Revision does not mean correcting spelling and grammatical mistakes. Revision means “seeing again” and “rethinking.” Revision is the process through which writers thoughtfully and carefully reconsider what they have written in order to clarify the meaning of the piece and sharpen its effect on the audience. The goal of instruction in the revision process is to help students become more critical readers of their own writing.
After you have answered the questions, you should then revise your work based on the answers.
1. Be sure you know exactly what your main Point is in the essay as a whole. The following sentence usually works to help you do this:
I HAVE WRITTEN AN ESSAY ABOUT......................(your area of focus) AND IT SAYS THAT ........................ (this should be your point and should be stated in no more than a dozen words.) Keep this sentence in mind at all times. If you do not know what your point is, your reader surely will not either.
2 Ask of each paragraph WIRMI (what I really mean is). This strategy will help you find the gist of each paragraph. Then, put a check in the margin next to each separate detail which supports the idea you want to get across.
3. Insert question marks wherever you think a reader might want to ask questions. You will then have to decide which of these questions need to be answered in order to make your meaning clear.