| Menumenumenu | Learn to Outline
Write a First Draft
Always Revise Your First Draft
Learn to Edit
Make Sure to Proofread LEARN TO OUTLINE After gathering information for your paper through listing, clustering, brainstorming, researching, or some other method discussed in Chapter 2, you should draft a preliminary or working version of your thesis statement. The next step is to outline. Although not always necessary, an outline makes the writing of a paper easier. Think of an outline as a blueprint for writing; it can help you construct the first draft of your paper. There are basically two types of such blueprints: scratch outlines and formal outlines. WRITING A SCRATCH OUTLINE A scratch outline is no more than a simple listing of details—most of them just words and phrases—taken from the notes you have put down when you gathered information. You can begin by identifying details in your notes that relate directly to your preliminary or working thesis. Ignore, or even cross out, details that don't. For example, let's say you write a paper on the academic uses of computers. You look over the notes you made when you drew a subject tree on the uses of computers (like the one in Chapter 2), and you decide to focus on what computers can do for college students and their professors. Below are the notes for such a project: Notes on Using Computers in College ForStudents Writing papers Doing library research
Using the Internet
Taking distance-learning courses
Contacting professors/fellow students via email
Researching information relevant to coursework
Other uses
Completing math/science problems
Accessing spreadsheets for accounting courses
Using presentation software for communication/technical courses
Using engineering software
ForProfessors Keeping current Designing aids to instruction Grading tests Maintaining student records
A preliminary or working thesis drawn from such notes might be
WorkingThesis:Computers are valuable tools for college students and professors.
However, as you read over your notes once more, you realize that your topic is too broad for a paper of between 500 and 750 words, so you limit your thesisto RevisedThesis:Computers are essential tools for college students.
After reviewing your notes once more, you make this scratchoutline: Computers and the College Student - Introduction with thesis.
- Writing essays/research papers .
- Using the Internet to email/find more information.
- Specialized uses.
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WRITING A FORMAL OUTLINE A scratch outline, such as the one above, might be just the thing to get you started on a short paper. However, if you are attempting a more detailed discussion, you might make a more complete, formal outline. Here's what such an outline might look like: Computers and the College Student - Introduction
- In the last two decades, computers have revolutionized education at all levels.
- Colleges and universities use computers for a variety of tasks.
- Professors use computers for class work and scholarly research.
- Thesis: Computers are also essential tools for college students.
- Computers are indispensable to writing papers.
- The Internet can be used to gather valuable information.
- Word processors make it easier than ever to compose and revise.
- Some programs offer outlining templates.
- Manipulating text can be done with a few keystrokes.
- Some word processors have built-in revision functions.
- Specialized software writing programs can help students organize, draft, and revise their papers.
- Word processors also help students edit their work.
- Important tools include spell checkers and thesauruses.
- Online handbooks and grammar/rhetoric software programs are useful.
- The Internet has opened a new world of communication.
- Researching paper topics or simply finding more information about subjects discussed in class is now easier.
- Distance learning offers several possibilities.
- Students unable to come to campus can have greater access to course offerings by registering for online courses.
- Online course materials—lectures, exams, even class discussions—can be accessed at the individual student's convenience.
- Distance learning can save travel time and money for community-college and other commuting students.
- Emailing over the Internet increases communication between students, their instructors, and their fellow students.
- Computers make excellent tools in a variety of classes.
- Accounting classes use electronic spreadsheets.
- CAD/CAM software has replaced drafting tables in engineering classes.
- Specialized software in foreign languages, mathematics, and the physical sciences provide additional learning possibilities.
- What higher education can expect from the electronic revolution in the near future.
- Multimedia approaches promise to make learning more interesting and effective.
- Computers will enhance the way teachers address differences in student learning styles.
Back to Top WRITE A FIRST DRAFT Three things to remember when writing a first draft: - Stick closely to your outline as a blueprint or guide. However, no outline is written in stone. So, don't be afraid to add new information as it pops into your head, make organizational changes, replace or delete sections, or revise your thesis.
- Don't worry about paragraph structure, length, or development. You can add and remove details, rearrange sentences, and even divide paragraphs when you revise the first draft.
- Don't worry about errors in spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and the like. You can correct them when you edit your final draft.
Here is part of the firstdraft of a paper on the importance of computers to college students. In the last two decades, computers have revolutionize education. From kindergarten through graduate school. Colleges and universities use them for everything from admiting and registering students, keeping class records and maintaining academic transcripts, providing acess to library resources, and enhancing instruction. They are also important to individual professors and students. Professors use computers to prepare and deliver classroom lectures, to stay current in their fields, to email students and colleagues, and to do scholarly research, however, computers are also essential tools for students. Computers are indispensable to writing papers. Word processors make it easier than ever to compose and revise. Some programs offer templates that can be used to create outlines, listing, focused freewriting, brainstorming, and other information gathering techniques can practiced on a computer. The Internet can be used to gather information on everything from atomic physics to the indigenous peoples now living in the Pacific Northwest, to writers of the Victorian era who were woman. Students can brainstorm about a topic via email, in chat rooms, or simply by exchanging electronic files. Either over a network or by exchanging discs. Some word processors allow the writer to draw lines through existing text, then type in revisions for easy comparisons. Eliminating, adding, and moving text, also known "cutting and pasting" can be done with a few key strokes or clicks of a mouse. Students should save their work often and print out copies just in case the computer has a problem. For example, hard drives have a habit of crashing and software programs can develop glitches. Specialized software writing programs can help students outline, make rough drafts, and revise their papers. Word processors help students edit their work. Most word processors contain spell checkers and thesauruses. Online handbooks and grammar/rhetoric software programs such McGraw-Hill's Allwrite! can be useful when editing. |
Back to Top ALWAYS REVISE YOUR FIRST DRAFT You should revise your first draft several times—until you are satisfied it says what you want it to say clearly and completely. Here are a few questions to consider as you revise: - Has my central idea changed? Should I revise my thesis?
