High and Middle Order Concerns (HOCs and MOCs) cover the early stages of revision such as reorganizing the draft and working on paragraphing, transitions, flow, and more. This stage requires more "rethinking" about the draft than the proofreading stage. It also can require more work and time, but this work is also where most of the real improvement will come from. While much of the revision work for high and middle-order concerns will depend on your specific goals, the following resources may help you better understand the organization and flow of your draft.
Later Order Concerns (LOCs) cover the proofreading and editing stage of revision. This should be done last after you've already done HOC and MOC revision. Below are some tips for proofreading and a list of common issues. I also recommend having a friend or family member look over your writing at this stage, as well.
Have you ever read an email or text hours later and found a ridiculous typo or error that you made?
Sometimes it can be hard for us to see our own typos because our brains want to "auto-correct" the writing. When we write something, we know what we meant to write. If we don't take a break from our paper and give it time to sit, we often won't be able to see the mistake ourselves. This is especially hard in an 8-week class because there isn't enough time to really take a break from our writing.
There are several things we can do to combat that problem. See the following page for strategies for more on proofreading: Editing and Proofreading
Along with these strategies, one of the easiest things you can do for proofreading is use the built-in spell check and/or grammar check in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. This can help with typos, spelling, and some mechanical issues. However, always use caution when allowing software to correct your writing as it can suggest incorrect replacement.
Additionally, more robust software like Grammarly* may suggest wording changes unnecessarily or remove your distinct writing voice through its suggestions. So, while these types of software can help point out errors or even find trends in your writing that you may want to work on, such as run-on sentences, accept changes with a critical eye.
* Important Note: Some grammar software can rewrite or reorganize your writing using large language model (LLM) AI. Check your class policies before using any grammar software.
"Revision Resources" by Sarah Karlis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.