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You have finished a complete draft of your explanatory text and are now ready for the last steps in the writing process. You will revise your writing by making changes to the organization and content to make sure the ideas are relevant, clear, and connected. Next, you will edit your work, looking for issues with grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Revising and editing will improve your text, and this makes it more likely your text will be well-received by your audience.

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Revising
Too many students neglect the revision stage, probably because they feel drained after finishing most of the steps of the writing process. But the revision stage may give you the opportunity to improve your grade with only an hour or two of work.

When revising, use parallelism across paragraphs or sections to enhance the coherence and impact of your writing. Parallel structure involves using the same pattern of words, phrases, or clauses to express similar ideas.

One way you can apply parallelism is to identify key ideas and present them in the same format. For example, if you are writing about different strategies for solving a problem, each strategy should follow the same sentence or grammatical structure.

You can also revise your writing for symmetry. If one section uses a list of actions while another uses descriptive phrases, your writing will appear unbalanced. Revise to make the structures congruent.

Parallel structure helps create a rhythm and makes your writing easier to follow. It emphasizes connections and congruence between ideas, making your text more compelling.

Developing a checklist gives you a tool for revision not only now but also on future assignments. This lesson will give you some checklists you can feel free to adapt for your own purposes. A troubleshooting chart like the following is another helpful tool for revision:

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Revision Checklist

  1. Content Relevance

    • Does each paragraph contribute to the main idea or thesis?
    • Are all examples and evidence relevant and well-chosen?
    • Have you addressed potential counterarguments or alternative views?

  2. Organization

    • Is there a clear introduction, body, and conclusion?
    • Do your ideas progress logically from one to another?
    • Have you used effective transitions between paragraphs and sections?
    • Are sections appropriately divided and titled, if necessary?

  3. Parallelism and Structure

    • Are similar ideas presented using a consistent grammatical structure?
    • Have you ensured that lists and sequences maintain uniformity (e.g., if using verbs, are all verbs in the same tense)?
    • Is there symmetry in the writing, especially when comparing ideas or points?

  4. Clarity and Conciseness

    • Is your writing clear and easy to understand?
    • Do you avoid unnecessary jargon or overly complex language?
    • Have you eliminated any redundant phrases or ideas?

  5. Style and Tone

    • Does the style of writing suit your audience and purpose?
    • Have you maintained a consistent tone throughout the text?
    • Is your voice present and distinctive?

Troubleshooting Chart

| Issue | Possible Solutions | |---------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Ideas are unclear | Clarify ambiguous terms or concepts; simplify language. | | Lack of organization | Create an outline to ensure logical flow; rearrange paragraphs if needed. | | Inconsistent structure | Identify sections that need parallel structure; rephrase accordingly. | | Writing feels uneven | Balance short and long sentences; vary sentence structure for rhythm. | | Tone is inconsistent | Revisit the audience and purpose; adjust language and style as necessary. |

Final Editing Checklist

  1. Grammar

    • Are all sentences complete and varied in structure?
    • Have you checked for subject-verb agreement?
    • Are pronouns used correctly?

  2. Punctuation

    • Is punctuation used effectively to improve clarity (commas, semicolons, etc.)?
    • Are quotation marks used correctly for direct quotations?

  3. Spelling

    • Have you checked for commonly confused words (e.g., their/there/they’re)?
    • Is spelling consistent throughout (e.g., American vs. British English)?

  4. Formatting

    • Is your text formatted according to the required guidelines (font size, margins, etc.)?
    • Are headings and subheadings used appropriately to enhance readability?

By following this detailed checklist for revision and editing, you'll enhance the clarity, coherence, and overall quality of your explanatory text. This thorough approach increases the chance of your work being well-received by your audience. Happy writing!