Best editing advice I've seen in a long time...

[f4f3]

Just followed a link from one of my friends on Twitter to this article in the Times Higher Education supplement by Tara Barbazon (a name made for musical comedy). It's mostly about the art of note taking, but it contains an absolutely brilliant section on editing an assignment, which I think holds true for almost any piece of writing you intend for publication:

How to edit an assignment

Draft one: Correct all spelling and grammatical issues

Draft two: Check that references are complete

Draft three: Verify that quotations are accurate

Draft four: Read the introduction. Does it map the trajectory of the paper?

Draft five: Read the conclusion. Is there an efficient and evocative ending to the assignment?

Draft six: Check the first sentence of each paragraph. Does it convey the content of the paragraph that follows it?

Draft seven: Check the last sentence of each paragraph. Does it create a transition to the next paragraph?

Draft eight: Read each word and sentence for meaning and clarity. Is each word required? When in doubt, chop it out

Draft nine: Ensure there is no fragmentation between sections of the argument

Draft ten: Have you answered the question? Return to the marking criteria. Are you addressing all the required elements in the assignment? What mark would you give the paper?

Comments

[anthrokeight.livejournal.com]

Okay... so on reflection:

I think this suggested drafting process assumes a much, much, much higher level of writing competence than found in the average first year in college (US or UK from my experience) student's paper. If you're a pro, and you know it's logical, then start with proofing.

But I'm hesitant to say that much, since I know people with PhDs whose first and second rounds of drafting are usually aimed at making toasted piles of incoherance into something that reads like a paper.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I remember the first (and not the last) time I was roasted for not answering the question the tutor thought he was setting.
You know something? The question was crap.

[anthrokeight.livejournal.com]

Well! I agree... students write better papers when they have REALLY CLEAR assignments with CLEAR GOALS and EXPECTATIONS.

Many papers try and get students to work on mastering skill and content. Often, they're trying to keep a lot of balls in the air. Treating How to Write a Critical Summary as a skill that requires a special hat and a secret handshake only makes a hard process harder.

So, I believe your tutor asked a stupid question. It happens a lot, because people assume young writers know how to do things (paraphrase, even) with which they have little or no comfort.

The first assignment my freshman writers do is paraphrasing. They have to:

Identify the thesis and three sections that support it. Provide a direct quote of the relevant parts of the text, and then provide a paraphrase that re-presents the idea in their own words.

Skill: paraphrase and quote.
Content: Identify thesis on medical care of the poor, identify major supporting evidence/arguments.