Tips for proofreading and catching major errors:

  • Review the major error handout to make sure you understand the most significant problems you’re looking for.  Also, take a look at the editing section on pp. 59-64 of Bedford.

  • Read the essay out loud with a pencil in your hand and mark awkward sections.

  • Read the draft backwards at both the word level (to catch spelling errors) and the sentence level (to catch grammatical errors).

  • Read the draft through several times with at least an hour in between readings.

  • If you’re using a word processor, you’re more likely to catch errors reading from a hard copy than if just reading from the screen.

  • If you’re using a word processor, use the spell-checker, but remember that it won’t catch misspellings like from/form, two and to.

  • Lightly mark sentences that you’re unsure of, and ask me about them in class next time.

Students who don't pass this essay generally haven’t spent enough time proofreading

 Portfolio Items (LABEL ALL PARTS OF YOUR PORTFOLIO CLEARLY.)

Left Side

Right Side

1. Pre-writing/invention (bottom) 

1. Final draft (bottom)

2. Labeled drafts with earlier drafts nearer the bottom.

2. Self-evaluation

3 Labeled Peer Review sheets stapled to drafts that were reviewed.

 

  • Self-evaluation: Write a paragraph or two on problems you found in early drafts of your essay and how you solved them.  Write another  paragraph or two explaining how the sample essays (student and professional) we read influenced your essay. What strategies or techniques did you adapt from those essays?  

COMMON PROBLEMS:  As we discussed in class, the most common problem is with significance:  some essays either don't make the significance clear in the essay, or they try to tag it on the end with a Hallmark Card type of finish.  See the revision sheet for help here or ask me.  The other content problem is varying the pace and making the story engaging.  Again the revision sheet can help here.  Finally, major errors sometimes hurt essays that are otherwise quite good--PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD!!!