Minutes a day n e w y o r k

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C O N C L U S I O N S
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C O N C L U S I O N S
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Skim through a magazine, but this time, read the introductions and conclusion to at least three articles.
What techniques do writers use to conclude their articles? Do the conclusions restate the main idea or
thesis offered in the introduction? Do they go a step further and offer a new understanding? Do they
provide a sense of closure? Do they speak to your emotions? What techniques do the writers use to
conclude their articles?
Skill Building until Next Time
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S E C T I O N
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Revising,
Editing, and
Proofreading
the Essay
O
nce you have a rough draft of your essay, you are ready to transform it
into a polished piece of writing. This polishing process consists of three
steps: revising, editing, and proofreading. Think of them as holding up var-
ious strengths of magnifying glasses to your essay:
■
Revising looks at your essay through a lens that lets you see it as a whole; you will pay
attention to the largest issues involved in its crafting. Have you addressed the topic? Is
there a logical flow to your ideas or story? Is each paragraph necessary and properly
placed?
■
Editing takes a closer look at your writing, through a stronger lens that highlights
words and sentences. Are your word choices appropriate and fresh? Are there any
repetitive or awkward sentences or phrases?
■
Proofreading puts your essay under the strongest lens. You will check within each
word for errors in spelling and correct any other mechanical mistakes, such as gram-
mar and punctuation.
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F
rom the Latin revisere, meaning to visit or look at again, revision is the most general re-examination
of your essay. But it can also seem like the most overwhelming; it’s harder to step back and look at
your entire essay with fresh eyes and ears than it is to correct spelling and punctuation errors. But this
is a critical step in which you make sure you have achieved your goal, and see if any sections of the essay need
improving.
Revision takes place on a couple of levels: the “big picture” or essay level, and the paragraph level. It makes
sense to look at your writing on these levels first, before jumpig into editing or proofreading. Think of it this way:
Why take the time to correct grammatical errors and reword sentences if you might delete those sentences later
in the revision process?