Revision
Revision is not simply proofreading and editing. That is, the act of revising is more than correcting surface errors or rearranging paragraphs. It requires a re-thinking or re-seeing of the ideas and organization of your paper as a whole. The difference between editing and revision might seem minute, but editing deals more with punctuation and other technical details, while revision focuses on ideas and organization of those ideas. Keep in mind that It is okay to move back and forth between the revision stage and the editing stage-to a degree. After all, who wants to work for an hour polishing a paragraph they will later delete?
Quick revision, a strategy from Peter Elbow's book Writing With Power, is best used when the results don't matter too much or as a last resort when you have run out of time before a deadline. For quick revision to be really effective, it's best if you have a lot of written material to begin with since quick revision is mostly about cutting. If you are worried about making a paper length requirement, try another revision strategy first.
If you have plenty of time to work on a paper, this is a great way to work on revising. This process requires a lot of time because you must put it away for a while, at least a day or more if possible. This allows you to see your work with fresh eyes and a better mind set for the critical task of revision. If you don't have time, then use the Quick Revising method or some of the other general strategies for revision.
Every writer, novice and expert, can make good use of a second opinion. While it is nice if that person is also good at spotting punctuation and spelling errors, it isn't the most important skill. Even the most basic reader can help improve your writing simply by pointing out where they get lost or confused as they read.
Here is a collection of general strategies for revision including questions to ask yourself to guide your revision as well as some miscellaneous tips.