- Does all the information I have included relate to my thesis? Should I remove any details?
- Should I rearrange paragraphs or sentences within paragraphs?
- Do I need to add detail?
- Is each paragraph focused and unified? Should I combine or divide any paragraphs?
- Should I include transitions to improve smoothness and coherence in and between paragraphs.
Below is a revision of the first draft you read above. In the last two decades, computers have revolutionize education. From kindergarten through graduate school. Colleges and universities use them for everything from admiting and registering students, keeping class records and maintaining academic transcripts, providing acess to library resources, and enhancing instruction. They are also important to individual professors and students. Professors use computers to prepare and deliver classroom lectures, to stay current in their fields, to email students and colleagues, and to do scholarly research, however, computersare also essential tools for students. For example, they make drafting, revising, and editing papers easier. Computers are indispensable to drafting papers. Some word processors even offer templates that can be used to create outlines, listing, focused freewriting, brainstorming, and other information-gathering techniques can be practiced on a computer. The Internet can be used to gather information on everything from atomic physics to the indigenous peoples now living in the Pacific Northwest, to writers of the Victorian era. Moreover, students can brainstorm about a topic via email, in chat rooms, or simply by sharing electronic files. Either over a network or by exchanging discs. Computers are indispensable revision tools. Some word processors even allow the writer to draw lines through existing text, then type in revisions for easy comparisons. Eliminating, adding, and moving text, also known "cutting and pasting" can be done with a few key strokes or clicks of a mouse. Specialized software can even walk students through the outlining, drafting, and revising stages. Word processors also help students edit their work. Most word processors contain spell checkers and thesauruses. Online handbooks and grammar/rhetoric software programs such McGraw-Hill's Allwrite! can also be useful when editing. Students can use these tools to practice grammar, punctuation, diction, sentence structure, and other important skills. Such programs also contains important information on the inclusion and documentation of researched information. Whether from printed or electronic sources. |
As you can see, the revision contains several changes: - Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the first draft have been combined into one paragraph.
- The essay's thesis statement has been changed. It now reads: They [computers] make drafting, revising, and editing papers easier.
NOTE: | In this revision, the writer has decided to limit the paper to what appears in section II of the formal outline above. That is not unusual. Outlines are simply plans, and plans can and often do change once the paper begins to take shape. In this case, the student has realized that the outline was much too extensive for a short paper, so the thesis statement had to be revised. |
- Paragraph 3 of the first draft has been divided into three paragraphs, each focusing on a different aspect of the writing process.
- Two sentences from paragraph 3 in the first draft have been removed because they contain information that is not relevant to the thesis.
- A topic sentence has been inserted at the beginning of the revision's third paragraph to improve its focus.
- Information has been added to paragraph 4 to make it more convincing.
- Transitions such as also, moreover, and even have been added to improve coherence.
Back to Top LEARN TO EDIT Editing is the stage in which you can correct sentence structure, grammatical, punctuation, diction, spelling, and other distracting errors in the best of your revised drafts. The paragraphs below indicate such corrections: In the last two decades, computers have revolutionize education, from kindergarten through graduate school. Colleges and universities use them for everything from admitting and registering students, keeping class records and maintaining academic transcripts, providing access to library resources, and enhancing instruction. They are also important to individual professors and students. Professors use computers to prepare and deliver classroom lectures, to stay current in their fields, to email students and colleagues, and to do scholarly research. However, computers are also essential tools for students. They make writing papers easier, offer new ways to communicate and to do research, and they allow use of specialized learning tools that can enhance learning in specific disciplines. Computers are indispensable to writing papers. Word processors make composing and revising easier. . Some programs even offer templates that can be used to create outlines; a computer can be used to practice listing, focused freewriting, brainstorming, and other information-gathering techniques. . The Internet can be used to gather information on everything from atomic physics to the indigenous peoples now living in the Pacific Northwest, to writers of the Victorian era. Moreover, students can brainstorm about a topic via email, in chat rooms, or simply by sharing electronic files, either over a network or by exchanging discs. Computers are indispensable revision tools. Some word processors even allow the writer to draw lines through existing text, then type in revisions for easy comparisons. Eliminating, adding, and moving text, also known "cutting and pasting," can be done with a few key strokes or clicks of a mouse. Specialized software can even walk students through the outlining, drafting, and revising stages. Word processors also help students edit their work. Most word processors contain spell checkers and thesauruses. Online handbooks and grammar/rhetoric software programs such McGraw-Hill's Allwrite! can even be useful when editing. Students can use these tools to practice grammar, punctuation, diction, sentence structure, and other important skills. Such programs also contains important information on the inclusion and documentation of researched information, whether from printed or electronic sources. |
Here is a summary of the editing changes made above: In paragraph 1, two spelling errors have been corrected. A fragment in the first line has been corrected, as has a comma splice in the paragraph's next-to-last line. In paragraph 2, the first change eliminates wordiness, the second corrects a comma splice, and the third corrects a sentence fragment. In paragraph 3, a comma has been added. In paragraph 4, a sentence fragment has been corrected.
Back to Top MAKE SURE TO PROOFREAD The final step in any writing process is proofreading. That is best done once you have printed out a copy of your edited final draft. Make sure all the periods and commas are in the right place. Double-check spelling. Remember that computer spell checkers can't tell the difference between homonyms, such as there, their, and they're. Nor do they correct the spellings of brand names. Finally, make sure you have included proper endings and that your capitalization is correct. For example, the word revolutionize in the very first line should be revolutionized. Back to Top |
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