evidence, or you may realize you haven't given enough explanation for a point you're making. You may notice logical fallacies that are weakening your argument. Revision is the perfect time to flesh out all your ideas to ensure clarity and completeness.
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Proofread your essay for grammar and spelling. Using your computer's spell and grammar check isn't enough. The writing program won't catch mistakes like affect/effect, their/there and other common errors. Occasionally grammar checkers can flag sentences that are perfectly acceptable.
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Tips & Warnings
Try not to be wedded to your original work; revision is the only way to make your writing shine, and this often involves deleting or rewriting a lot of what you originally set down on paper.
Ask a friend or a classmate to read through your essay carefully. Frequently they can find errors you never noticed.
Read your essay out loud, paying attention to each word you actually wrote to find additional errors.
References
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